New Blog

2009-03-20T02:50:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! I launched my new blog here let me know what you think!

Reality check

2009-03-06T16:04:00.000-07:00

This is so true:

A little (soon to be big) secret!

2009-03-03T22:03:00.004-07:00

Hey guess what everyone? I have a little secret that I can't not share with you any longer. I am developing an entirely new, totally awesome, very sexy, super delicious, sink your teeth into, OMG that is so cool, why didn't you do this sooner Jeff ... BLOG! Blogger is great but it has it's limitations. BTW, that probably has more to do with me than Blogger. Wait 'til you see the new one.

When is that gonna be Jeff? Well, as soon as possible I promise. I'm hoping by March 16th. It's so much more robust and I'm trying to develop new material as fast as I can for it. It will be a wealth of resources for brides, some meaty links and other goody's for other photographers and simply put, a whole showcase for all things photography related. To be honest, it will be a lot more "fun" than my main portfolio website, but hey, I've gotta show the goods too, right?

So stay tuned, I promise it will be worth the wait. It will have a new address, but I'll put the new link address everywhere, including here. Thanks so much for you patience.

Jeff

Cheeeeese sandwich

2009-02-20T13:27:00.001-07:00

I thought I was having a pretty good day, but when my sandwich smiled
back at me I knew it was an extra special day!!

Sent with my iPhone

I saw LOVE!

2009-02-18T19:57:00.006-07:00

I just got back last night from the WPPI convention (the largest photography expo in the known universe) in Las Vegas. Wow, was it cold there this year. It even rained all day Monday - the one day Karen and I walked from Planet Hollywood to the MGM Grand where the expo was. It's funny how all the hotels look "close" until you start walking the distance. Shoulda cabbed it!! Karen didn't like me too much after that walk.

Speaking of Planet Hollywood, ummm don't think we're going to stay there again. We stayed in the Forest Gump room and this place really was like a box of chocolates. It was okay but talk about chintzy! Wow, was I surprised. One bath towel (make that a very thin, small, scratchy, $2.99 Walmart towel) per person, no complementary 1 cup of coffee in the room (I have to have my morning blend), only about 13" of hanging closet space, 2 very small drawers, and our wall-mounted TV was positioned 90 degrees from the bed. And we stayed in an upgraded room with about 100 more square feet of space. Karen spent 10 min. ordering a bathrobe to be sent up our first night, only to have the maid take it away the very next morning of our 4 day stay. Oh, and the really yucky part was there were food dishes from other rooms on the hallway floor for 2 days. Apparently that's not the maids job. Sorry, just had to share that part too.

We went and saw LOVE, the Cirque Du Soleil tribute to the Beatles. Totally amazing and I highly recommend it. Wow, what a show.

The photography expo was good but never-ending as usual. Even MySpace had a booth selling ... well, I don't know what they were selling because MySpace is free, go figure. I made it out of there only spending about $150 on a ShootSac to carry my lenses and things while shooting weddings.

Back up those images

2009-02-05T14:59:00.006-07:00

I met with a couple last week regarding their wedding photography (BTW, I just found out they booked me so THANK YOU Erin & Erik - I can't wait!) and we got on the subject of preserving old family photos. I was urging them (and Erin's parents who joined us in the meeting) to scan any and all of their family heirloom photos regardless of its current condition just so they'd always have something to show their kids and grandchildren.

I strongly suggest this to everyone. Not only scanning them into your home computer but also keeping another copy somewhere outside the home - just in case. Let's face it, people run back into burning houses for these keepsake memories.

It's really easy to do and these days there are several places to instantly upload those photos to servers outside your home so you'll always have a back up copy. There are numerous internet storage sites that are free but I really like smugmug. It's not free but I like their simplicity and options.

I can upload large versions for both personal and professional use and there's no limit to how many images I can upload. Some free sites limit how many images you can upload or let you upload a few for free and then charge you so make sure you understand the fine print. BTW, I'm not involved with or paid by smugmug in any way, shape or form I just like them. My only point is to urge you to get those photos stored somewhere/anywhere digitally and safely and have back up copies.

Also, Erin's mom suggested scanning the back of those old photos too as often the date, place and other important info is written there as well - great point!!

