I recently had the pleasure of attending one of the San Diego Photog Shootout's events! This shoot was a 1950's rockabilly/pin-up theme and it was FABULOUS!!!! I really LOVE themed shoots and wish my clients would want to do more of them! There is just something so much fun about starting with an idea and then finding all the right details and making it come together! Just fabulous! Come on 2010 clients, just give it some thought. Themed engagement shoots are really fun! Just look at the images below!Now of course we did have a lot of amazing vendors that came together to make this shoot so extra fabulous! Thank you to Pamela of Pamela’s Parasols who donated the amazing parasols for the event, Sabrina Sloan who was the fashion consultant/stylist and also provided custom made wardrobe, and Lance Durant of Hire Old Cars who provided five absolutely gorgeous classic cars! The make up was beautifully done by Robyn Mason, and Rebecca McLaughlin from Beaucage Salon handled the hair styling! Lastly, the amazing location we shot was the San Dieguito Heritage Museum! Also special thanks to ShootDotEdit for hosting the after party and to Tofurious for being the guest speaker and teaching me a ton!!!
Some of you may remember that a few months back, I participated in a contest with Christina of TinaMolina Events! Christina was generous enough to give free wedding coordination to a lucky couple in need, and I was providing a 2 hour session for the winners as well! Also, Elena of Beauty By Elena generously threw in free make up for our photo-session. The winners were Melissa and Miguel, and I am so glad they won! They decided to do a Mr. & Mrs. session with me, at one of the best locations in the City of Angels. Of course, I speak of Union Station. :)Melissa and Miguel are so sweet with each other. We shot on a rainy day, and Miguel was so careful to carry Melissa's train, and make sure she didn't step in puddles, and when her necklace broke (yes, her necklace broke...sad!!) he made sure to collect the beads up in a hurry! That's a good man right there folks! A man who cares about your jewelry ;) But really, these two are just so sweet together, so tender, so loving. I can tell it's a timeless love. A love that will go down in history. And for a timeless love, what better than an Old Hollywood themed Mr. and Mrs. session?!? I loved shooting these two, and loved the images we created :)Melissa and Miguel, thanks for everything!! And again thanks to Elena for making Melissa looks extra gorgeous, and thanks to Emalou's Stuff For Do's for providing the hair flower! And thanks to my girl Christina for inviting me to join her give away, and for picking such a fabulous couple!!
I love this picture! Its so steamy!!! :)
Melissa, you are too gorgeous for words!
I love this next shot!!! It just gives a sense of how grand Union Station is! And I also love it because somehow no one else got n my shot!
Melissa you are gorgeous, you really are!!!
Without a doubt, my favorite shot of the day!!!!
Love love love this! So old hollywood glamour here! Thanks Melissa for being so fierce!!!
Yo folks! Its that time again! Tuesday Top Five!!! Wooohoo!
Gummy Vitamins for Adults. Yes, you read that right. This week I bought myself some gummy multi-vitamins made for adults. For years I had been lamenting the fact that when I was child all we had were nasty chewables, and these new kiddos get gummy bears for vitamins, and now I have to buy adult swallowables. How UNFAIR. Apparently I'm not the only one who feels this way, because One A Day now makes adult gummy vites, or as I like to call them "vita-yums!" Unfortunately they are more like a fruit snack taste than a true gummy bear taste...but you gotta take what you can get I guess. Now if only calcium came in gummies! I'd be all up on that!! Come on One Day, make me some calci-yums!!! You know you want to ;)
Project Runway. This show never gets old. I LOVE it. My favorite part is obviously...Tim Gunn!!! I LOVE TIM GUNN. I wish he would follow me around in life and advise me on my fashion choices. We could be bff and shop at Fred Segal and go see musicals together and maybe enjoy high tea. Yes, that's the kinda life we'd live, Tim and I. But I also love Project Runway for the fashion, the drama, and that one dude who is always hilarious. This season that dude is Anthony. His designs are a bit hit-or-miss, but oooh honey-child! I love me some Anthony! I will cry if he gets kicked off because he is life of the season!
Washington DC. This week I bought our tickets to DC !! I was lucky enough to book a wedding there this summer, which is SOOO COOL! I LOVE traveling and love shooting outside of SoCal. It's really a treat. :) AJ and I decided to get into town a bit early to celebrate what will be our one year anniversary, so that will be really cool! I'm looking forward to going to the Space Museum (the highlight of my DC trip when I was a kid)..but what I'm really really looking forward to is eating at Ben's Chili Bowl,Horace & Dickie's, and Granville Moore's. Yum yum.
