So earlier this year when I said my best friend got married in Cancun, I should have added an ellipsis… I have two best friends and they both decided to get married this year.  Yes it makes me feel old, yes I am now broke and yes my year has been a blast because of it.  Shannon and Michael will be married next month in our hometown of Sedona, Arizona and I absolutely cannot wait!  We took their engagement photos awhile ago at their alma-mater Occidental College, and they really came out beautifully.  We just made a photo book of all the pictures for them to use as their wedding day guestbook and I can’t wait to see it.  Cheers and most likely tears (from me) to the happy couple next month as they tie the knot under a starry Arizona summer night sky.

For the rest of their best click on the Engagements page!

Well it’s happened.  I am officially old.  My little sis from Tri Delta is engaged to be married to a wonderful man next June.  Tasha and Jordan are the essence of a perfect couple, so when they asked me to take their engagement photos I knew it would be a wonderful experience.  Tasha is a teacher and big kid at heart and Jordan is a brilliant rocket scientist.  So you can imagine my utter joy when we found this kid ride rocket shuttle on the pier to take pictures with!  It was an absolute pleasure and I am so happy that their personalities and effervescence translated to film.  I wish them every happiness as they prepare for the wedding and their wonderful life together!

xoxox  For more of their shots click on the Engagement Page!

I LOVE the San Diego Zoo!  For more of the day click on the Animals page

Széchenyi Chain Bridge over the Danube River linking Buda & Pest

I had an AMAZING time traveling around Europe visiting 4 countries in 8 days with my friend and fellow photographer Chrissy Pepino.  I visited her in Belgium and together we went to Prague and Budapest.  I stopped in London before heading home and got a whirlwind tour from another old friend Charity.  It truly is wonderful having friends living around the globe!  Our backpacking adventures took us to different hostels in each city where we met fellow travelers from Poland, Australia, Brazil, Korea and the USA.  The Czech Republic and Hungary were beautiful  and I have many photos to prove it.   Once and awhile we took a break from picture taking to eat waffles, sausage & goulash and drink lots of beer.  Thanks Chrissy for being an awesome friend and travel buddy.  Wolfpack FOREVER!

To see them all click on the Travel page.  Cheers!

I recently had the unique opportunity to attend photographer’s night at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.  After hours the place was closed down for photographers with their cameras and equipment to shoot to their hearts content without worrying about people getting in their way.  It seemed to be just as packed to the brim with eager photographers as it would have been on the busiest weekend.  It was exciting to watch and challenging to shoot, but it was a wonderful exercise in lighting and movement.  My one regret?  The sharks were sleeping but!  It was lovely to get in touch with my inner Pisces.

For more shots from the deep click on the Nature page!

2010 is going to be a wedding year! To kick it off I was the co-MOH at one of my best friend’s destination wedding in Cancun, Mexico.  Since the Maid of Honor can’t take photos on the day we set up a “Trash the Dress” session two days after the wedding.  The Rationale of Trash the Dress:  You only wear your dress for 5 hours the day of the wedding.  You might as well get some insane photos out of it.  Kariyushi let it all hang out there and we had fun with it, and  Jeremy was a good sport too.  Traditional brides need not worry!  You can always have it cleaned and stored  as an heirloom after.  Kariyushi and Jeremy got down and dirty for this beautiful photo shoot in the rain, ocean and on the deserted white sand beaches of Mexico.  The photos turned out so amazing it’s incredible to me that more brides don’t do this, but the again, maybe she’s just a badass.

To view the hotness click on the Weddings page

Congrats Tasha!

It’s that time of year when college seniors say goodbye to long nights of studying and partying and totally ca$h in on their parents’ friends generosity. It’s also when Mom insists on 4,762 pictures of you in your cap and gown with countless combinations of family members. I like getting the fuss out of the way ahead of time and I love doing fun and casual portrait sessions for High School and College grads alike. I recently took photos of my sorority sis Tasha for her to send out with her announcements! We had a ball laughing and taking pics on LMU’s campus.

Check out the Graduates page to see her beautiful and sometimes silly shots!

Everything’s coming up roses! Happy New Year and to celebrate here is a healthy dose of new photos from the stage. I have been doing some freelance photography and videography for the lovely ladies at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy (FSHA) in La Canada. Their Fall theatre production was Gypsy and not only was I hired to take the publicity photos I got to take in a performance of one of my favorite musicals from a very talented young cast.

For more dramatic moments click on the Theatre page!

Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind

It’s become my favorite pastime and my most expensive hobby, but there is little else that compares to being in the front row to see your favorite band.  I have been fortunate enough to see most of the bands I love and be front and center for the show.  Of course preserving these intimate performance moments is very important to me and since flash photography isn’t always welcomed, I have come up with some creative ways of bringing the camera in to get these shots!  Each photo of one of my bands is a trophy of my accomplishment and an incredible memory.  I think in a sense this might be my dream job!

Check out the beginnings of my concert photography on the Concerts page!

Long exposure is a technique I have always loved, because it allows you to literally paint with light. The possibilities are endless, and allows for great ways to capture the night sky and create self portraits. I have recently come back to this way of shooting for a fun experimental outlet and I am still fascinated with the results. There will definitely be more to come here.

See what I have so far on the Long Exposure page!