And I could have watched them for hours.

Jen + Jeff… Jeff + Jen.

Suddenly, it was as if they were in their own little world. Relaxed & comfortable in one another’s presence. Sharing looks, gestures and touches that were probably so familiar to one another.  The way her body curved towards his. And the way his hand reached towards her in response. It was magical.

And they probably had no idea they were doing any of that.

I have to admit, I fell in love with that moment a little bit. I love getting the opportunity to celebrate the couple within the family, and to see their relationship unfold before my eyes. To be able to see that they are not just mom and dad, but husband and wife…

and still just a boy and a girl.

At the mini-session, I had the chance to meet her husband Matt and fur-babies Chloe & Lola. And then we played. And I found myself smiling a LOT.

Jessica was a complete crack-up, while Matt (more than used to her crazy ways), would smile and shake his head a bit. It was endearing to watch the two of them interact… full of inside jokes and little gestures that were theirs alone.  Because that’s what happens when you’re together as long as they’ve been… and you’re family. It’s as if you have your own language. And I’m happy that they shared it with me for a little while.

Here are a few of my favorite images captured along the way:

I love that Chloe & Lola were part of the shoot. Because anyone who has dogs knows that they’re not mere pets… they’re family.

To see more from their session, click here.

And for anyone who might be interested in a mini-session of their own, I’m putting together another round of mini-sessions in November!!! To be the first to be notified of all the details and have the FIRST opportunity to reserve your spot, make sure to sign up to receive my e-newletter by signing up in the sidebar to the right (under “Newsletter”).

Let me show you how…

It starts with a walk on the pier, where we can grab some amazing pictures of the sky and water, and incorporate the wooden texture.

Next, we’ll wander the area and explore the various walkways and alleyways, which are FULL of awesome textures (which make fabulous backgrounds).

If you’re up for a stroll, I like to then head over to the boardwalk area. We can even stop for a snack at the Candy Shop or Ice Cream Parlor. I just found out that the carousel is no longer there, but the ferris wheel is still available, and makes for some FABULOUS (and colorful) pictures.

If you’ve got small tykes, this might be a good time for a play-break… 5-10 minutes on the jungle gym keeps the little ones’ energy from getting out of control before we move onto the next set of shots.

And finally… we move to the surf & sand. I always save these pictures for last, just in case anyone gets too close to the water.

Finish up with a walk along the beach, and the glow of the sunset upon your face!

Three tips to make the most of this location:

1. Bring a towel/change of clothes for after your session, in case the waves get too close!  
2. Be prepared to walk a bit, to utilize all this area has to offer.
3. For some extra fun, bring some beach toys. Let’s build some sandcastles. Let’s fly a kite. Or sit on your favorite beach blanket and strum on your guitar. Let’s play!

Wardrobe for this location:

1. COLOR! The beach itself can sometimes seem a bit drab, so let’s dress things up a bit with a POP of color when we can.
2. Lots of layers. This lets you achieve several looks without the hassle of an actual outfit change. You can start by looking dressy and peel off a layer or two for a more casual look by the time you hit the sand.
3. Make sure to wear clothes you can MOVE in. For the best photos possible, make sure you not only LOOK good, but are comfortable in your clothes. We’ll be sitting, standing, jumping, and moving around quite a bit. And what’s a trip to the beach without bringing a bit of the sand home with you?

Summer might officially be over, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it here in sunny Southern California. Take advantage of the sun (and make distant relatives just a weeeee bit jealous). Book a session with me and show off your beach pictures with some new holiday cards! Check out the 2011 holiday card designs here.

{…just a quick reminder… Beloved Sessions are a new offering of mine. Think of a Beloved Session as an actual experience… with the pictures being the souvenir… They take my standard portrait sessions up a notch with more play, intimacy and even less posing. In fact, I am actually proud to say that I didn’t pose even ONE of the images during this session; this was all authentically them.}

Georgina was the winner of my Beloved Session giveaway, and was so very excited. Jack, her husband, was there to support Georgina and give her the pictures she wanted. As he laughingly told me before we began, “I’m a prop. Put me wherever you’d like.” I smiled and told him it would be a lot more interactive than that…

The session took place at one of my favorite locations in Irvine. We carved out a nook in the tall blossoms, and it felt like our own little flower cave. Other people occasionally passed us by (including hikers, as well as other photographers), but it didn’t matter… it felt like we were in our own little world, especially with the music blaring from my portable speakers (set to a new Pandora station tuned to “the Replacements”). Everyone and everything else melted into the background as we began to play.