A part from Corporate America

2008-12-17T20:20:00.003-07:00

Okay, I just had to share this with everyone because it's fairly comical. I ordered one of those all-in-one fax, printer, scanner machines the other day and when I opened it there was a little tiny broken plastic part. It was like 2" x 2" and about 3 mm thick. I thought rather than sending the whole 35 lb machine back I would call the manufacturer directly and just ask them to send me this little part and I could fix it myself.

I talked to the rep and explained the part I needed. I was sure she new the exact part I needed and she said she would send me a replacement immediately. Totally cool!! Well, today Fedex shows up and the box for this part is 4 lbs and about 3 ft x 3 ft. I couldn't believe my eyes.

It turns out she sent me the entire top assembly to the printer that contains the part I needed. Okay ... that's one way to go about it I guess, huh?

The little black thing on top of the box is the part I ordered.

Here's the actual part I needed

I'm not complaining because they actually went above and beyond helping me out, plus now I have a total replacement document feeder if I ever need it.

Carissa & Dara

2008-12-04T11:00:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to document Carissa & Dara's wedding in one of the most beautiful places in Arizona - Desert Mountain. It's hard to describe in words just how beautiful this place is. Simply breathtaking. Carissa and Dara came all the way down from Toronto, Canada to exchange vows here, and it's easy to see why. It's like walking into a storybook. It was an amazing day for an amazingly beautiful couple.

Valerie & Lil' Roman

2008-11-24T15:32:00.008-07:00

I don't do a lot of baby shoots but when I do, I LOVE them!! I did an executive head shot of Valerie last year and when little Roman came in to this world she came back to see me. He's a little more than 7 weeks here and already you can tell this is one handsome guy.

By the way, I thought I'd share these awesome little trifolds we made for Roman's announcement cards. It's a really classy way to show off multiple images and it folds down to 4.75" x 4.75", about the size of a CD case.

South of the Border

2008-10-07T16:45:00.001-07:00

I got an early birthday present last week from Karen. She took me down
to Nuevo Vallarta (right next to Puerto Vallarta) for a week of total
R&R!

We had one LAZY week and it was so great!

Her favorite part was when Javier - our waitor - would come by with
more drinks and refer to her as "Princessa"!

Tasha & Brian

2008-09-23T17:38:00.010-07:00

Wow, it's been way too long since I've blogged!! I'm getting anonymous requests to update this, and while I'm terribly sorry for the delay it's really nice to know so many people look at this. I'm honored and thank you to all who busted on me for not getting to this sooner!

One the best things about my job is that I get to meet so many really wonderful people and I mean that to be true on both sides of the camera. Both clients as well as other photographers whom I respect and admire.

A couple months ago a fellow awesome photographer and friend of mine Sergio of Sergio Photographer told me that his friend Joe Dickie of Generation Photography based in Minnesota was looking for a second shooter for a destination wedding. I was more than happy to oblige especially since the destination happened to be in Scottsdale while I was in town last Saturday.

We had a blast at Tasha & Brian's wedding at Sassi! What great group of people and Jennifer Thye of Imoni Events did an excellent job of organizing and coordinating the entire event. I'm also excited to see Joe again in February as he'll be among the staff at the Foundation Workshop 7 - an intensive week-long Photojournalistic experience - which I'll be participating in.

Here are some fun moments from Tasha & Brian's wedding last Saturday.

Nothing says I Love You like a text that says "I Love You" ;)

You think there's a little pride in this family?

There were more than a few tears of joy shed as you can see in the backgrounds of these two.

Another reason I love this career - sometimes you DO have lay down on the job. Here's a couple of Joe getting the angle.

I love a parade!!

And so their story begins ...

Jeff

Amanda & Erik

2008-07-22T14:37:00.013-07:00

Wow, what an awesome 4th of July I had. I spent the whole weekend down in San Diego enjoying the awesome weather and ocean breeze. However, by far the highlight for me was shooting Amanda and Erik's wedding in Mission Bay. What a beautiful day it was!! We had SO much fun that it was one of those times when I just didn't want it to end. Here are just a few of those awesome moments.

