Temecula & Rancho Bernardo, CA
Pala Mesa Resort & Pearl Cuisine Chinese Restaurant
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This was a wedding filled with fun, games, corgi’s as ring bearers, tree planting, & love. I was kind of obsessed with the ivy, if you couldn’t already tell. So lovely. Plus, this wedding also produced one of my most favorite polaroids to date. <3 What more could you ask for? Best wishes to you both, Tiffany & Michael! xo
(photo of me dancing taken by my dear dear friend, jasmine)
It was my birthday earlier this week — the big three-oh! I know friends who panicked at the idea of turning 30; we no longer can say we’re “twenty-something,” and we can no longer blame our youth on things. But I think the thing that scares people the most is that 30 is like some age marker that we set for ourselves when we were younger. How many of us thought that at age thirty, we’d have it all figured out and that we’d have achieved goals that we had set for ourselves when we were younger? Or at least, we’d be well on our way. To be honest, turning 30 didn’t feel all that scary to me, mainly I think because I feel like I’ve accomplished so much already at the age of 30. Are they all the things that I thought that I would accomplish when I was young? No, but it doesn’t diminish them – my life goals just shifted as I got older. And what I have achieved in the thirty years I have been alive is certainly something to be proud of, and very, very thankful for.
The biggest accomplishment (outside of my photography ventures), I would have to say is reaching a point that I’ve always wanted to reach when I was a little girl — and that is to dance en pointe in ballet. I don’t think I’ve actually blogged about that here — I’ve mentioned it on twitter and facebook, but for some reason, I never brought it up here.
(photo of tiffany, taken when we did her dance shoot)
Funny, because it is such a huge thing. I mean, my business name is called En Pointe! It’s something I’ve always, always wanted, and it only took me 25ish years (going back to when I began to want to become a ballerina) to achieve it. It is such a huge thing because I was 29 when I started doing pointe work (I started classical ballet training at 18 and attended classes on and off), and I know of so many people who think that since they didn’t start young, they can’t do something like that. There are so many things in life that are like that — things that we desire to do, but we think because we’re no longer “young” we can’t do them. We can’t achieve them. Like our age is some barrier from actually doing it! Sure, with age comes physical problems, but I think with age, comes the understanding of our own bodies & selves better. On top of that, I honestly think that with passion, commitment, and a love of whatever you’re doing and a true desire to do it, you can achieve anything.
(photo of tiffany, taken when we did her dance shoot)
Which brings me back to beginning pointe. There are times in ballet class when I can’t believe I’m actually doing pointe work – it is seriously a dream come true. And for that I can’t be more thankful.
I am externally thankful for these 30 years, and I am so extremely excited to see what the year & decade has to bring. I am thankful for a loving better half, my beautiful friends, my amazing job & clients, and the ability to do the things that I love so much. <3
Happy Thanksgiving to you all and I hope you spend lots & lots of quality time with all the people and things that make your life rich! xo
alpine loop scenic byway, utah.
october 2011
(left: arriving into utah, right: leaving utah)
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Would you believe me if I told you this was the first time I experience real snowfall? Because it was. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen snow on the ground, and I have even experienced seeing snow falling from the sky, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen snow falling and having it stick to the ground & plants & trees & other delightful things! You should’ve seen me — I was dancing around like a kid in the candy store! I know this sounds like total crazytalk to some of you who grew up living in the snow-filled winters, but living in California, you rarely experience snow unless you a) live in the mountains or b) visit said mountains. And I grew up totally sheltered, so to see this was a total delight for me!
Apparently this was the first snowfall of the season in Utah too, where I was attending a photography workshop (the Film Is Not Dead Workshop, which I will be sharing about another time) at the time. This was the last day I was there, and was due to fly out in only a few hours, so I needed to kill some time and what a better way to do that than to explore the area? The weather had turned into a total stinker – it was raining pretty heavily, so I was limited in what I could do. I knew about the Alpine Loop from others at the workshop, and the front desk at the hotel told me that it was a beautiful drive, but discouraged me from driving it in this weather. When I got into my car to decide I sat there for a good minute and thought, yes, I’m going to do it. And I am so glad I did because magical snow awaited!
Coincidentally, fall/early winter is my absolute favorite time of the year — I always feel so inspired and in awe much more than any other time of the year. So to see this was like drinking a cup of the most refreshing thing ever — it totally filled me up.
What is your favorite time of the year and why? Do you love fall/winter as much as I do? Or do you love to bask in the summer sun like so many others that I know? I always feel like I’m alone with my love of this season (except for other photographers, that is)! I mean, come on, who can’t love weather that allows me to wear my cute coats, scarves, gloves and socks that I hoard up all year long?! ;)
point loma / chula vista, ca
love birds + a ridiculously adorable couple = <3
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Special, these two are. Sammy is the sweetest person ever (and with the most adorable expressions), and Josh is her perfect match (or ‘unicorn’ as her friends joked – he was too perfect to be real!) But they both are very much real, and very much in love. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to capture that, you two, and many wishes for the very best in life. xo