Sleeping In. To say I am not a morning person would be an understatement. If I am up before 10:00am stay out of my way, because I am very evil before that time. Well, evil might be extreme. But grumpy certainly is not. My favorite part of working from home is no alarms and getting up when I want. If I can make this a full time reality I will be the happiest girl ever!!! :)
Cream and Cheese. You want to know how to make something taste a whole lot better? Add cream and cheese. Case in point- last week we tried cooking Collard Greens from our CSA box. We did a traditional southern recipe and it was an epic failure. Not sure if it was our fault and we did something wrong, or if its just not a taste I like. But I gagged and was nauseated the whole evening. The collards brought me down! So needless to say, when they were in our box again we were a bit fearful. We hate to waste food and are so proud of our seasonal, local, organic, veggie-lovin' selves. This collard green thing had to be conquered. So what did we do? We smothered those green babies in CREAM and RICOTTA CHEESE. And the result? DELICIOUS! Just goes to prove that cheese & cream fix everything! Amen!
And now here is a teaser from this weekend's Mr. & Mrs session! More coming soon!
Friday I attended the Los Angeles stop of The Spread The Love Tour, which is an amazing LIFE workshop given by Justin and Mary Marantz. :) It was the MOST inspirational, life-changing, and eye-opening day ever. No understatement there. Not at all! I learned a lot about how to improve my business, but also how to improve my life. It was not only full of new info, but it also served as a reminder to take time for me and my relationships with friends and family. I can't stop talking about Spread The Love-- the way you can't stop talking about a good movie. I'm a little obsessed!The last few days I have spent doing my "homework" from this workshop, like writing down my goals for 2010 and reviewing them, and creating my "ideal client profile", and figuring out how to give my clients the BEST experience possible. And I have been brainstorming. And I have been talking my hubby's poor ear off. And I've been not only dreaming, but DOING.That's the key you know, and what the workshop was all about, being a DOER and how to not let the stress of "real life" get you away from that. It reminded me a bit of my quote under my picture in my high school senior yearbook, "Don't dream it, be it!" Yes, that quote was from one the finest movies of all time. Yes, I'm talking about The Rocky Horror Picture Show. ;)The workshop ended with us each writing a eulogy for ourselves, basically its us saying how we'd like to be remembered after we pass. We were told we could share and read it aloud, but I get REALLY nervous when I have to get up in front of "the class" so to speak, and read something I wrote. Like my heart pounds and my hands shake and my voice shakes too. Soooo I chickened out. But I really don't mind sharing something so personal, as long as I don't need to stand and read it to ya'! So here it is. My eulogy, or really a rough draft of it. It's exactly what I wrote in the 10 minutes we were given in the workshop:
Ashleigh was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and auntie. She was kind to all animals, and was an advocate for their rights and well-being. She took care of the people who touched her life, and she touched the lives of many. She fought against the many injustices that people in the world faced. She lived passionately, enthusiastically and she had a laugh that would knock your socks off. And she laughed a lot-- she never missed an opportunity to laugh or smile that big smile of hers. She accomplished her goals and wasn't afraid to live the life she wanted, even if it was sometimes difficult. She always marched to the beat of her own drum. She did all she could to make the world a better place when she left than it was when she arrived. And she succeeded. The world has been made better because of Ashleigh.
So there it is. My basic eulogy. How I want to be remembered when it all goes down. I'm going to do everything I can to make it so I will be remembered that way. I am a hardcore doer starting NOW.
You may recall that I held a Valentine's Day Boudoir Marathon a few weeks ago! Well, I'm pleased to say it was fantastic and sooooo many beautiful, sexy, images were taken! I really really wish I could share them but most of them remain top-secret. Luckily I am able to share a select few. So here they are below! I hope you enjoy!
The next 3 weeks are going to be CRAZY for me, but crazy in a good way. Each week I have one workshop coming up! Wooohoo for learning! I'm a little nervous but really excited, because I know I am going to learn a ton and be a way better photog and businesswoman when this month is over.So photogs out there, I definitely think you should check out different workshops, and choose based on what you want to learn. Do you want to learn branding, or lighting, or post processing, or how to build a better business? I have chosen the three this month based on what I want to learn most and where I feel I need to improve! The thing about workshops though...is that they are kinda addicting! Sooo many good choices out there and so much to learn. To prove my point, my friend Michelle Kane is doing a worskhop in Napa this year focusing on shooting & post-processing. Seriously, napa, photography, how fun does that sound?!!!Check it out:
I love food. Anyone who knows me for 5 seconds knows that. I can chat your ear off about food-- both home cooked and local restaurants. I LOVE cooking and I also LOVEEEEE going out! I also am obsessed with Food Network and some shows on the Travel Channel that are food related. I could watch food tv for HOURS. And, I often do! So yeah I'm a foodie, that's what I'm trying to say. So I figured today's Tuesday Top 5 would be for the foodies out there! So grab a snack cause reading this will make you HUNGRY!