50 years and still getting better

2008-06-14T23:53:00.012-07:00

Okay this is by far the most personal entries I've shared on here to date. As part of their celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary my mom & dad renewed their wedding vows last Thursday evening at their home. I have to say it was one of the most inspiring moments I've ever witnessed. Not many people ... couples ... marriages get to this milestone and I have to say it was so moving. I'm so proud of them!! If you ask them if their love is still as strong now as the day they got married, they would say no ... it's far stronger and much more meaningful now.

Mom & Dad I love and respect you more than you will ever know!

If you've never failed

2008-06-03T11:08:00.003-07:00

A fellow photographer friend of mine named David Jay posted this on his blog the other day and I felt compelled to share this. Pretty interesting.

Ali & Troy in Cave Creek

2008-06-01T12:35:00.008-07:00

Last weekend was really special for me. My two dear friends Ali & Troy finally tied the knot and I was privileged enough to document their awesome day. To me, Ali & Troy are one of those couples that are just meant to be together. They're so friendly and loving that they totally deserve each other.

Last Saturday was also amazing because usually the temp's in and around Phoenix are about 105 or so this time of year, however, their day didn't get past about 82 degrees. It had even rained the day before so everything was so green and clean. I just love that "new day" smell!! It was perfect!

Jono & Brittany at Laguna Beach

2008-05-19T22:15:00.008-07:00

This weekend I headed over to the Laguna Beach area to take some Sr. Portraits of Jono (Yes, that would be Bono with a J). What a look huh? We had an awesome time. I also begged is girlfriend Brittany to come with us and join in for a couple shots. Talk about a couple of NATURALS!!! Wow, did we get some cool stuff!!

Hmmm

2008-05-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

Okay,just how stupid does Safeway think I am?

Jennifer & Steve

2008-05-14T18:17:00.002-07:00

I thought I'd share a small sampling of Jennifer & Steve's 800+ wedding images a few weeks ago at the Millennium at McCormick Ranch. They are an amazing couple and their day was absolutely perfect.

Long Beach Weekend

2008-04-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

I'm over in Long Beach this weekend shooting a wedding with my friend
Jerry Frazier. This was at the LB Museum of Art which is a really cool
venue. It was a little cool yesterday but everything turned out awesome!

$16K Album anyone?

2008-03-24T23:01:00.005-07:00

Last week I headed up to Vegas for the WPPI Convention. Among the largest of all photography conventions in the country - if not the largest.

Just had to show you this photo (from my iPhone with low light - sorry) of a $16,000 wedding album. That's just the cover mind you. Chalk full of diamonds, gold plate and genuine ostrich skin. Pretty fancy but in the end, didn't do much for me.

Back In OC

2008-03-06T17:32:00.000-07:00

I'm back in OC this week. I gotta say there's nothing like a nice walk
on the beach to clear the mind and put everything in perspective
sometimes.

Arizona Gladiator

2008-02-22T15:39:00.014-07:00

Okay, this is really cool. I've known Todd for about a year and a half now and it came to my attention that a recently revived TV show is very interested in him as perhaps becoming one of their GLADIATORS!!! How cool is that!?? Todd is a personal fitness trainer at Personal Training 101 - which is one of the coolest gym concepts around if you're interested.

So, we couldn't send him off to Hollywood empty handed without any headshots. Todd met me at my Scottsdale office and we had a 30 minute impromptu photo session in the parking lot. I think he thought we were just going to do a quick headshot, but we decided to really have some fun with it.

Here are some of the results.

Oh and by the way - I heard about all this through my friend and creative advertising guru - Steve Klein, who coordinated all our schedules together as well as helped with the lighting of Todd.

Steve, however has not been asked to be a gladiator just yet, but he does make a great light stand! Thanks Steve.

Along came Elizabeth

2008-02-14T11:31:00.013-07:00

I have had the incredible privilege of documenting the life of Charlotte for 4 years now. I have photographed a lot of kids in my career and this charming little angel steels my heart every year we get together. A little over a year ago she had to start sharing the spotlight with her new little sister Elizabeth. I must say, she didn't bat a lash at showing her the art of "ignore that funny guy with the camera".

We recently just completed another chapter in documenting their lives and thought I'd share a few moments.

