A Sunday Wandering at The Getty

To my friend, Nicole;

A Poem of Friendship
Nikki Giovanni

We are not lovers
because of the love
we make
but the love 
we have


We are not friends
because of the laughs
we spend
but the tears
we save


I don't want to be near you
for the thoughts we share
but for the words we never have
to speak


I will never miss you
because of what we do
but what we are
together

Ryan & Emily Engagement

I am so excited to share this engagement session with you.  Not only was the lighting as near perfect as I've ever seen, but these two are some of my favorite people.

Ryan is my cousin, though I love him more like a brother, and Emily is his beautiful bride to be and best friend and already considered part of the family so I know we all are so excited that it will finally be official.

This is the engagement session that wasn't.  Ryan and Emily were visiting San Diego and certainly were not planning having their pictures taken, (Emily almost vetoed the whole thing!) but Ryan's mom insisted.  And of course I wasn't going to refuse the opportunity to shoot these two; I mean look at them, they're gorgeous!

Anyway, it all worked out and we kept it low key, with only two locations. It was definitely a challenge for me to try and find ways to keep the pictures interesting with so few location changes, but a welcomed challenge at that. Plus, once we got to the second location with that gorgeous light through the trees, I didn't really want to leave anyway.

Thanks for letting me photograph you two! Can't wait for your wedding in September.

Ryan & Emily Engagement: A Preview

Baby Shower

I got to know Hannah when I moved down to CA this past fall because she is the manager of the coffee shop I work for.  Hannah worked nearly every morning at the shop, so naturally she was well known (and loved) among all the regulars.  Little side note, my coffee shop is filled with fiercely loyal customers who are so friendly and care for all the baristas; we are really blessed.  Well when many of the customers found out that Hannah was pregnant, they showered her with baby gifts, and a few even attended her baby shower.

This was my first baby shower to photograph, and I came into it with more of a photo-journalistic kind of approach rather than directing people to get the shot I want.  It's so difficult trying to get candid photos of people some time when you're sticking a camera in their face, so this was great practice for learning how to be more in the background capturing the moments rather than interrupting them.

Thanks Steffenie and Malia for putting this on and for letting me share these photos Hannah!