Paula Deen. Sometimes I tell my husband, "If you ever leave me, I will go to Savannah and hunt down Bobby Deen and MARRY HIM, just so I can be related to Paula." Yeah, I really tell him that. And I'm kinda serious. Because I LOVE ME SOME PAULA DEEN. It's not even about her buttery, fried, mayo smothered food. I don't even like fried food all that much (shhhhh don't tell her). It's just that Paula is sooooo funny! And she seems like a really kind lady with a big heart. I hope when I am a grandma I am just like her! I think the quote that sums up Paula Deen best was said by her foodnetwork pal Mark Summers, "When Paula Deen walks onto the stage, you realize she is a combination of Jesus & Oprah." I agree Mark Summers! I AGREE! The lady is that awesome, and she is my hero. Love her!
Tofu-Ya on Sawtelle. About a year ago I was introduced to Korean food. Or at least Korean Soon bowls. And I'm pretty much in LOVE. Tofu-ya serves up mainly Soons and Bibimbap's and its delish. What is a soon? Uh, I'm not Korean but basically its this soupy goodness in a hot pot and it has tofu in it and its spicy. And I get mine with clams and oysters. And its sooooo good on a cold day. The other great thing about Tofu-ya is they bring out all these little side dishes for you to chow on. Side dishes like spicy pickled cucumbers, kimchee, noodles, fish cakes, sprouts...Its GREAT. The best thing is the price. Two people can get out of there for $26! What a steal. I highly suggest all you LA foodies get ye to Tofu-Ya!
Strawberry Cupcakes from Hotcakes Bakes. If you want to make me happy, if you want to be my bestie friend, if you want me to love you forever, the best thing you can do (besides taking me to sushi of course) is to buy me a Strawberry Cupcake from Hotcakes Bakes in Culver City. Seriously, I love cupcakes but this cupcake is INSANE. Both the batter and the frosting are made with real strawberries. The icing is also cream cheese based, which is my favorite type of frosting. When you bite into this cupcake you get that fresh strawberry sweetness, and then the tang of the cream cheese and then angels sing. It's THAT good. I'm sure hotcakes makes a lot of other good flavors, but I wouldn't know. Because I only have eyes for the strawberry one ;)
Bawarchi. This Indian place recently opened up in my 'hood and I LOVE it to pieces. Bawarchi means "the chef" in Indian apparently, but I have decided that Bawarchi means "tasty" in Ashleigh. Sometimes, I just turn and tell AJ "this is SO bawarchi" and he knows. He knows I am saying this is awesome and delicious. Bawarchi has a few menu items but for us its all about the combo plate. You get three veggie dishes of your choice, your choice of rice (I get the pilau with carrots, onion, nuts, and golden raisins), your choice of bread (I get naan and AJ gets roti), raita and a salad. All for...wait for it...$8.00!! Whoa, can you say what a steal?? There are so many options for your 3 veggie dishes as well, but some of my favorites include jackfruit, chana masala, mustard spinach, dal, veggie "fish," and potato curry. Everything there is so flavorful! We have never been disappointed. I highly recommend it to all Indian food lovers out there!
Our CSA Produce Box from South-Central Farmer's Co-op. I have been meaning to blog about this for sometime. Eating sustainable food is important to me. Eating organic is important to me (better for my health and the environment). Eating locally and seasonally is also super important to me (again that's so important for the environment). But for awhile, we felt like we couldn't afford to eat organic and that it was hard to really know at the super market what is seasonal and local. Then we learned about CSA's. A CSA (community supported agriculture) program is where families buy a small "share" of a local farm for the season, and then receive produce from this farm, usually on a weekly basis. It is a great way to support small, local farmers and keep them in business. And you reap the benefit by receiving super fresh, seasonal, often times organic produce. The impact is great on the local economy, as well as on the environment, and, I believe, our society in general. After reading articles like Time Magazine's "The Real Cost of Cheap Food" and seeing movies like Food Inc, I strongly believe we need to get rid of factory farming, and really bring back the small family farm. So supporting a local farm via a CSA program is one way to literally put your money where you mouth is! ;) Our CSA program is particularly great because it offers different price levels which makes it affordable. We are paying $15 a week for a bushel of organic, seasonal, local produce! :) That amount of food at Whole Foods would be 3-4 times the price! Another thing I love about the box is that it is getting us to try new veggies and new recipes. Sometimes we get stuck in ruts where just eat the same 6 or 7 recipes week in and week out. But not any more! Now we find recipes based on what is in our produce box, which keeps things exciting and tasty! If you are in LA I recommend checking out South Central Farmers and seeing if they have a pick up spot near you. And if you are living somewhere else, fear not. CLICK HERE to find a CSA in your area! We can all get involved, which is not only good for our environment but for our health and tastebuds as well!
Now for some pics of our uber fresh produce!Here is my cat Bobby sniffing out the box! He says, "Oh boy look at all that good green stuff! Yum yum!" ....Yeah, I translate for my cat. Don't hate!