Here's Charlotte the first 3 years when she had the limelight all to herself.

And then along came Elizabeth.

And Charlotte's life took on a much bigger meaning.

Something tells me Charlotte's going to be an awesome big sister.

I already can't wait for next year!!

Winter Blues ...

2008-02-09T12:06:00.000-07:00

Blue skies that is. Not too shabby of a week as far as weather goes here in the Southwest. And if you're in much colder parts of the country don't feel too bad - ironically enough I'm totally battling a flu bug right now. Touché.

Jeff

iCandy

2008-02-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

I had to go to the Apple Store to return an iPhone case that broke
right after I got it.

The problem with the Apple Store is that it takes like 2 hours to do
anything there. That translates to 117 minutes to play with all the
cool toys and 3 minutes to actually buy something ;)

I'm so bad that way.

Kim & Chris at Sassi

2008-02-05T16:12:00.000-07:00

OMGosh, I'm sorry I've been such a bad blogger lately. Since when is it February already? Wow, time just flies right by. Well, the good news is I finally picked up an iPhone last week and now I can start blogging wherever I am. Now I don't have any excuses. Also, don't hesitate to call me if you want to be the FIRST (as far as I know) to have your whole wedding captured with just an iPhone!! What an ad that would make, huh?!

I've also got some catching up to do with some recent weddings. I'll start with Kim & Chris at Sassi. What a great day, venue and wedding this was. You might remember their E-Session at the Boojum Tree back in June. We had a LOT of fun!!

I did not know this.

2007-12-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a little piece of trivial information that I've never noticed before. My friend Thomas sent me this and I can't believe it's taken me this long to notice this. If you've ever rented a car and you go to fill it up with gas and you don't know which side the gas tank is on, all you have to do is look at the dash. You'll notice a little icon of a gas tank right where your fuel guage is located. That icon will have the nozzle either on the left or the right which designates which side of the vehicle the gas tank is located. Pretty cool huh!?

Diana & Rich

2007-10-25T22:09:00.000-07:00

Whoa, it's been a while since I've been back here. It's peak season and things are rolling along at lightning pace. I'm thinking this wedding below was worth the wait though. Diana & Rich are simply amazing people. The three of us hit it off the minute we met and their wedding at the Phoenician a few weeks ago was nothing short of spectacular. They are both such genuine and down-to-earth people and after spending the day with them, they're one of those couples that I just say to myself - they deserve each other. See if you don't agree after watching this abbreviated account of their day.

In mourning!

2007-08-30T22:55:00.000-07:00

Okay I know it's been some time since I've posted but recently I've been in mourning. Yes, I have lost something near and dear to my heart and I've been forced to move on. I actually left my iPod on the plane last Sunday on a flight back from San Diego to Phoenix. While not tragic on the grand scheme of life, I did have that little baby for more than 2 years and we definitely shared some good songs together. I called lost and found at Southwest Airlines but they have reported no lonely iPods desperately seeking their rightful owner. I ended up ordering a new one, and while it's just not the same, we shall start new memories together. Creating memorable moments as we traverse down that unforgiving path called life.

I only hope that whoever found that old dear friend of mine will treat it with the respect, love and devotion that it so deserves. Sure my music selection may not serve their every need and desire, but gosh darn it, we had something very special and meaningful. I hope they're able to cherish those songs and wedding photos and add to it rather than to delete and store over it. Good bye my first iPod!!

BTW, the photo in my new iPod is the gorgeous Kristine Goto whose wedding slideshow you'll find in the 04.04.07 posting on my blog.

Tag, I'm it!

2007-08-03T07:35:00.001-07:00

Okay so it seems I've been blog-tagged by the wonderfully talented (and new mommy by the way) Heather Crabtree at Outstanding Occasions. As I understand it I'm supposed to confess to 8 things people don't know about me. Here it goes:

1. If I wasn't a photographer I would love to be a DJ, psychologist or comedian.

2. My high school aptitude tests showed I should have been a diesel mechanic (huh?).

3. I went to college when I was 6 to learn how to pronounce my R's.

4. In my first job out of college I was a licensed private investigator (for real!).

5. I've owned my own business for 11 years. When I first started my business it was out of my house and at the time I lived on Anderson Drive.

