Archive for June, 2011

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what a cute little bundle julia is! i am so thrilled to have gotten the chance to meet this little one, and can’t wait to continue photographing her over the next year as she grows. :)

bowling + a crazy adorable couple + magic light = <3

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I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again (and again) – it is so much fun to be able to photograph weddings and couples because it allows me to reconnect with old friends from the past in ways that I probably would not have been able to do otherwise. Maryal and I have known one another since high school (doing the school musical together!) and I probably would not have reconnected with her again had she not reached out to me to photograph her wedding which will be taking place next year in Northern California. And I am so thrilled to be a part of it! These two are so adorable, and I loved being able to run around in my old stomping grounds for their engagement session. :) One thing I definitely don’t miss about Sacramento though – the mosquitos! I still have scars from this session! Crazy mosquitos. But, it was all worth it for these beautiful images. <3

Also, one of the best parts was Maryal’s response after getting her engagement proofs:

Hehe, such responses make me so happy. <3

gorgeous couple + gorgeous location + plaid + pom poms = <3

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My dear friend Emily is getting married this year and I am so thrilled that she asked me to photograph her wedding because not only will it be AMAZING (for reals), but she is also a wonderfully talented photographer & often my partner in crime at weddings. And it always an honor to photograph fellow photographers!

Everything about this shoot was magic though. And sexiness (are you KIDDING me with that first image?!) And fun (love the pom poms!) AND, FILM! As I shoot more and more film at weddings & shoots, I love it more and more. A good number of these images are film and I couldn’t be happier. :)

“It feels like a really good conversation. There’s an exciting chemistry that runs through my body. Have you ever been on a really good first date? Or maybe spent hours on the phone with a new boyfriend and not even realized it was three a.m? I am energized and smitten. I am in love.”

- Tiffany
Dancing Branflake

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Perfecting technique is something that every dancer strives for. This is how they improve and grow. While it is essential in dance, I find that it’s only part of the equation to a talented dancer. It’s only part of the equation to dancing itself.

The other part, I think, is to let go.

When I approached Tiffany for my dance photography project, I was excited because I have known Tiffany since high school, and we went through a part of high school dancing together in our marching band’s colorguard & winterguard. She is a beautiful dancer, and a wonderful soul; eager to dance, and ready for whatever I threw at her.

I asked her to dance barefoot on the grass; dance in pointe shoes on the cement. I asked her to picture herself in different scenarios; to dance for specific people in her life.

I asked her to let go.

I asked her to let go of perfect technique. Let go of how things look. And let her spirit fill the moves.

Letting go, I think, is vital to dance because it allows our true selves to come out in our dance. It allows each extension, each step, each breath, and each movement to be from something else deep down inside of us. We are no longer thinking about what we are doing, we are just doing. And from that an energy emanates from us, from our souls.

My goal is to capture that life, that energy that comes through. Because it is who we are deep in the core of us, and when we see it come through in dancing, it’s like magic.

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When I first began this project, I knew I wanted to photograph dancers. I knew that I wanted to photograph them differently than I had seen in the past. Maybe not in a completely revolutionary way, but in a way that meant something to me. In a way that would show how it felt to dance. Like what Tiffany said above, it’s much like a fantastic conversation – you feel energized, smitten and in love. I want to continue to explore this, and to share with you all my discoveries in capturing this energy in images.

I do hope you enjoy these images of Tiffany, dancing her heart out, letting go & just being. :)

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Be sure, there are much much more dancers to come. You can also check out the last dancer I photographed, Emily.

amazing, amazing, amazing people + style galore + a day filled with exploration and fun = <3

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I heart these two like no other. Jasmine & Scott are two friends of mine that I cherish dearly, and love them to bits. (Jasmine is the lovely lady who often photographs my Facebook & Twitter profile images, and is a fantastic graphic designer & photographer herself.)

Since they were already technically married, we decided to make it more of a couples/lifestyle session, than a regular engagement session. I spent most of the day with these two, going to their favorite locations in the little area they live, Normal Heights. We walked around the neighborhood and went to furniture shops, popsicle shops, food spots, and best of all, their home.

There is definitely something to be said about shooting in a location that means something to the couple.

Their wedding, which was this past month, proved to be fantastic and quite possibly the best weddings I’ve ever been to. Filled with joy, love, and most of all – wonderful human spirits. I’ve fallen in love with just people again thanks to all the wonderful souls that were there.

<3