AJ holding these juicy red china rose radishes... By the way, we don't have much of clue what we will make with these radishes! Any ideas? Our last batch we pickled. That was good, but we don't need more radish pickles just yet...
FRESH Broccoli!!! How beautiful is that??!! Like a bouquet! stunning!!! Also soooo delicious. I love to roast broccoli, it really brings out its flavor and adds a nuttiness! Delish!!!!
One more radish photo just for fun! I love the colors!!!
About two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of photographing Rachel and Mark's wedding in Redondo Beach. Rachel and Mark are a super special couple to me. We instantly clicked and I knew I had to be a part of their big day. Over the course of working together we became friends. And that is what I love so much about my job! Becoming friends with my bride and groom!! Then on the wedding day it doesn't seem at all like work. It's like, whoa my awesome friends are getting married today and I get document it for them!! And its fabulous!!! I strive for this relationship with all my clients!!Rachel + Mark are the perfect couple. Their story makes me definitely believe that soul mates exist and fate is totally real! Rachel + Mark were super close friends growing up. They hung out in high school together, they were BFF's. As the Best Man recounted in his toast, "Mark said he thought of Rachel as his sister." And though then the best man (hilariously) added, "...and if you really think about it, that's kinda sick dude!" I know what Mark meant. He meant he loved Rachel so much, he had her back, he wanted to look out for her and protect her, he just felt this strong bond with her that only families share. But then life happened. Rachel + Mark went to two different colleges, and sorta lost touch. Sorta. Every now and then they'd check in. And through the beauty that is Facebook they reconnected when they realized they were both back in LA. And that was it. They fell in love. And soon after they knew this was it-- they only needed each other. And then came marriage.I'm so happy for these two! They have the kind of love that shines through their eyes. They light up when around each other. They are definitely soulmates. And their wedding? Well it was epic!! Full of love, laughter, happy tears, and stolen glances. I love this day. The day my new friends Rachel + Mark made it official! Awesome!Special thanks to Jenn King for second shooting with me, to Susie Chhuor's hair & make up team for making all the ladies look super gorgeous, to Eddie of Commerce Flowers for all the gorgeous florals, to John & Haydee Suarez of After Dark Entertainment for being the best DJ's ever and keeping the party rockin', to the Blue water Grill for providing such an awesome reception space and nummy food, and to King's Hawaiian Bakery for the beautiful and delicious cake!
How pretty is Rachel?!!!?? Answer: SOOO Pretty!
The first look!! Did I mention I LOVEEEE first looks??
The FIERCEST bridal party ever! Love their dresses!
I love the two different bridesmaid dresses!! Too Cute!!!
I love this moment, just before Rachel and her dad are about to walk down the aisle. There is so much emotion in both their faces!
I LOVE this bubble exit!!! Such a cute idea!!!
After the ceremony we went out to the marina in Redondo for some gorgeous photos! The light was kinda harsh but we managed to show it who's boss!! We definitely worked it out with soooo many pretty shots!!!
Jenn grabbed their reflection in the water! Thanks for spotting that Jenn!!! ;)
I LOVE this!
Rachel's mom MADE her veil!!! It was stunning with sooo many beautiful details!!!
These might be my fav shots of the day!!! I think Rachel looks like she could be doing a Cover Girl ad!! And I love the way the veil is moving-- so playful!!!
Just kidding, maybe this is my fav shot of the day!!!!
Rachel did all the paper goods for the wedding herself!! She is a graphic designer so she designed all the beautiful floral graphics you see below! I am amazed at her talent! So beautiful!!
Rachel also made all the signs for the candy bar! How cute!!!
The Best Man really brought the LOLZZZ for his toast!!!
See the LOLZZZ?
I know this post is kinda MASSIVE but should you still not be able to get enough of this wedding, please check out the slideshow below!!!
This time last year I was kinda petrified of meeting other photographers. I felt like the nerdiest freshman on campus, and surely would not be accepted by the cool kids of the photo world. But about six months ago I realized there was really no need to be afraid. As an artist its always better to be fearless than fearful. I have to say over the past 6 months I have networked a lot and made some incredible photog friends both in real life and over the internet.One great networking opportunity I spotted was to participate in The Photo Exchange, which is organized by the *fabulous* Wyoming-based photographer Michelle Kane. Basically, Michelle pairs photogs up and then they each get to edit one of their partner's photos. This is a really cool way to see the different styles of editing out there and how post-production can really change (and hopefully enhance) an image.I got paired with Sherry-Lu, an amazing Vancouver based photog, and someone I have been friends with via internet for some time now! I love Sherry and actually get to meet her in person next month!! So doing this exchange with Sherry was extra fun!!Below is Sherry's photo (she shot it). It is SOOC (straight-out-of-the-camera) meaning it has not been edited.And now here is her photo with my post processing:And now here's a side by side look at a photo I shot SOOC, and Sherry's edited version of my image:And there you have it! The Photo Exchange! I encourage other photographer's to partake in the exchange as it is really fun! I also hope this educates my brides a tiny bit about the work that goes into your photos after I shoot your wedding or photo session!