6. I can waterski slalom (on one ski).

7. If I was a girl my parents would have named me Jennifer.

8. I have almost died 3 times in my life. I almost drowned at a lake when I was 4. A bad car accident at 16, and a full blown allergic reaction to some grass pesticide at a park once.

Okay, now I guess I have to pick several others to tag for this game. As soon as I pick them I'll post their links.

Stephanie & Chip Wedding Slideshow

2007-07-21T00:25:00.000-07:00

Okay, remember last month I promised you a peak at Stephanie & Chip's wedding? Well, here is small taste of it. Now, you're going to see an image of a hair comb which, off hand kind of seems weird, but it played a big role during the day. For a while it was misplaced which was a major bummer because it was really needed to keep Stephanie's veil in place. It was finally found just in time.

One more point I want to make about this. All the images of Stephanie up until the comb shot were taken when it was still lost. She was VERY concerned that the comb would not turn up - BUT she was such a trooper. She didn't let it spoil the emotions, enjoyment and excitement of her wedding day. She just stayed in the moment (and maybe prayed a lot too) which was great because I was able to capture her gorgeous smile and infectious laugh.

Brides - try not to let the small stuff get to you on your wedding day!! I've seen a lot of seemingly catastrophic things go wrong on a wedding day and EVERY single one of those weddings turned out totally fine. Just try to stay in the moment, breathe deep and know everything will be fine. I know - easy for me to say, right?!!

ENJOY!

2007-07-06T17:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'll come clean - I saw that last Wednesday was going to be 116 degress in Phoenix and I bailed to Flagstaff on Monday. I've been hiding here ever since, and I am so glad I did. Wow, has it been hot in the Valley. Well, even here in Flagstaff it's been a bit hot but nothing like that. Today in fact, it rained and as I sit here right now it's about 66 degrees - now that's cool!!

This is the first time I've made it to the 4th of July Parade here. This is Americana at its best!

That's the Mayor of Flagstaff - Joe Donaldson, above, way to get in the spirit Mayor Joe!!

Yes!

2007-06-29T09:08:00.000-07:00

I can't remember the last time I paid less than $3 a gallon! Of course, this was with that 10 cents/gallon discount at Safeway but hey, whatever it takes right? 2.99 is mighty fine in my book. It's all a matter of perspective I guess. It wasn't that long ago that $3 a gallon seemed utterly upsurd - here in the States anyway. Look at us now, excited that it's that low.

Cat Scan

2007-06-24T00:02:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm not really a cat person, but this weekend my roomate was in charge of watching his brother's two felines. It's been exciting to say the least. They really stick together like two peas in a pod. I didn't know cats did that. I thought they were way too independent. Well, I must admit they are kinda fun to have - for a while. I'm a huge dog lover though. I'd get one but these days I'm gone a little too much.

Stephanie & Chip

2007-06-23T21:45:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a great wedding in showlow last Saturday. Stephanie & Chip could not have scripted a better day for their wedding at Torreon in Northern Arizona. We had so much fun and what a great couple they make - don't you think? They're still on their honeymoon so I'll post more when they get back and have the opportunity to be the first to see their awesome images. Stephanie & Chip - God Bless and I wish you both the best.

Kim, Chris & Ty

2007-06-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

This week I got the opportunity to do an E-Session with Kim, Chris & there dog Ty at the Boojum Tree. We got up super early so it was nice and cool. Okay, I'm totally lying - we started about 9 am and it was still pretty darn hot. But that didn't stop us from having a great time. I think even Ty had a good time, except he kept thinking we were going to leave him there every time Kim or Chris tied him down. I think we got some great moments - see for yourself. Thanks Kim, Chris & Ty, can't wait for the BIG day!

Amanda & Erik's Road Trip E-Session

2007-06-12T21:41:00.000-07:00

Wow, is it ever fun to get away from the Valley and do a shoot in the cooler parts of the state. The Saturday before last that's exactly what Amanda & Erik did for their engagement session. We headed up to Sedona and it was about as perfect as it gets. A slight overcast gave us perfect temp's to romp around all over the place up there. We're heading over to San Diego for their wedding next year and I cannot wait.