Jack and Georgina  started and finished their session in a similar way, by looking at pictures and tokens from their life together… a framed picture of their first date together at Disneyland, an empty wine bottle from their wedding day, favorite records, photos of their two sons, and even a book they read to them before bed: Donde Viven los Monstrous. And start to finish, I was witness to something absolutely magical: two people reconnecting in a way that brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart. I didn’t hear the actual words spoken between them during the session, and sometimes no words were spoken at all… but I still heard their message to one another loud and clear: I love you.

Here are some of my favorite images from Jack and Georgina’s Beloved Session:

And check out this slideshow to see even more images of their afternoon together:

More to come soon…

As a lifestyle portrait photographer, I pride myself on being able to capture the real moments and interactions between people. That’s always been my favorite thing to do. I love, love, LOVE being able to capture moments like this for people. The REAL moments. The honest ones. Look at this… just LOOK. That’s all them. I was simply there to capture it as it happened. The beauty that I witnessed between this family was a magic all their own, allowing me to step away and watch it all unfold, all with minimal direction on my part.

And check out this lil guy’s tiny legwarmers that his mama made for him. So adorable! (Diego was absolutely fascinated with them.)

I count my blessings when  I am able to be witness to something as beautiful as this. To see more images from the day, click here for a slideshow.

Just a quick peek of what I am currently working on. I’ll post more as soon as I can.

But again, what about having GOOD pictures to celebrate your life? And not just the milestones, but the OTHER important stuff. The in-between stuff. The journey that happens after that milestone birthday, after you collect your diploma, and after you’ve said “I DO.” There’s more to life than wearing the white gown for a day… so shouldn’t you have the pictures to prove it? And to CELEBRATE that?

——————————–

Beth & Marc were ready to celebrate. Just because. They’ve been married for over a year, and together for much longer. They have a great relationship, and it was nice to see it in action. The way they laughed together, held each other, and seemed to speak that special shorthand language that only two people in love can understand. It was fantastic to be allowed to witness, and be a part of capturing pieces of it in imagery.

And so, we played. Here are some favorites from the day:

When life gives you lemons… take GREAT pictures of them! First up, we played in a local park filled with rows & rows of lemon trees.

I had fun playing with a new lens for the day (LensBaby Composer).

Look at those EYES!!! Be-AU-ti-ful!!!

Change of location & clothing… ending in a local field just as the sun set.

*Note to self… do not EVER wear shorts to a shoot ever EVER again. The brush was dry and scratchy, but I wasn’t willing to give up my shots. So, in I went. My legs got torn up pretty bad… but it was soooooo worth it.

I had asked if they wanted to incorporate any special memento into their photos. Beth brought Marc’s dogtag to wear. Marc had given it to her when he was deployed overseas… as he asked her to be his girlfriend. How incredibly sweet is that?

Thanks, Marc & Beth, for allowing me to witness some of these moments of yours.

She turned him down. (It wasn’t the first time.)

But Shaun never really gave up trying to win her over. They remained friends, and every once in a while Shaun would try once more. And get shot down. But he never gave up hoping that someday, Hollie would see him as more than a friend. And Shaun’s persistence paid off. They’d parted ways after high school, but found each other through the magic of Facebook.  And enough time had passed so that each of them had gotten to a better place in life… they’d both found their own way, matured, and were both actually ready for a real relationship. And that’s where their love story truly begins.

Hollie and Shaun were married on December 10th. I wasn’t able to be their official photographer since I was in the wedding as a bridesmaid… but that didn’t stop me from taking all the pictures I could get away with! And, thankfully my husband was there to hand the camera off to during the ceremony and most of the reception. We tag-teamed the night so that I could get some memories to take home with me. And not wanting to bog either of us down for the day, the images we captured were shot with one camera, two different lenses, and no flash. We were there to play, not work.