Time is flying by. January is almost over already! That seems so crazy to me. Soon it will be February, Valentine's day, and then soon it will be Spring! Sometimes I like how fast things move, but other times I just want things to slow down so I can enjoy them! I think I need to learn how to be more "zen." You know, like learn how to live in the moment. Not the past, not the future. I need to work harder on being in the now. That's one reason I'm loving Tuesday Top 5's. It helps me remember and appreciate what is going on now and what I enjoy about it. SO without further ado, here's this week's Top 5.
Rain. I really have to say I have enjoyed the rain in SoCal this week. Its so rare we get true storms here, and its kinda exciting to experience one. Like thunder, I love that sound. Or seeing lightning. I LOVE watching lightning. Or when it hailed. HOW CRAZY WAS THAT?! Now don't get me wrong, I really hate driving in the rain, and I am definitely concerned for the people who may have to deal with mudslides. But SoCal definitely needed this storm, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy hearing the rain when I sleep, or getting all snuggly on the couch while listening to thunder.
Soup! If there is one thing I LOVE, it's soup! Really, I thank the first person who cooked it. That person was a GENIUS. What's better than a meal in a bowl people?! I love soup year round. I like chilled summer soups. I even like hot soups in the summer. But soup is definitely best during stormy weather. I also love making soup. The way it makes the house smell so good. Using so many good veggies. Its wonderful! This past week we enjoyed a Ribollita soup, and then a shrimp-tofu-bok choy noodle bowl soup. YUM.
My comfy pants. Around the holidays I bought these "comfy pants" on sale at The Gap. They are sweatpants, but not just any sweatpants. They are entirely made of fleece. They are SO SOFT, and WARM, and COMFY. Hence, why I call them my comfy pants. I have been wearing these every second I am at home lately. They are delicious. Thank you Gap for my comfy pants. They are fantastic for this wintry season!
Kitty Cuddles. So I am definitely a cat person. I've always had cats growing up and I wouldn't have it any other way! Cause I love my kitty-boo-bears SO MUCH. I know I blogged about my mom's miracle kittens before, but I don't know if I have talked much about our own two boo-bears. We have a black kitty named Bobby and a tortoise shell kitty named Stella (aka Stelly). They are kinda me & AJ's world. We love them to pieces!!! They are, for now, and really forever, our children. Yep I said it. Our Children! Don't hate. Well anyways, Bobby & Stella give us extra good cuddles. But when its cold out? They are attached to us like glue. Love the extra dose of cuddles I've been getting. They make me the happiest person ever.
Dine LA Restaurant Week. I don't know if y'all heard, but we are in the midst of restaurant week! One of the coolest times of the year! Basically, a bunch of restaurants in LA make special prix-fixe three-course meals at affordable prices. So if you can't always afford to go to Spago, or Chinois, or Craft, or Sushi Roku or wherever, this week may be your lucky chance! I think my momma & I are gonna do up lunch at The Lobster in Santa Monica. Nom Nom Nom. Restaurant week you are fabulous, and whoever thought of you is a genius as well!
And now here's a teaser from the San Diego Photog Shootout I attended this weekend:
Yes, folks, I said NEED. I don't offer any packages without engagement sessions...because I really believe in them. They are like, vital, ok? So don't even try to talk me out of one... ;)But you probably want to know why. And I don't blame you... so here goes:Most wedding photographers, such as myself, include an engagement session with their wedding packages because engagement sessions play a key role in getting *ultra-fabulous* wedding photos.First, during your engagement sesh you and your photographer get to know each other, and that bond will help you relax in front of the camera. You will also learn how your photographer works, the pace at which they move, and the way they give direction. You will learn how to pose and act natural in front of the camera. Most of clients are surprised at how weird it is at first having a camera shoved in their face, or they get nervous to act lovey-dovey in front of the lens. Can you imagine adding those nerves to wedding day jitters?! Getting comfy in front of the camera, and with your photographer for that matter, is not something you should be dealing with on the biggest day of your life. No way! You should already be super comfy, so you can have fun, enjoy the day, and not stress about the photos. I absolutely love when I feel like I'm good friends with the bride & groom on the wedding day (which wouldn't happen without an e-session) and I definitely can see the difference in the final photos.The second reason you should do an engagement session is more about your photographer. You see, at the engagement session your photographer will also learn things about you-- like if you blink a lot, or how to get you to smile naturally, and what poses and angles flatter you, to name a few. This is really important to me as a photographer to save time at the wedding day. Because of our engagement session, I already have in mind some poses that work well for you, which saves time experimenting and once again is helping to insure some rockin' wedding photos.The third reason, is its just plain fun homies!!! I think its really nice for couples to have some beautiful pictures of themselves that aren't all wedding'd out. It is a great way to document the real you-- who you guys really are as a couple. I love making engagement sessions personal, and always ask my brides & grooms to choose meaningful locations so that the pictures really tell your story! And that's what I do, folks. I tell stories.So here a few pics from one of my favorite engagement sessions ever, just to prove my point.