There's a slideshow of their adventure in the "slideshow" section of my main website that's worth a look.

Reality heat index

2007-06-05T22:31:00.000-07:00

I know the weatherman only said it was officially around 107 degrees in Phoenix today, but my car dash said otherwise - more like 115!! And this was after I was driving around for a while, not just parked in the sun. Wow, I wonder how everyone got by around here in the late 1800's without A/C? I hate to imagine what that was like.

Outside the Box

2007-05-28T21:08:00.000-07:00

Once a week I get up around 5 am to get to a business networking meeting by 7 am - where I've met a lot of really cool people by the way – and often the traffic gets way backed up even at that hour. I'll approach a light where I want to make a left and there will be like 15 or 20 cars wanting to make a left. So what I do is take a right, go down half a block and make a U turn and on I go.

I got to thinking about that process the other day. I think sometimes life is like that. The quickest way to get where you want to go is by heading the exact opposite direction for just a bit. Or maybe it's just thinking outside the box a bit. I sometimes feel like I've got blinders on and I always do what I've always done the same old way. I really want to start thinking about doing things in new ways. Better ways, with better results.

Jeff

Can you?

2007-05-25T23:31:00.000-07:00

Henry Ford said,

"Whether you think you can or can't, you're probably right."

Think about that!! It's become a way of life for me lately. I want it to be the way I live the rest of my life.

BTW, I took this photo at Sunset Crater in Arizona. It's a fascinating place to check out if you get the chance.

Fun with Furniture

2007-05-19T21:54:00.000-07:00

I've been in the process of giving my office a total makeover. It's been fun transforming it into something I LOVE to be in. So I bought this simple 4 drawer file cabinet and while it doesn't exactly match all the other wood in my office - I think it works and looks nice.

Well, I unpack it out of the box and this baby consists of 41 different pieces of wood. Talk about "assembly required" ! This was a two hour process and I'll be honest, I'm really not that good at assembling things - in fact I hate it. I always tend to put things on backwards and not find out until 8 steps later.

I think I actually did it right this time without any screw-ups.

I thought is was funny that the label states "Inspiring Creativity". I sure hope it does for me!

Chantell

2007-05-19T01:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know in my last blog entry I just said I don't do many senior sessions but yet here's another one. These shots are actually of my niece Chantell who wanted some fashion and some personality type shots for her senior portraits. I have been photographing Chantell since her birth and I can't believe what a beautiful and intelligent young woman she has grown up to be. I am so proud of her. We got some totally cool stuff.

I love this one. This was done all in-camera, the only Photoshop done here was turning it B&W!

A rare shot

2007-05-06T01:04:00.000-07:00

I don't do many senior portraits, mainly because I don't like to do the conventional shots most studios do, however I did get the opportunity to shoot the senior portraits for all of the Klein boys. I share office space with Steve Klein (he's in the back and I coaxed him into jumping in a shot with Kyle & Konner - who are twins BTW) and I actually photographed his other 2 sons Tyler and Bret who are both now at U of A.

Kyle and Konner are total hams - which they get from their dad - and also a total blast to photograph. Studio shoots are so much fun because there's no pressure and we can all have fun with it. Here's a couple more.

A shot while driving

2007-05-01T22:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been positively swamped lately. However, I did manage to get a haircut yesterday. I was actually really happy about it because now my faith is restored in my haircutter again. See last time she cut my hair (the result of which you can see in my profile photo) she got so carried away in the story she was talking about (she went to Egypt no less) that she took the clippers and went all the way across the top of my head! Major fly-by buzz. No biggy I thought. It grew back of course. But I'm liking my latest cut much better. She's been cutting my hair for 6 years and I love her to death - thanks Magda!

Jennifer & Aaron

2007-04-20T22:03:00.000-07:00

I had another great E-session last Saturday with Jennifer & Aaron. We went to the ASU campus which is where Aaron proposed to Jennifer (at the building in the background of the last photo to be exact). In fact, when we got there, there was actually a wedding going on right in front of Old Main which was kind of funny. We walked around and got some fun shots around the campus.

By the way, I told Jen she kind of had this "Jodie Foster" thing going on. Do you agree?

What a week!