Hollie had always wanted to be married at Christmastime… which was perfect, because it is Shaun’s favorite time of the year, as well. The details were beautiful. The bridesmaids’ bouquets included pinecones, poinsettias and berries. On the pews of the church were wreaths of pine, pinecones and roses. And the stage held four beautifully decorated Christmas trees.

preparations… (and me playing peek-a-boo in the mirror, apparently).

just chillin’…

Shaun trying to fix his boutineer that just broke. While most of his guys spend some quality time with their phones.

Shaun & Hollie opted to see each other before the ceremony (I LOVE this!) and get their pictures taken ahead of time. I managed to snap a few pictures of the two of them while they were hanging out in the lobby for a few minutes.

Here is where I was forced to hand over my camera to my husband, Tony. Anyone who knows me realizes how difficult it was for me to let go. Thankfully, Tony has a fantastic eye and caught some fabulous photos that I couldn’t be more proud of. I am so incredibly grateful that he stepped up to get these for me on this day… it was a strange sensation for me to be without my camera for the day, especially in a situation like this. So I’m eternally grateful that he was able to capture these memories for me. Our vision & styles are very similar in this respect, so I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about him catching the moments as they came.

I am soooooo glad Tony captured THIS picture. The one on the left. This is one of my favorite images from the day. You can see the tears in Shaun’s eyes, as he looks at his bride standing before him.

Shaun and Hollie read the traditional vows, and then had a few moments to whisper their own words to one another. They weren’t mic’d, so the audience had no idea what was being said. But being so close, I, along with the rest of the wedding party, were able to overhear a few words. So we desperately tried to stifle our laughter as we overheard Shaun whispering to Hollie that he would love her till the end of time… even if a zombie apocalypse should occur!

The ceremony itself was fantastic… serious where it needed to be, to honor the commitment they were making to one another, but sprinkled with enough personal touches to make the event truly their own. Including the entrance and exit… Shaun & Hollie decided that they wanted to celebrate more than be somber… and so they had us all DANCE down the aisle (to a song from GLEE) instead of traditionally walking slowly down the aisle. The room was filled with joy.

Introducing… Mr. & Mrs. SIMMONS! Now… let’s get this party STARTED!

Proof that I was, indeed, there. A strange sensation to be in FRONT of the camera. But I’m always ready with a funny face. And the second picture is a dance with my dad… awww, so sweet.

Time for the newlyweds’ first dance. (I took the camera back so I could capture these.)

Shaun sang to Hollie as they twirled, and then Hollie joined in… making it a perfect duet.

father/daughter dance…

… and mother/son dance. My mom looked beautiful that day.

Shaun, simply having a good time… and the girls dancing circles around him during the money dance.

The cake was sooooooo good. Each layer was a different flavor… though there seemed to be a pile-up of people waiting for the red velvet.

And finally… the bouquet & garter toss.

To my little brother and my new sister… I am so very happy for you both! It couldn’t have been a more perfect day for you both… the perfect start of something wonderful.

We met up at Balboa Pier to capture these shots. And don’t let the sunshine deceive you… it was COLD. And super-windy, too. But these guys were troopers. We all managed to stay active enough to keep warm. Including sliding down a steep wall of sand to get near the water. Kobe didn’t seem to mind the weather, though. He was happy to simply be on the sand.

Here are some of my favorite shots from the afternoon.

And then, the wedding itself… WOW. It was amazingly beautiful, made even more so by the awesomeness of the people involved. Seriously, these were some fantastic people… from the bride & groom to their wedding party and family… and even the other vendors involved… it was simply a wonderful day.

Mike and Vivian’s wedding was an all-day event. And when I say “all day,” I mean ALL DAY. These people were troopers.
My coverage of the event began bright & early at 7:00 a.m. at the hotel, where I got shots of the groom & his guys.

These next few pictures were taken at what would later become the ceremony site.

By 7:45 the guys left the hotel and headed to the bride’s home for the formal tea ceremony and luncheon.
I didn’t attend that portion of the day’s event, but you can click here to see some of those images as captured by John Dinh.

I met back up with everyone around 1:00 pm, and we commenced with the picture-taking for the bride & groom and their bridal party.

Time flew by… and before we knew it, the final touches were being made to the ceremony site.