Now really, can you still sit there and tell me you don't wanna take engagement pics? Really??? Yeah I thought not. ;)
Whoa last week flew by!!! Can't believe its already time for the second installment of Tuesday Top 5! So here we go:1. The Jasmine Star Workshop!! Whoa guys, so back in December I got a coveted spot in Jasmine Star's February 16 workshop!! I was super excited to get in, but it seemed so far away. FEBRUARY. After Valentine's. And it wasn't even X-mas yet. But now the workshop is only a month away. Jasmine sent out a letter to everyone, welcoming us, and giving us the info for all the attendees! I'm so excited to meet all the other photographers attending and I can't wait to see what J* has in store for us!! It won't be long now! HOLLA!2. My husband. Really he is in the top 5 every week...he's my #1 (tied with my cats though duh!). BUT last night he made me brownies. BROWNIES! Yep, that's all that's on my mind. Actually now that I think about it, maybe brownies hold the #2 spot on this week's list...yummy warm chewy chocolatey goodness. Yes, BROWNIES. Nom nom nom.3. Big Love. If you don't have HBO, I feel sorry for you. Because really its not TV people, its HBO. Quality programming at its best. All the original programming rocks my world. But...right now its Big Love showing. And its Bigger than EVER! This show gets exponentially better each season-- the writers are so good for always raising the stakes. The acting is superb. There is so much depth about the human experience in this show, with just the right combo of drama and comedy. Its FAB. So watch it. At least Netflix the old seasons. You'll thank me!4. Haircuts! It had been way too long since I got my hair cut...My hair was LONG. And it was driving me crazy. It took forever to wash and brush, and it would get all matted underneath. Can you say ANNOYING? So my trusty hair dresser fixed the situation! My hair is still "long" just a little below the shoulders, but its not way too long, get it? Its soooo easy to handle again. LOVE IT.5. New business cards. I'm kinda ashamed to admit that I had the ghettoist home-made business cards ever. At first it was because I was waiting to finish working with my designer on my new logo... and why invest in a nice card with a temporary logo? Then I got my logo but I don't know..I just procrastinated. I meant to get new cards, but something was always higher on the to do list. Until a week ago. The hubs designed my cards and I ordered them through Overnight Prints. And they arrived looking beautiful! Can't wait to start handing them out to everyone I see. I will blog a pic of them soon, I swear! Or better yet, let's meet up and then I can give you one ;)And now....here are some pics from yet another holiday mini-session I didn't blog! Enjoy!
So...before the holidays I offered mini-sessions for families in need of a quick photo-shoot for their holiday cards and such! And it was fab! I adored every session I shot, but I never blogged them because it was the crazy hectic holidays and I was overwhelmed! But I realized I should really blog these pics from my session with Michelle and her two lovely daughters because they are too fabulous!!! I loved that all three of them wore similar jeans and shoes! Like mother, like daughters! How cute :D It warms my heart to see a family of three such strong, independent, fabulous gals just laugh, have fun, and work it!! Just look...
So I told y'all I'd be blogging at least 3 times a week. And I mean it FOR REALZ in 2010. Got that? FOR REALZ.So here is a new feature for your enjoyment. Tuesday Top 5! Kinda self explanatory, eh? Every Tuesday I post about 5 awesome-mc-blossom things! Things that make me tick! And things that make me jump for joy! So here goes!Top 5
2010! 2010 has been pretty sweet so far! I've met some great couples, and already shot a FANTASTIC wedding! Maybe the best wedding I have shot EVER! That's a good sign, no? I think 2010 is going to be great, so here's to the new year! And lots more awesome weddings ;)
The Princess & The Frog!! OMG this movie rocked so hard!! I laughed, I sighed, I sang, I cried! It was beautiful. For those who haven't seen it, what are you waiting for?? For those who did see it, holla at me and tell me how much you loved it!!!
Blackberry & Tmobile. Guys, I finally entered the modern age and got a smart-phone! It was actually FREE at Costco as long as I renewed my contract. Now I did want an iphone, but that was not free. Did I ever mention I love a good deal??? Especially FREE things! Yeah I do! I love good deals like whoa. So me and my new blackberry are getting to know each other. And I'd say, blackberry is kinda swell! Thanks Tmobile for helping get high-tech!
Mika. Lately whenever I edit photos I listen to Mika (both of his CD's)...and maybe I sing along at the top of my lungs. Maybe. He's soooo good! A little glam rock, a little pop, a little je ne sais quoi! If y'all haven't listened to him, I say go for it! Even my husband can listen to him (which is RARE as my hubs dislikes most of my music choices)!