2007-04-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a week and what a great group of inspiring photographers! As you can see in the photo it was all serious business and no play - ha!

I had such a great time and learned so much. It was so interesting because while we all have so many different styles, we all have one goal - to tell a story. And just like every couple is different, every wedding day story is unique.

That is the number one reason I love my job so much. I get to document so many different stories. That's exactly what inspired me to go into photojournalism back in college. I actually entered college studying to be a computer systems analyst. That lasted 1 semester.

Can you find me in the photo?

Atlanta this week

2007-04-09T15:06:00.000-07:00

I'm in Atlanta this week for a workshop with a group of 23 other photographers from all over the US and Canada. I try to attend at least one workshop a year to keep on top of my craft as well as share and learn from other photographers all over the world.

This workshop (put on by LaCour whom I totally respect as masters at the art of wedding photojournalism) is centered on Storytelling through images - which is what I constantly strive to achieve at every wedding I document.
A wedding day is truly a day filled with story-telling moments centered around relationships. Relationships between family and friends and especially new family and new friends.

Capturing those moments forever is enharently building the foundations of a family legacy. Okay, that may sound like something reserved for the Kennedy's or Rockefeller's but when you're showing your own wedding album to your grandchildren - it won't feel any less important – I guarantee it!

Kristine & Mark

2007-04-05T22:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally got to document my first Buddhist wedding last Saturday. Can I just say that it was one of the coolest ceremonies I've ever been to. Maybe that's also because Kristine & Mark are one of the coolest couples around as well. See for yourself.

By the way they too decided to see each other before their ceremony so we captured a TON of great images. I love when that happens.

Great Read

2007-04-02T23:49:00.000-07:00

How cool is this. My friend Eleanor whom I went to college with some years ago is now a published author. She wrote a Novella - a book less than 200 pages (although this one sqeeks in a little more than 200) called Chasing the Ferryman. I totally enjoyed reading it. It's a true page turner and keeps you wondering what's going to happen next. It caused me to reflect about my own views on siblings (I have one older sister), relationships, death, success, happiness, commitment and being true to yourself.

Way to go Eleanor!

Share Selectively

2007-04-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

My friend Dale Prost sent me this little insightful piece of info about leveraging yourself which I have found to be so true throughout my life.

The Law of Leverage –
You're less likely to fail when you've told others you will succeed.

Sharing your goals and dreams with the right people can mean the difference between achieving 90% of your goals, and excelling to 100%. There is huge potential for the people you surround yourself with to either STOKE your dreams, or SOAK your dreams. That's why it is so important to identify the RIGHT people to share your personal and professional goals with. This is critical in the Law of Leveraging. Who you surround yourself with can directly affect the level of success in your goals.

I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by so many "dream-stokers" in my life these days. There's been times in my life when I haven't been able to say that. It can really stunt your personal and professional growth.

Are you sharing your dreams with the right people?

Thanks Dale!

Beatriz & Mark

2007-03-30T19:35:00.000-07:00

One thing I really love about weddings at Tempe Mission Palms is walking along Mill Avenue and just having fun during a wedding shoot. It's an absolute blast. At last Saturday's wedding Beatriz & Mark decided to see each other before their ceremony (which I TOTALLY enjoy!!) so we walked along Mill Ave. and got so many awesome shots.

Gee, thanks a lot!

2007-03-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

I thought this was a crack up. My Sears renewal card came in the mail
the other day and along with it this great coupon for $10 off any
purchase if I use the card. I think to myself - cool I'll go get some
new Levi's. Not so fast. After reading the fine print I see Levi's are
on the "not included" list. Along with basically everything else they
sell.Gottalovit!

Great Engagement Session

2007-02-14T23:06:00.000-07:00

I had an awesome Saturday. I got to shoot an engagement session with Tracie and Jason and we had a blast. They were so much fun and I think it shows in the images. Thanks guys!!

Kristine & Mark

2007-01-31T12:04:00.000-07:00

Somedays I feel so lucky to be doing what I love most - photographing people!! Saturday was another one of those days because I spent some time with Kristine & Mark as we photographed their engagement session. This is truly why I include an engagement session with nearly every package. We had so much fun and when their wedding day comes in March we'll have even more fun!