Everyone was tucked away out of sight. Just enough time left for hair & make-up touch-ups… and bubbles.
Time should ALWAYS be made for blowing bubbles.

I have to admit, I almost cried during the ceremony. Mike & Vivian had written their own vows. And even though the vows had been written separately, they both said pretty much the same exact thing… even starting out with calling the other person by the pet name they share. And as I captured images of their union, I knew that I was documenting something special. Hearing the words spoken, and knowing that they were both “on the same page” in their lives, and seeing how they looked at one another… it was just so amazingly touching. Mike & Vivian had been strangers to me before this morning… and yet they tapped into a place in my heart as if I had known them my whole life.

Time to par-TAY! The cocktails were flowing outside at the ceremony site, while the ballroom’s decor was being finalized. And check out that CAKE!

Again… I almost cried as the bride and groom were announced. You could totally feel the LOVE in the room.
Not just between the 2 of them, but also from the 200+ family members and friends who were all gathered there to celebrate this union.

Here are my favorite shots from the evening…

Vendors:

Venue: Hilton Hotel, Costa Mesa
Wedding Planner: Stacie Tran, Lifetime Wedding and Events
Florist: Lifetime Wedding and Events
Hair and Makeup: Ly Duy Nguyen
Entertainment: DJ Icy Ice
Rentals and Linens: Lifetime Wedding and Events
Cake: Lifetime Wedding and Events
Main Photographer: John Dinh

I walked into the restaurant, reminding myself to not bite my lip, twirl my ring, or talk too much in my nervousness. (Oops… I think I did them all.)  Because I was about to meet one of my heroes, Jasmine Star.

A little background for those who haven’t yet heard of her:  Jasmine Star is a wedding photographer who is very well known in the photography industry, as well as the local/national wedding industry. She is a young (30-year old) self-taught photographer. She had a full ride to law school but decided to give it up, realizing it just wasn’t the life she wanted to lead. Jasmine turned to photography, started from scratch… and made her dreams come true. She started out only about 5 years ago, and was charging $1,500 for her first weddings. Within her first full year of business, she booked & shot 40 weddings, and now averages $9,000+ each wedding. She works in the high-end market, shooting beautiful locations from San Diego to Santa Barbara, and also traveling for destination weddings. Jasmine has been voted photographer of the year by various companies, and has been published in numerous magazines.

Besides shooting weddings, she now holds workshops to help others in the industry. One of the goals I’d sent for myself for this year was to attend one of her workshops. So, when she announced that one was to be held in April, I jumped for joy… and held my breath that I’d be one of the 20 lucky attendees. And I got in.

Attending this workshop has been one of the highlights of my life so far. Seriously, it was just that good of a day.

You know how it is when you actually meet your heroes? How, oftentimes, they’re better in your head than in reality? This was SO not the case with Jasmine.  From the moment I arrived at the restaurant on Monday night, she was completely warm, welcoming, and sincere.  She made sure to take the time to greet each & every one of us as we arrived, and really made an effort to make us feel comfortable.  I’m glad I attended that night, as it gave me the opportunity to relax a bit in her company, as well as get to know the other attendees (and also our models for the day… Michelle & Colton) a bit better.

Tuesday was the BIG DAY. It was an all-day workshop, running from 9-6, and ending with a wonderful dinner at Maggiano’s afterward. Jasmine poured her heart into this day… sharing her expertise, her “secrets” and her SELF. And it was such an incredible experience… I can’t say enough good things about it.  Where words fail me, my tears of joy express it all.

I am so incredibly grateful that I had this wonderful opportunity, and wanted to share a few of my favorite images from the day.

We were all greeted with branded stationary and a personal note from Jasmine.

There was a photo shoot held during the day, so Jasmine could show us how she worked her magic.

Here she is, giving us a pep-talk before we get started.

Our models, Michelle and Colton.  You’d never know that they aren’t professional models, right? They both volunteered to be our “guinea pigs” for the day.

They might not be real models, but their love (and outfits) are 100% real.  They were recently married in January, and even more recently moved to Virginia, where Colton is stationed for the time being. And check out Michelle’s GORGEOUS wedding dress… yes, this IS her actual wedding dress. A friend’s mother made it for her. SCORE!