Lady Gaga for Polaroid! Those who are my fb friends or follow me twitter probably know I uber heart Lady Gaga. She is without a doubt my favorite artist out there right now! And now she is CREATIVE DIRECTOR for a Polaroid specialty division. I'm excited to see where this partnership goes. I heart polaroid and have been wanting it to come back with a bang. And now my homegirl is trying to take the iconic camera into the future! Sweet! Click here to watch an awesome interview with more info!
So I guess I can't leave y'all without a picture right? Well I can...but then you'd say HOW RUDE! So here is a teaser from last Saturday's frickin' awesome wedding-- my first wedding of 2010. The blog post for this wedding is probably gonna be HUGE. Because there are too many good shots. Too many! But for now I'll just leave you with one.
Happy Tuesday!!!
{ Planning a 2010 Wedding? CONTACT ME for info on rates and availability }
I have received several inquiries about when my next Marathon Boudoir shoot would be, which got me thinking that I'd love to do one in time for Valentine's day! I mean boudoir pictures are pretty much the most awesome Valentine's gift idea ever! So I've nailed down a date: January 17th, which I know is only a week from today, but I hope that despite the short notice you will join me! My past marathons have just blown me out of the water and I know this one will be even better!!!So here is the scoop of what all is included:
50 FULLY EDITED images on disc - and you get to choose your 50 images
Printing rights to these images - you can make prints wherever/whenever!
Your images will be mailed out to you by Feb 1st, just in time for Valentine's day, provided that you select your 50 images within 24 hours of receiving your gallery
The cost of the session will be $350.Please email me ASAP at info@ashleightaylorphotography.com if you or anyone know you is interested, and I will send you a contract and paypal invoice (payment is due in full to reserve your spot). I can take up to 5 girls, and may even be able to squeeze someone in on 1/16 at 3:00pm if that is better for any of you. The deadline to reserve your spot is Weds 1/13 at midnight!Thank you! And have a fabulous day!
It has been brought to my attention that the contact form that was on this site was not working-- basically, I haven't actually been receiving any of the inquiries placed through the form :( Sadness! I have no clue how many of you out there in internetland have used the form and never heard back from me. But it really makes me sad thinking about it! I sincerely apologize, and hope you will still reach out to me!So the form is out of here! Replaced by a new Contact Me link with all my contact info! :) Of course you can also always email me directly at info@ashleightaylorphotography.com! Thanks bunches!!!xoxo,ash
So 2010. New Year. New Goals. New Start! Exciting! One thing I'd really like to do this year is connect with way way way more people and in general reach a broader audience! Obviously, a great way to do this is via facebook and twitter. I have to say I'm little bummed that I only have 32 twitter followers as of right now, and though I do have over 125 facebook fans, quite frankly I could always use more.But I realize facebook and twitter are a 2 way street. When I follow someone I want to get something in return whether it be a chuckle, or a helpful tip, or something else. I get it. And I mean...guys...I am HILARIOUS (anyone read me pirate tweet 2 days ago?? my hubs literally LOL'd)...but gee whiz is it hard to be constantly coming up with funny content! So I thought, okay what else can I do to entice people?The answer? I will now be periodically doing contests-- mini-photo session giveaways-- and announcing them ONLY via my facebook and twitter. The giveaways will consist of 30 minutes of photo time with me in Downtown Culver City. You will be able to view all the images in a gallery and pick 5 images from our session for me to edit! Then I will give you the hi-res files of 5 picks on disc, which you can then make prints from! This is very similar to the holiday mini-sessions I was offering-- a $100 value!So here's the deal: become my fan on facebook or follow me on twitter or double your odds and do both!!! I will be announcing the first giveaway and how to enter via my facebook/twitter at the end of the week! :)
Happy New Year!!!!PS- There will be a marathon boudoir session soon! I will be posting details about a new marathon boudoir session in a few days! Looks, like it will be Jan 17 so save the date & email me if interested!
Wow. Wow. Wow. So today is the last day of 2009. Where did the time go? I can tell you that last year at this time I just bought my first DSLR with the hopes of turning my creativity into a business, I turned 23, and I was 6 months away from getting married. Now I am here. A year later. Writing this blog post. With a wedding ring on my finger. With better camera gear in my bag, and much more photography know-how in my head. With 8 weddings under my belt (not to mention all the engagement, trash-the-dress, family and boudoir sessions I have shot over the year). With a feeling that I may actually be able to one day-- hopefully very soon-- make a full-time living off a business that allows me to be creative. Crazy!I feel so blessed to have met so many incredible couples in 2009. Every single one of you means the world to me. You have each brought me one step closer to my dream. No, actually, you've made my dream a reality. Because of each one of you I have grown so much. Because of you I realized that joy, love and kindness still exist in the world. That miracles do happen. That fate exists. That the right people really do find each other and make relationships work. It has been a really life affirming experience working with all of you! I can't believe how lucky I am to have found a job that not only allows me to be my own boss, to be creative, but also reaffirms my faith in humanity, love and the world.So in celebration of all the love 2009 has brought me, I have created a slideshow of some of my very favorite images from all the weddings I shot this year. I'd love if you'd watch it below! This journey really has been amazing, and I think the slideshow perfectly sums up my work from this year!To all my 2009 brides & grooms - thank you again for everything! Please keep in touch! You are all now so much more than clients to me, you are friends!To all my 2010 brides & grooms - this is YOUR year! Hooray!!! There is nothing more exciting than going into the new year knowing that you will soon be married! Enjoy every last second of your wedding planning! And please remember I am always here to help you with timelines, vendor referrals, inspiration or just to chat! Your wedding will be amazing and I am so excited for it!!!!To all my readers, fans, followers, and friends - thank you for your continued support! I appreciate each one of you and can't wait to be even closer in the new year! If for some reason we haven't actually connected yet please leave me a comment, shoot over an email, or find me on twitter or facebook! I love meeting new people, especially blog readers! Hehehe!Lastly, I know the blog has been slow lately...Blame the holidays! But really, I do have a few family sessions and a wedding, as well as a few special announcements and new features, to blog soon so please keep checking in! I will be getting back into routine blogging next week!! :)
{ Planning a 2010 Wedding? CONTACT ME for info on rates and availability }
What a way to end a year! My birthday was definitely the best one I have had in a while. And I have Disney, my hubby and my mommy to thank! The day started off with AJ waking me up at the UNGODLY hour of 9:00am. I am not a morning person. He had gifts. But I grumped and said let me sleep. But I couldn't sleep anymore. So I woke up and opened my presents! I love opening presents-- that never gets old! Then we discussed whether or not we should go to Disneyland. We wanted too, but both of us have been feeling kind of sickie-poo lately. I really wanted to go to Disneyland but I didn't want to feel miserable. Then I thought maybe some sustenance would help! So my dear sweet mom took us for breakfast at Dinah's. Have y'all ever been there? It's DELISH. Well, if you like diner food that is and can enjoy a delicious pancake. Which I can...oh I really can!Breakfast was just the key to give us the energy boost we needed to attempt the day. By the time we got to Disneyland and I breathed that Disney air I was feeling pretty dang good! The minute we walked through those gates every feeling I had felt as a kid at Disneyland came back to me. It was Joyous! And because they gave a "Its My Birthday" button to wear, everywhere I went kind folks wished me "happy birthday!" I was loving it!The stars must've aligned for me. The weather was great. And the lines were not bad at all! We actually got on every ride we wanted to and then some! We also watch the fireworks show and the "snow". And I may have cried. Maybe. Maybe a tear of joy ran down my cheek. I can't really confirm or deny ;)We stayed till midnight and had so much fun. That was my first time at Disneyland with AJ, so it was pretty special. I loved seeing his excitement too. Luckily though, it won't be our last visit. We got annual passes so we will be back. And now maybe I can even do an engagement shoot there should any brides wish!!!Okay! You want pictures! We only took the point and shoot cause really I didn't wanna worry about my pro camera while I was acting a fool at Disneyland. Sometimes in my personal life I just want my point shoot with me. So these are some pics..straight of of the camera...You can see me sportin' my birthday button!
Right now I am blogging with a cat in my lap, listening to the rain outside. Does life get any better than this? Maybe but this is pretty darn good!This weekend is my birthday. 24 years old, which my mom says means that I am "well into my twenties." Grrrrreat. I used to LOVE my birthday. Now I think I get that "adult" reaction to birthdays. I mean, they are okay but geez where is time going?! hehe ;) I do have some fun things planned though! On Saturday we are seeing Mary Poppins at The Ahmanson and on Sunday I will hopefully get to go to Disneyland. But if it rains (which it better NOT) we won't go. :| I am hoping the weather will cooperate! I'm also proud of what I accomplished this year in my life. When I turned 23 I was a bride-to-be with a small little dream to start a photography business. I had NO clue where it would go or how I'd book a wedding. Now I am about to be 24. I am a MARRIED LADY and very happy about it! And my business is going pretty well for something that was just a twinkle in my eye one year before. This year I shot 8 weddings! Eight weddings, people! I'm really proud of that and proud of how much my work has grown over the year!!! I hope 24 brings twice as many weddings and a whole lot of health, happiness, success and love to me and my family!And now a teaser from wedding #8! Jenessa and Joel are superfab! Jenessa is Jenn King's sister, and Jenn had to double duty it as photographer AND maid-of-honor. So of course she needed a little assistance! I was happy to join in and second shoot! It was a beautiful day and I got so many gorgeous pictures that I can't wait to share...but for now I leave you with this....