Thanks also to Kristen of The Treasured Petal for the beautiful bouquet & birdcage veil.  (And check out her etsy store for even more of her handmade wedding accessories.)

Jasmine… showing us all how it’s done.

Quite possibly my absolute FAVORITE images from the day! Um, HE-LLO?! Look at those SMILES?! And check it out… her shoes are PURPLE! best. shoes. ever.

Jasmine, jumpin’ into my shot…

I am still on Cloud-Nine from this amazing day.  If you’d like to see a few of Jasmine’s own shots (including a group picture of all of us from the day), you can head on over to her blog.

And see a slideshow of more of my images from the day by clicking here.

Book an “After-Wedding” session! It gives you a chance to get all dolled up in your finery again, and get those shots that you weren’t able to capture on your actual wedding day. This is your time to PLAY! Spice things up with a few new accessories (colorful shoes or sunglasses, or even tennies, if you’d like). Choose your location… want some pictures of you in your wedding gown on the beach? Go for it! Or maybe walking along the streets of downtown? Fabulous!

And for the more daring, you might consider a “trash the dress” session. This is not for the faint of heart, but can be QUITE glamorous. From wading in the ocean, to lying on the sandy shore, we can get the dramatic shots you’d like.

Below is a sample of an “after-wedding” session.  These shots were taken a few months after the actual wedding day.

And as the entrances were made, and hands were clasped, you could tell that they were both ready to make this journey together.  The priest commented on how one should enter marriage not looking for a savior, but a partner and a friend… and Adriana and Mario knowingly looked to one another.  Theirs is a friendship that is stronger than ever, and a love that is meant to last.

Their story began long before, when Mario’s kindergarten teacher’s aid happened to be none other than Adriana’s mother.  Flash forward several years, and Adriana and Mario became high school sweethearts.  But there is a lot of change that occurs between high school and adulthood.  And so, there were times when these changes forced them from each other’s side, as each individual needed a chance to grow more fully into themselves.  Yet, something kept bringing them back to one another.  And, having had the time to grow more as individuals, they were able to come back together even stronger.

Now, they are ready to begin their lives together as husband and wife.

The reception was such a BLAST!  It was definitely a celebration, complete with emotional toasts, an amazing dj, and even a mariachi band.  The mood was upbeat and festive, and I often found myself swaying in time with the music as I shot my pictures.  When it was time for me to go, Adriana invited me to just put down the camera and come DANCE!  I was too tired to take her up on the offer, and so I reluctantly left for the evening… the sounds of the party continuing in the distance.

It was such an amazing day, and I am very honored to have been a part of it.

Vendors:
ceremony:  St. Norbert Church
reception:  Cerritos Senior Center
catering:  Lascari’s
dj:  Elegance Elegancia DJ

Shaun & Hollie originally met in junior high and were in several classes together. Pre-teen crushes ensued. But they never really got around to dating for any period of time. (Especially since they were still too young to do any actual dating.) Time moved on, and they ended up going to different high schools. Rival high schools. And you know how it is at that age… even if you are only a few streets apart, you might as well be half a world away. But Shaun and Hollie kept in touch with one another; they were each other’s dates at a couple high school dances, and Hollie even came to show support for Shaun at a few of his show choir performances. But time, and life, kept progressing.  After high school graduation they simply lost contact with one another, their lives having moved them in different directions.

But you never forget your first love…

Years later, they were brought together again… with the help of a little social networking site known as “Facebook.” Hollie found Shaun’s profile, and sent a message to say “hi.” And their relationship began anew.  And in some ways, it was if no time had passed at all.  And so, it was at a sunset picnic, and just in time for Hollie’s birthday, that Shaun asked Hollie to be his wife. And Hollie said yes.

So, to my brother Shaun, whom I love dearly… and my sister-to-be Hollie, whom I look forward to being able to call “family,” I give the best gift I have within my grasp: capturing these moments of the two of you together, so that you might be able to look upon these images and remember the joy you bring one another.

You can also see a few more images from their engagement session by clicking here.

I am busy editing photos from my brother (Shaun)’s & his new fiance (Hollie)’s engagement shoot. Many more to come (and the full story, too), but here’s a sneak peek in the meantime: