Its Tuesday again, and you know what that means! Another round of Tuesday Top 5! This week I promise not to brain-fart and only write four things!1. Soul-"people." I believe in soul-mates. I believe that inexplicably the universe can bring someone so perfect, like a missing piece of the puzzle, right to your door (or dorm room as the case may be with me and AJ). And there is no way to explain this magic other than fate and destiny. That is the definition of soul mate. But the thing is I don't think soul-mates are just for significant others. I believe that sometimes people--friends, family, mentors, pets-- fatefully can come into your lives as well. And these people make your life. And they feel like part of your destiny. I so believe this. I totally have soul-cats, soul-friends, my soul-nephew and soul-niece and now I am beginning to think I have soul-clients. Clients who seem so perfect for me. Clients who I come to love as good friends. Clients who make me the photographer I am. And yet they find me so so randomly it seems. But I love it. I LOVE having soul-clients, because as I said they become good friends. And that makes my job so amazing!2. Spring! I love that Spring is here! I love seeing green on the trees and on the hills when you drive the 405! I love the sun and I love the warm weather! I love how people just seem happier. And I really love that summer is right around the corner! And I really LOVE Summer!3. Santa Barbara. My husband is from Santa Barbara. Born & raised! And his parents still live there. So needless to say we visit a lot. To tell the truth I have had a love/hate relationship with the town. Its drop dead gorgeous and the food is excellent...but I am allergic to it. NO LIE. I have terrible nasal allergies to pollens and plants and fresh air. And something happens every time we stay over night, and I get SO sick. Like weezy, sneezy sick. So that makes it very hard to enjoy. However, my last few trips (like the one we made for this weekend's wedding) we have just gone up for the day, which means no allergies! And I can fully appreciate the beauty!! YAY! And dang, when I'm not sneezing really it is an amazing place to be! ...when I'm not sneezing! LOL4. The History Channel. I watch the history channel almost every night as I fall asleep. Except, before you think I am a really smart, savvy, history buff let me say what I watch is mostly not very historical. I tend to watch shows about mysteries, like UFOs or The Bermuda Triangle or Nostradamus or The Knights Templar. Now you are probably either thinking I am nuts. But hey, I love a good mystery or conspiracy theory! And I also need to fall asleep watching something just interesting enough to be tolerable while I drift off to slumberland, but just boring enough that its no loss when I do fall asleep before the show is over. Plus the dude who does all the narrations has such a soothing voice!! ;)5. Fresh laundry! I gotta ask, is there anything better than a load of freshly washed laundry?! Okay yeah, somethings (like kitties and eating sushi) are better than fresh laundry but it's not a long list! I love the smell of clothes after they come out of the dryer. I love seeing my drawers & closets full again! I love putting on PJs or using a towel when its still hot from the dryer! Yep laundry is great! If only I could get a robot to fold my clothes and put them away in my closet after they are cleaned. 'Cause that part of laundry does suck.Speaking of fresh...here is a sneak peak image from the gorgeous wedding I shot this weekend! Stay tuned for more from this FAB wedding! The images will be out THIS WEEK!

Yay! It's boudoir season and I love it! Yep, all the gals with spring & summer weddings are getting their pics done NOW! And it's awesome! So if you are getting married soon, what are you waiting for?!Boudoir photography is so much fun for me! I love empowering women and making them feel like super models. I truly believe that every woman has a little Tyra Banks/Heidi Klum living inside her just itching to come out! And I like helping women who feel shy, or at times insecure, to come out of their shell and see themselves for how gorgeous they really are! And for the girls that come to me already pretty confident and ready to work it out, I love that too! I love documenting their confidence! Yep, I just love, love, love boudoir and wish I could do a session every week! Heck, every day!I have several boudoir sessions coming up in April, and know if they are anything like last week's session, they will ROCK! Just look at how sexy this last session at The Shade Hotel was!

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Awhile back I had the great opportunity to second shoot Jenessa & Joel's wedding with my homegirl Jenn King. You see Jenn was doing double duty on two of the most important wedding-related jobs a girl could have-- Jenessa had asked Jenn to be her Maid of Honor and The Photographer! My oh my! That's some pressure! So Jenn needed help, and I was more than happy to oblige!Growing up in West Los Angeles, I would drive by the Los Angeles California Temple all the time. Almost every day actually. As a kid, I didn't know what it was, I thought it was a castle! Hehe! Its just an amazingly huge structure with beautiful architecture! So it was really fun to get to shoot at this location! And I actually learned that the grounds are open to the public, and they are soooo beautiful! I totally recommend just going to the Temple to check out the grounds. Especially at Christmas time, because they put up the most beautiful lights! So for anyone interested here is the info: 10777 Santa Monica Boulevard,Los Angeles, CaliforniaSo back to Jenessa & Joel! Jenessa & Joel are such a sweet couple. He is from Australia. She is from Orange County. They met here in the USA and when he had to go home she went to Australia to be with him. But she got homesick and came back. And then she realized, she was lovesick. She missed her man too much. And he missed her. So they got engaged, and a short while later they made it official at The Temple! That's a strong love. A love that can conquer miles, and countries, and different cultures. I have no doubt that they will make it! When you are with them, you just feel a spark! They are very good for each other! And I can already say, Jenessa is happily living as an Australian resident and even more happily married! Woohooo! So without further ado, here are my favorite shots of the day! You can view more images on Jenn King's blog!

Everyone gathered outside to watch the newlyweds exit the temple!

The newlyweds!!!

Look at that fierce bridal party!!! Jenn is rocking it as Maid-of-Honor on the right!

The dudes.

This is one of my favorite shots of the day!!! I love everything about it!

Jenessa,  you are gorgeous!!!!!

My favorite shot!!!!

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Tuesday, Tuesday. You always sneak up on me! But it's okay because it means its not Monday anymore, know what I mean guys? I'm actually stoked for this week to roll on by because Saturday I will be shooting a wedding in Montecito! Pinch me, is this my life?! Perhaps I may run into Oprah and she will yell in her Oprah-goddess voice, "Ash-leigh, you are fab-u-lous! Here's a bag of goodies!!!" Okay I don't really expect that to happen, and Oprah is obviously not going to this wedding...but one can hope, eh?Okay Tuesday Top 5.1. Oprah. I don't know why. Just cause. The woman is an inspiration, and I really appreciated her Food Inc episode which replayed last week! I appreciate her shedding light onto the important issues, and I appreciate how real she always comes off. I don't watch her on a regular basis and I am not an Oprah freak, but I truly do appreciate this amazing woman, and when I do watch her show I always walk away with something (knowledge, inspiration, more appreciation for my own life, etc). So why not give the Opes a big shout out this week?! Here's to you O!2. Hide Sushi. It had been awhile. Too long. But Friday it happened, I got to get my sushi on with my momma at Hide Sushi on Sawtelle. This place is no secret, there is often a wait at dinner time. Its cash only, no frills kind of place. You won't be getting any soy-paper wrapped, fish on the outside, fancy rolls here. Traditional maki & ngiri only. But its good. Very good. Its also pretty affordable as far as sushi goes! Score! My favorites include spicy tuna (some of the best in the city), scallops special (ooooh the japanese mayo, drool), yellowtail belly (which has spoiled me from ever being able to eat regular yellowtail, its so buttery and divine) and monkfish liver. I said it. Monkfish. Liver. Sounds gross. Tastes delish. When it comes to sushi, I'll eat anything ;)3. The Pacific. I think I've waxed poetic about my love for HBO original programming before. But its SOOOO good! Soooo good! Well crafted, beautifully shot, amazingly acted, well paced. A piece of cinema on TV.4. I didn't write a number 4. Because I brain-farted. Brain farts suck. But they do make a good segue into number 5....5. Park's and Recreation. Okay, this next one is really the highlight of my week this week. Because I do not know when I have laughed so so hard. This show is always full of lolz (how can it NOT be with stars like Amy Poehler & my boyfriend on the side Aziz Ansari)?! But this week? Hot damn! I laughed so hard my husband thought he had lost me forever. I'm going to preface this clip of **the best** part of the episode by saying, I love comedy! If it's crass? Good! If it involves a fart joke? Awesome. Yeah, I have no shame in admitting it. This girl LOLZ at fart jokes. And without further ado, the funniest thing I have EVER seen:

I'm awful & never wrote about my first time at WPPI!!! Shame on ME! Okay well better late than never, right? Right!For those who don't know WPPI is like the world's biggest wedding & portrait photographers conference/convention held annually in Vegas. And they aren't kidding with the world's biggest thing, its HUGE! Much love to my friend Brittany Moncrief for giving me the free pass she won when she realized she wouldn't be able to attend! You ROCK Britt!The platform classes are great but for me it was all about the Tradeshow. I am really dedicated to offering *the best* products to my clients and also to partnering with the best companies so that I can give my clients an amazing experience from their initial point of contact with me to the delivery of their album-- and everything in between! So needless to say, I had a lot of research to do! And luckily I think I did a great job of seeing what's out there, and definitely have major changes coming soon!Here are some new things happening at Ashleigh Taylor Photography:-I now am a  user of Tave Studio Management services. Tave is great because their software provides me a way to manage all my clients & the workflow attached to the packages they book! No more post-its full of reminders strewn everywhere around my house! Now I have all my to do's in one place! I also can manage my calender through Tave so double bookings and confusions will never be an issue (NOT THAT IT EVER WAS), but I say better to be safer now than sorry at some point! I can also track finances through Tave and export to Quickbooks (which is my main way of tracking finances). But the bestie thing about Tave is that it allows my clients to have their own online lounge where they can book me, electronically sign their contract, and view invoices! No more snail mailing of contracts, no more waiting around for copies to come through! We can get contracts done in a jiffy, and my clients can have a PDF of it saved to their computer and if they want they can print it for their records. I can do the same! Simple! And this paperless system is also GREEN! If you know anything about me, you know I'm an environment-loving, save planet Earth preaching, green/organic lifestyle nut! So being able to go green in this respect makes me very happy! Can't wait to finish setting this up, and having things be easy peasy for my clients (and for me too)!-Album Exposure! This is another biggie! Now my clients can easily view their album designs online. The viewer can be set to have a flip-through page-turning experience (like viewing a real album) or a slideshow experience! You can leave comments on each spread and this way I can see the exact changes you want me to make!  If you like the design you can also approve it! Super simple! And once its approved the system will send it right to the manufacturer to get the printing started ASAP! Isn't that fab?! So far the client response has been great! And I can't wait to share more designs with my clients soon!-Speaking of Albums...WPPI was great because I realized I truly do offer *the best* quality albums to my clients! After seeing the rest, I can soundly say I really did choose the best vendors out there! Seriously. My album companies ROCK!-Black Rapid Women's Strap! Ok this isn't out yet but when its released, honey, I am FIRST in line to buy it! This is a strap that holds your camera ina certain way for more comfort, less weight on your neck, better posture, and easier access. I loved this darned thing! When it comes out it will be a life-changer for me!-Shootsac's new Shoot & Tote. This also isn't available for purchase yet but I know I do want it! This isn't a product so much for weddings, but more a personal bag to take out when I travel. It fixed the need for having a way to discreetly carry your camera, a lens, and all the other crap a lady needs when she is out and about for the day, all in one handy-dandy, easy to carry bag. I NEED this. I often don't bring my pro-camera on trips or excursions because it can get soooo heavy, I am worried about theft and/or damage, and I have to also carry a purse and maybe a bag with a towel/sweater/water bottle/maps/travel guide etc. I hate feeling like a bag lady, and I hate being bogged down when I'm on the go, so to speak. Case in point- I only used my point-and-shoot at WPPI  because my DSLR was a huge inconvenience. So this product really solves the problem! And I LOVE that. I hope to get this before our DC trip so I can document the whole adventure!!! ;)Hrmmmm I think that somes up my WPPI tradeshow hilights! And some of the immediate affects I see it having on me, my business & therefore my clients!On a personal note, I also had a BLASSSSSSSSST dancing all night at the KISS/Pictage/Shoot-Q party held at Studio 54! A night to go down in infamy for sure!And lastly I'll leave you with a photo of me & friends with J* at the Tradeshow, cause everyone loves a little Jasmine Star right?

If you follow me on Twitter or are a Fan on Facebook, you may remember that I gave away a mini-Anytime session, to take place in Culver City, to one lucky fan/follower! Well that lucky winner was Elena!! I was so pleased Elena won because she is the sweetest person you could ever hope to meet, and this session gave us the chance to get to know each other better! When I asked her what type of session she wanted to do, she said enthusiastically "an engagement type session!" Except she and her handsome and equally sweet husband have been married for eleven years! Yep Eleven years! And they have three beautiful sons together! But they never had a chance to do an engagement session...so eleven years later it was about time!We met in Downtown Culver City which is one of my favorite places to shoot. It's always low key while still feeling urban, has great backdrops every where you look, and is a pretty unique spot as not everyone shoots here! Yep Culver City is kinda a hidden gem! And I LOVE that about it.The thing I loved most about this session was that Elena & Memo had the passion of a newly engaged couple! They were so giddy, they couldn't take their eyes off each other. Clearly these two are meant for each other and are doing something right! I also love their fierce and fabulous style! They worked the camera so well, it was like they were professional models! And Elena, if you didn't know, is a very talented make up artist so of course her make up for the session was impeccable! She just looked stunning! Culver City has never seen a hotter couple, I am sure!!

I love the way Elena's blue dress just POPS in every single picture! Ladies, this is why I tell you to wear "jewel tones, jewel tones, jewel tones" for our sessions!

I love the way you two look at each other! I really do! Its just...sizzle!

Elena & Memo thanks for being so awesome! I had a blast with you two and am so glad you won! For a few more images from this session check out the SLIDESHOW below!

And readers remember, if you become a fan on Facebook or follow me on Twitter, you too could win an anytime session! I'm planning to give one away soon, so what are you waiting for?

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So Engagement season has officially begun!!! :) On Saturday, I got to photograph Ryan & Kristina's engagement pictures at the Getty Center and it was an ABSOLUTE BLAST!! Ryan & Kristina were one of the first couples to book me for 2010-- they actually booked me on the spot at our meeting and I was so thrilled! My awesome 2009 bride Crystal referred them to me, so it was no surprise that we hit it off right away! Ever since the that day we met I have been sooo excited for their wedding, and this engagement session means the wedding really is just around the corner!Ryan & Kristina chose the most beautiful spot for the session, the Los Angeles Getty Center, but they didn't just choose it because its gorgeous. They chose it because it means something. This is the place these two go when they need a break. When life gets stressful. When they need to slow down and just enjoy each other. And as we walked around the grounds of the Getty I could tell these two were totally in their element. The way they gazed at each other, the way they held hands, the way they laughed-- it was like all they could see was each other. Seeing them together, so caught up in each other's eyes was really a beautiful thing!The other great thing about this shoot was that my husband came along and second shot with me for the first time! And guys, my husband has been hiding his talents from me!!! He shot the whole thing in manual and nearly every shot was exposed perfectly! And he captured some great moments! It was really fun having my lovey with me at a place as romantical as the Getty, with a couple as fun as Ryan & Kristina! I can see us all catching some dinner together sometime soon! Perhaps Ryan can make us some stuffed salmon with the herbed goat cheese, eh Ryan? You KNOW you want to ;)

AJ took this shot & I love it! I think that Ryan & Kristina were laughing at something I said (because I am like superrrr funnylicious) and I just love how candid it is! So them!

Ryan & Kristina, you two are so good looking it hurts!!!

AJ nailed the photo on the left while I grabbed the tighter shot on the right!

Check out that view! And the gorgeous architecture of the Getty! Doesn't get any more gorgeous than that! I love how its SO Los Angeles as well!

So sweet! Ryan & Kristina I just love you guys to pieces and cannot wait for your wedding in July! It is going to ROCK!

And for everyone who can't get enough of Ryan & Kristina (because really how can you ever get enough of Ryan & Kristina) please check out their SLIDESHOW below with more fab pictures from the engagement session!!

After seeing that epic engagement session, aren't you just so inspired to check out the Getty yourself? Here the info: 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90049

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Ah! the return of Tuesday Top 5! I bet you guys thought I forgot...BUT I didn't!!! Last week, as you know, I was in Vegas having a blast at WPPI! And then when I got back...I got sick! That was a bummer. So I'm sorry I have not done a recap of WPPI, that is coming! And I'm sorry I have left you in the lurch for a week without a post. I really am! And I will try not to do it again!Okey dokey...it's time for our regularly scheduled programming...and that is Tuesday Top 5! Here we go:1.  Cauliflower Ragu. OMG, you guys. While in Vegas we ate at Mario Batali's restaurant Enoteca San Marco, and my friend Jenn ordered Rigatoni with Cauliflower Ragu for her entree...and it was SO GOOD. All meal long I wanted to eat her food, not that mine wasn't delish (because it was), but this cauliflower sauce was sooo unique and creamy! Ever since I have been researching recipes for cauliflower pasta so I could make this at home, and I think I might have a good one. I will be doing a test run soon!!2. Daylight Savings. I have always loved daylight savings! Who doesn't right? That extra hour of sunlight is sooooo enjoyable and makes you feel as if there is extra time in your day! As a wedding photographer its great because it means more light for pictures!! Yes I love daylight savings! It makes me happy :)3. Dancing! You guys, I love love love love dancing. Like booty-shake dancing. Like get-low-shorty dancing. Preferably to electro-pop music, or the dirtiest rap you can find. Yes the dirtiest, un-edited, rap. The more references to bootay-slaps the better. I can' tell you why, it just is better to dance to! In Vegas, we got to go to the KISS/Pictage/Shoot-Q party which was at Studio 54, and I got to dance to this type of music and it was awesome! We danced til 2:30am...so for like 4 or 5 hours. It was great! I really gotta do that again soon! Any takers?4. Accomplishing goals. Back in early February, after attending Justin & Mary's Spread The Love Workshop, I created a list of 10 goals for my business in 2010. I'm super excited to say that not only have I scratched one goal completely off the list, but I also am making a ton of headway on several others! And its only about a month later! How awesome is that? I have to say it is a really good feeling to see myself getting things done! And I know it will make this business I've created stronger, better and more successful! So cheers to that!5. Organizing. I have a love/hate relationship with organizing. When it comes to my work, I am like anal. Very organized. I have to be, because that's my work, yo! But then there is all my personal stuff. Like my apartment. And there my policy is kinda-- throw the crap in a pile and call it a day. I have always been that way. Gross, I know. Clothes on the floor, towels never get hung up right away, papers and books in piles, never clean out cabinets. Eeeesh. It ain't good! I hate living this way. I do. When things are clean and everything has a spot (and is actually in its spot) I feel better. So last month we started re-furnishing our apartment, via Ikea, so we'd have more storage space, and now we are actually putting stuff away and getting organized. There is still along way to go, but its getting there. Yay for spring cleaning and organization! Hopefully by the end of April we will have the nicest apartment on the block!And now since I can't leave you without a picture...I'll give you a snippet of a boudoir session I recently shot! I have been doing lots of boudoir & lots of engagements lately so please come back this week to see more good stuff!

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I absolutely heart my Shootsac! For those of you who don't know what Shootsac is, its a lens bag NOT a camera bag! You wear it while you shoot, and it hold your lenses while you hold your camera. This way when you want to switch lenses, you have 3 choices right at your fingertips. I especially love this, because I only shoot prime lenses which means I often need to switch lenses!I love this bag because its light and unobtrusive! I am a TINY human being. If you haven't met me, you don't realize I'm sure...but I'm only 4'11" and weigh about 85lbs. So I hate bulky bags or bags made with heavy materials. Hey, my lenses are heavy enough thank you very much ;)

Another cool thing about Shootsac is that its fashionable. Shootsac makes interchangeable covers so you can have your bag match your brand, your mood, your style.When I saw this HOT pink cover at the Shootsac Holiday party I squealed, "OMG this is soooo me!" It just is. The colors, the pattern...so very me. So my taste and personality. Better yet its one of the limited covers, because it was a sample that never went into production, so not many people have it. One thing I hate is to be like everyone else. I really HATE when someone has my exact clothes or jewelry or purse or whatever. So this cover is awesome because I can feel unique when I rock it!

So photogs out there, if you don't own a shootsac what are you waiting for homies?! And brides & grooms who probably are thinking there is nothing in this post for them... au contraire... you can rest assured your photog will always be able to get the shot, because my lenses are always on hand! Sweet, right?

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Hey Y'all! I'm headin' out to Vegas for WPPI!!! Wooohoo! This is my first year going and I'm super stoked! It's like *the* event of the year for Wedding Photogs and some even say its the spring break for wedding photographers. Hrmmm. I'm not so much a party girl and I haven't been to Vegas in 12 years because its not really my thing. I'm a goody-goody-- I don't drink or gamble. But I'm sure there will be SO many learning activities and networking events and parties that I won't feel out of place! And if I do feel out of place, I will just go EAT. Because one thing Vegas does have is GOOD FOOD. Nom nom nom nom.I don't have my WPPI sched all figured out yet, but I know I will be learning lot, researching a lot, and meeting so many cool people! I promise to come back a better photographer, which is great for my 2010 clients!!So don't hate if I'm slow returning e-mails the next few days. I promise to get back to everyone when I return Thurs 3/9!!

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Last week I had the pleasure of shooting this sexy lady at the fabulous Hotel Amarano in Burbank! I absolutely loved the room we had in this hotel, and would totally recommend it to all my future clients.But a location is just a backdrop. And while an awesome backdrop makes for much more awesome photos, its really all about the subject! And boy oh boy did I have just the most glamorous gal to photograph! I loved how her hair and make up was so Hollywood Glam! And she chose some pretty fabulous outfits as well!! I always get asked my boudoir clients what they should wear. My advice, obviously whatever you choose must make you feel HOT. But also, if you are self conscious of your tummy-- choose something that covers it. Don't like your rear? Wear boy shorts. Just like clothes you wear, you want your boudoir outfits to be flattering and make you feel good!Well anyways, back to this gorgeous gal! This shoot was awesome and we had a blast rockin' it out! Here are some of the gorgeous images we created:

Look at those sultry eyes! I believe her man will flip when he sees this!

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I have been debating whether or not to write this post. Whether or not to get this personal. But so many of the photographer's I admire are pretty much an open book on their blog. And I admire them for that. So I have decided to go out there and open up.This week has been hard. On Thursday my grandfather was admitted to the ICU. It has been a long road, you see, my grandpa has been on dialysis for 5 years. And in those 5 years he has fought hard and done his best to get the most out of the last years of life. But every few months there would be a complication. Literally at least 10 times in the last 5 years my grandfather has almost died. No one thought he would overcome, but he would against all odds. He was like a miracle man, one of the toughest and bravest people I have ever known. But every near-death incident would take a toll. He grew weaker. And weaker. The last incident back in December took so much out of him that he was no longer able to walk.  But still he kept fighting. Until Thursday. Another infection landed him in the ICU and things turned for the worst. Somehow, again against all odds, my grandfather has managed to hang on by a thread. But now his question, and I guess our family's too, is what for? He has fought and fought and fought. But now he is so tired. He has been through so much and now his quality of life is very low-- he can't walk, hear, sleep in his own bed, eat very much, and sadly can't even go to the bathroom on his own. It is easy to understand why he said yesterday he'd like to discontinue his dialysis treatment...Because this decision is a permanent one, the doctors will be asking him today again if he really wants to discontinue treatment. I don't know what he will say. I don't know what I want him to say. But I know that I don't want him to suffer. I don't want him to be in pain. If there is one thing that breaks my heart, that I can't stand to see in the world, its suffering. I hate seeing anyone suffer. I really hate to see an animal suffer. But seeing a family member suffer? Its a horrible thing. And it's frightening. Because it makes me wonder, is this what getting old is? Is this what dying is like? Will I be subjected to a similar fate? Its awful. And though I'm not a very religious person, all I can do is pray for peace. Peace for everyone. But especially my grandpa. And if he decides it is time, and I do believe it is his decision and should be honored and respected, I pray he goes quickly. Without pain. Without suffering. He has been through enough.So considering all this grief and sorrow I am grappling with, I think its extraordinarily important for me to continue with Tuesday Top 5-- for me to reflect on 5 things that remind me of the Joy that life still brings. So I remember that life is good. So here goes.1. My Husband. I hate to admit it but some days I do take my husband for granted. But I shouldn't. EVER. Because that man is my rock. He always goes out of his way for me. He always makes sure to listen, to hold my hand, to say what I need to hear. He is the type of guy who stays up till 1:00am and holds me while I scream and cry, even though he has to get up at 6:00am. And he never complains. He builds Ikea furniture for me. He cooks dinner when I am too tired. He lets my grandma cry on his shoulder. He never acts selfishly. I don't know what I did to deserve this man. I really don't. But I have him and I am so blessed. And I don't want to ever take him for granted. Because everyday with AJ is a blessing.2. My cats. My cats are people. They are little furry people with four legs and who speak "Meow." They are non-human people. That's how I feel about cats, dogs, and all animals really. But let's talk about mine. My Stella knows when I am sad. She is very sensitive. She always is sure to sleep next to me or spend extra time in my lap when I am distressed. She has a way about her, like a caretaker, and its so sweet. Bobby and I have this routine. Our morning cuddle. Every morning when I wake up he jumps on bed and says "Not so fast mom it's time for our morning cuddle." And then he lays it on. The world's best and biggest cuddle. Its amazing. And then at night we do it again. That's our Nighttime Cuddle. These cuddles warm my heart and rejuvenate my soul. My cats do not need to cuddle me, you know? Yes we provide a roof for them, and feed them the best organic cat food, and scoop their litter, but really. Cats don't need a leader. And our cats don't need affection from us because they have each other and they give each other a lot of affection. My cats want to cuddle me and show me affection. They want my companionship. And that makes me feel so special. That they love me for me. And I feel so lucky to have that love. I can't imagine life without my fabulous Cat People.3. Food. Yep. Food. Simple, but oh what pleasure it brings to my life! I guess I should specify that I mean  good food. Cause yeah bad food kinda sucks!! But food.  I have definitely found a lot of solace in it this week. And I know when I die, I pray I can go down with something really tasty in my tummy. And since that is my feeling, I have been bringing my grandpa foods he really likes to the hospital...even though its "not allowed" (though his doctor did say at this point, I could bring it in anyways!!). He can barely eat more than 3 bites of whatever I bring. But I see him enjoy it and I feel a tiny bit better. At this point whatever life's pleasures he can have, he should have. And if I can bring him a hot dog or Brisket Sandwich. Then that's what I'll do. Food. Yes, food. I may be a glutton but it truly is one of life's biggest joys!2. Laughter. It has been really hard to laugh these past few days. But I still have found stuff to giggle about. I have to. Life without laughter is pointless. And when you feel down the best thing you can do is laugh. I make jokes. Maybe things I shouldn't joke about, but I go there. I watch comedy on TV. I make up funny names to call AJ or my Dad or whoever. I just work hard to find something , anything, to laugh at. I have to.1. The knowledge that life does go on. Yesterday while leaving the hospital, I saw a new mother in a wheelchair holding her new baby. She was in awe just looking into this newborn's eyes. And her mom was there cooing at the baby too. And then the dad rolled up in his car and loaded his new family up. And I almost cried. It took so much not to. It was just beautiful. Watching this family's big moment in life. And I thought how ironic, seeing this new life start and then to think of another life ending. And though its hard, it is kinda calming. To know the circle of life. That after sorrow is joy, after joy perhaps sorrow. After life is death, but then life comes around again. I find comfort in knowing that world is moving and going forward and this pain won't last forever. And one day I will have my own family. And when my own time comes, hopefully I will have future generations live on after me. And that makes me feel okay about it all. This moment is sad, it is horrible. But joy will come. Life will go on. And something good will happen. And that knowledge is a joy in itself-- as totally meta as that sounds.

I'm so thrilled to be featured on the **fab** TinaMolina Event's Blog as a Favorite Vendor! I absolutely love working with Christina of TinaMolina Events so it was so exciting to be one of her fav vendors! Y'all should check out the little interview on her blog by clicking HERE!Again, thank you so much Christina for all your support! You rock! Can't wait to work together more this year!

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So I met 19 REALLY cool photogs at The J* Workshop! Like they are really cool! And I'm not sure how it all started but a few of us got together to take pictures of each other. A headshot swap if you will. Anna, Brittany & Laurie came over to my place and us gals got our make up did by the *fabulous* Elena. Then we hit up Santa Monica! Well, technically I snagged a few shots of Anna then she went to catch her plane at LAX. And me, Brittany and Laurie hit up SanMo.Now, besides photography I really love to be in front of the camera. I just love cameras. Period. Whether in my hand or pointed right at me. I'm kinda diva like that. So I may have been a camera hog during this session, and I can't wait to start seeing the girls blog photos of me. But since you know I'm not really a model, and I am PHOTOGRAPHER, I figured I better blog the pics I took of them, stat!Here's a peeksy at our fun girlie-photog day!Here's Anna right in front of my place. The sun was bright, which made it the perfect opportunity to take what I had just learned from J* about natural reflectors and shooting in bright sun! I think I did well! Hope Jasmine approves!

Anna you are gorgeous! And pure awesome!

Then Brittany and Laurie and I at cupcakes at Vanilla Bake Shop. Shhhh it's a secret! And then we hit up The Viceroy! I love this shot of Brittany. It's SO her!

Brittany is amazing! She is from Chattanooga and has the BEST Southern Accent! She is like butter. Ah to be a Southern Belle...

Then there is Laurie! So cool! So fierce! Look at her rock it!

But I made her laugh. Cause I am hysterical!

Brittany strutted her stuff like a total LA Chick!

Brittany you are gorgeous girl!!!!!!

And Laurie!! You are gorgeous too!!!

Seriously look at those high cheek bones! Those piercing hazel eyes! GOR-GEOUS!!!!

We finished our awesome day looking at the beautiful Santa Monica sunset. And it hit me. WHOA! I'm so lucky! I'm so lucky to be a SoCal girl! To see beauty like this! And to be capturing it all in photos! Lucky lucky lucky!

And then we ate really good Korean food. And I felt even luckier ;)

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So here is part two of the Romeo + Juliet Wedding themed shootout!This post is more centered around the portraits...and you know the flowers too! Cause I couldn't get enough! Really I'm still drooling over them!!Again I want to thank the following vendors who made this all possible!!Coordinator: Amanda Auer of In the Now Weddings www.inthenowweddings.comVenue: Ron at the Romanesque Room www.castlecaterers.comFlorist: Megan Gray of Honey and Poppies www.honeyandpoppies.comDJ: Marcel Gonzalez FirstChoice Entertainment http://www.firstchoicedjs.comVideographer: TBARentals: Town & Country www.townandcountryeventrentals.comCatering: Jay’s Catering www.jayscatering.comVenue Concierge: Mary Lallande www.venueconcierge.comBakery: Colette at Fancy That! Cupcakes 909.524.1864Linens: Wildflower www.wildflowerlinens.comStyling: Michelle Cunningham www.milaphotography.comHair/Makeup: Kacee Geoffroy & Becca www.kaceegeoffroy.comHair/Makeup: Alisha Baijournas www.vanitykillstudio.comSpecialty: Classic Party Rentals www.classicpartyrentals.comAnd now for the photos:So my friend and fellow photog who often second shoots for me, Jenn King, modeled for this shoot! Isn't she gorgeous?!?There's those flowers again by Megan of Honey and Poppies!! Seriously, is that not just stunning?! Brides run don't walk to Megan!

Work it Jenn!

The Romanesque Room has a beautiful garden out back, a perfect setting for photos! This pond is stunning!! What a fun backdrop for a bride!

Fierceness.

Meet Ashley + Sean aka the sexiest couple I have ever seen! They really worked it for us!!! This is most definitely a favorite image for me! Most definitely an Ashleigh Taylor signature ;)

Seriously, Ashley? You are STUNNING!

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So as you know February for me was all about putting myself out there, going out of my comfort zone, and learning as much as possible! I wanted to kick off 2010 with a bang! And it was really important for me to stay active considering this is "the slow season" for wedding photographers. I figured I should do everything I can now before I get too busy. Plus I know all these workshops and shootouts will only make me a better photographer for all my 2010 clients ;)When I heard the SoCal Photog Shootout group was staging a mock wedding and that some successful local photogs would be there teaching us how they shoot weddings, I thought "hrmmm that sounds like a good thing to attend." But when I heard Amanda Auer of In The Now Events was designing/coordinating the event and it would be Romeo + Juliet themed I was STOKED. I was like, sign me up! And I signed up the second tix went on sale. Good thing I did, the tickets sold out in TWO MINUTES. Two minutes people!! I am so glad I got into the shootout because it was amazing!!!!You see Amanda Auer is someone who's blog I have stalked for like 2 years. She amazes me with her creativity. And getting to photograph the details she had set up was kinda a dream for me. I LOVE details. I LOVE weddings that are detailed, thought through, and personal! And I know all the weddings Amanda coordinates are just that. So imagine if she had free reign? Imagine what she could come up with! The lady did not disappoint! And then there were these flowers on this shoot. Flowers that looked so delicious I wanted to eat them. I couldn't take my eyes of them. They were dripping with romance. And they had so much texture. That's a biggie for me. Floral arrangements with a lot of great texture! I found out the florist was Megan Gray of Honey and Poppies, and when I met her I wanted to bow down. Obviously the woman is a floral goddess!I also have to give major shout outs to Ron at the Romanesque Room for letting us use the venue. FYI Brides, the Romanesque Room is a TOTAL hidden gem for a wedding venue! It would be great for brides with vintage or glam style! The Romanesque Room is in the heart of Old Pasadena. The ballroom has these amazing roman vaulted ceilings with gorgeous molding and gold trim! And there is a beautiful garden and outdoor space for a ceremony! Its really something special and I totally never it knew existed!  So if you need a venue check it out!

I LOVE all these details! The paper goods that Amanda designed were so unique and so so beautiful!

A closer look at the invitation Amanda designed! I love the lace wrap, and I love the antiqued paper!

Oh my gosh! Megan are you kidding me with that bridesmaid's bouquet?! Sooooo delicate! Soooo romantic!! Soooo unique!! Swoonie swoon swoon! I am in love! I also love the styling of the bridesmaids! Such a romantic and unique dress! Very chic and unexpected!

The ceremony details! I love every part!!! Soooo gorgeous!! Amanda and Megan truly joined forces and outdid themselves!

The married couple! Work it! Look at the great light too! Sigh...

And finally the tablescape details!!

Amazing right! Stay tuned for more!! More? Yes, more! I still have some bridal portraits and romantics to show ya!

Just as a recap, because I know you wanna run out and hire these folks, the vendors who made this all possible were:

Coordinator: Amanda Auer of In the Now Weddings www.inthenowweddings.comVenue: Ron at the Romanesque Room www.castlecaterers.comFlorist: Honey and Poppies www.honeyandpoppies.comDJ: Marcel Gonzalez FirstChoice Entertainment http://www.firstchoicedjs.comRentals: Town & Country www.townandcountryeventrentals.comCatering: Jay’s Catering www.jayscatering.comVenue Concierge: Mary Lallande www.venueconcierge.comBakery: Colette at Fancy That! Cupcakes 909.524.1864Linens: Wildflower www.wildflowerlinens.comStyling: Michelle Cunningham www.milaphotography.comHair/Makeup: Kacee Geoffroy & Becca www.kaceegeoffroy.comHair/Makeup: Alisha Baijournas www.vanitykillstudio.comSpecialty: Classic Party Rentals www.classicpartyrentals.com

Thanks to all these amazing vendors! You guys rock my world!

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What a week! As you saw from my last post, last Tuesday I attended the J* workshop which capped off my "February Workshop Learning Extravaganza!" It was incredible and totally complimented off what I learned at Justin & Mary's Spread The Love Tour! I also this week attended my first ever LA Smug Meeting, where I got to hear Lawrence Chan aka Tofurious speak for the second time! It was totally free but his nearly 2 hour talk could've have really been a workshop as well! It was a real treat! So this week, has really been full steam. And my brain is like whirling and pumped with ideas about how to make 2010 a life changing year, where dreams come true!!! Which brings me to my Tuesday Top 5...5. Inspirational People. I gotta admit I'm not a cheesy-mantra-loving-chicken-soup-for-the-soul-reading kinda gal. I'm not at all. But sometimes you just meet amazing people and hear their stories. Hear the major struggles and obstacles they faced. Hear how they overcame the hurdles and now are mind-blowingly successful. And how can you not get the warm and fuzzies? How can you not want to go out and change your life and the world around you?! I feel like, as mentioned above, this month I have gotten a huge dose of inspiration and have been lucky enough to meet amazing people like Justin & Mary, like Jasmine Star. And then there is the Olympics. I absolutely love the little stories on some of the featured athletes. These people have HUGE risk-it-all dreams, and they have often overcome a lot of difficulty in their personal lives, and here they are at the friggin Olympics. INSPIRING. I hope to be half as awesome as these people one day ;)4. Speaking of the Olympics. THE OLYMPICS are sooooo my number 4 pick! Not just because of the inspirational stories, that maybe I secretly tear up hearing, but because of the sheer fun of watching the events. I'm not really a team-sports gal...I can't get into it at all. And I'm not sporty or athletic at all. But I have always had a weird thing for the winter Olympics. I love watching the luge, bobsledding, the moguls, the speed skating (APOLO OHNO PEOPLE!!), and of course THE FIGURE SKATING. Oh my gosh. Love love love! I still say there is nothing better than a dude in a bedazzled outfit skating his heart out! Nothing better...except for you know, my cats and husband...LOL3. HDTV. So pretty much since I met my husband, all he talked about, all he wanted, was a nice big flatscreen HD TV. And when it came time to propose, he spent his TV fund on my engagement ring. He had to think "Ashleigh" or "TV"...and he chose me! Awwww. LOL. So it was back to square one. Saving. And this week was the week. The deal was right, the money was there, and we went all in and bought that dang TV. And he is so happy about it! I love that it makes him so happy! Something so simple! But I gotta say, it IS pretty nice. It's like having a home theater! Not too shabby!2. Hot Tub Time Machine. OK I HAVE NOT SEEN THIS MOVIE. I just keep seeing the commercials. And I gotta say, I'm so confused how this movie ever got made. Or maybe I'm not. I used to want to be a filmmaker and spent a year interning at a production company-- mostly my job entailed reading scripts and deciding whether they were good enough for someone more important to look at them. I was like the script filter. LOL. And I just can't imagine this concept getting past a filter. "Ok so these dudes get into a hot tub, that turns into a time-machine! It's like Back to the Future meets Wild Hogs, but with a hot tub!"Riiiiight. On the other hand, there are always crappy movies that get made so I shouldn't be so shocked. As much as I'm perplexed by the title and concept for this film, I shouldn't dog it.  The commercial does make me chuckle a bit. Maybe it is somewhat humorous, despite how formulaic and just plain bizarre it appears!1. Tracey Ullman's State of the Union. Have y'all seen this show? It's on Showtime on Mondays and its amazing! I have always LOVED Tracey Ulman! She is so good at creating different characters and being just plain hilarious. And the way she does her impersonations is spot on! I love this show especially when she makes fun of "celebrities." My absolute favorite is her Dina Lohan impressions. TOO DANG FUNNY.  If you all don't know who Dina Lohan is, then bless your heart. You obviously don't get caught up on perezhilton like I sometimes do!Now here is a preview of some wedding-y goodness coming VERY soon!

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Tuesday was a great day. A fabulous day. A Jasmine Star day. But let's start with Monday. I met 19 other photographers and Jasmine Star for a dinner/mixer thingy at Javier's. It was really fun to get to know everyone in person! You see I had become facebook friends with these people, followed them on Twitter, and even stalked there blogs. But the internet is one thing. Real life? That's something different entirely. So ooooh boy was I relieved to see how friendly and open everyone was. Everyone was so supportive. And a few people even said how much they admired my blog and work, which almost made me cry. Really? ME?!! I needed to be pinched. A year ago I would have never imagined this for myself. When Jasmine arrived she was so friendly, down to earth and personable! She truly is sucha giving and generous person. I thought I'd be a bumbling fool in front of her, but she made me feel like an old friend. She is truly that cool!! Then she treated us to Pinkberry and I nearly died! How deliciously sweet! Oh J* you know the way to my heart is through my tummy ;)By the start of The Workshop Tuesday morning, I felt like old friends with everyone. Not intimidated at all but just ready to learn. We spent the morning talking about branding, which was so helpful as its a concept that I didn't fully understand. I didn't take any photos of Jasmine talking 'cause y'all I was taking notes! I don't mess around with note taking. I wanted to get every word of what she had to say down on paper. But I did take a few pics of the pretty stationary Jasmine gave us...looksy...plus its branded ;)

Jasmine reiterated a concept I already knew to be true. A hand written note goes a long way! I will be saving this one for sure ;)

One thing that really struck me about Jasmine is how self aware and deliberate she is. Everything in her business is done with clear understanding and reason. Its like "I am doing this because of this..."And I think that being intentional is such a key part to running a consistent, successful, well defined business. This year I will be spending A LOT of time further developing my brand, and being intentional with what I do in my business. No more just doing because I feel I am supposed to do it that way or because peers seem to do it a certain way. No more haphazard actions or intentions. I will be intentional and aware from now on!My other favorite part of the day was of course THE PHOTO SHOOT. Oh my gosh! First can we talk about the yummy prettiness going on here?! The models, married couple Jodi and Matt, were so good looking it hurts, and also sooo sweet together! The hair and make up was done by Vivian Tran's All Made Up Team. The divine jewelry was provided by Noaki Jewelry. And Jodi's breathtaking dress was designed by Joan Shum. I'm kinda in total awe of Joan's work! Its just so unique and fashion forward-- pure art, to say the least! Make sure to check out Joan's etsy store!

I would always read on Jasmine's blog how she uses "natural reflectors" to get stunning images even in the harshest of lighting conditions and I had NO CLUE what the heck she meant! Thankfully, Jasmine planned the day with this lesson in mind. Our photoshoot was in full day sun with harsh light, and J* showed us how to rock it out using natural reflectors. And it all clicked. J* you are a smart one, you really are. I will be using this technique all the time!!!

Jasmine wanted us to all walk away with a signature image from this shoot! The following image is most definitely mine!!

The florals were provided by Kristin of The Treasured Petal, someone who's work I've been obsessed with for awhile now! She just comes up with the most stunning arrangements. And I loved the bouquet and boutonniere she designed for this shoot! Just lovely!

Jodi you are stunning! Really really stunning!

I'll end this post with the group shot!! I'm the silly little blonde one in the lower right ;)

Thank you again so much Jasmine & JD for being so open, honest and generous! This was such an amazing experience, and I know will make me a much better photographer and businesswoman! To Diandra, Kristy, Melissa, Ellie, Lara, Caitlin, Meng, Laurie, Sia, Suzanne, Anna, Anna Kim, Carrie, John, Angela, Janna, Molly, Brittany, Tracy, Jennifer and Cori -- thank you all for being so awesome! I had so much fun getting to know you and hope we can all stay in touch! I am excited to see where 2010 takes you!!! :)

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So as you are reading this I am actually attending the ever fabulous Jasmine Star's workshop! Holllllla! God bless being able to schedule blog posts :) I just didn't want to leave you guys without a Tuesday Top 5! So here goes:1. See's Candy. Every Valentine's Day my hubby gets me a custom filled box of See's Candy. I really love the nuts & chews, and don't care fore the cremes so I need a custom box! I love eating my candy so much! I just wish every month my hubs could buy me some. Wink wink, hubs :)2. Making new friends. Awwww, that sounds so elementary school doesn't it? But seriously, its nice to meet new people and connect. I am lucky because so many of my past and future clients have become friends. And that is really a cornerstone of my business, having clients turn into friends. If I can't be friends with ya, I probably shouldn't shoot your wedding. Trust me it's better for both of us! But lucky for me I have only met awesome people and clients-turned-friends so far on my journey! And that makes me happy. :) I also met a ton of fellow photogs turned friends last week at the SoCal Photog Shootout event! And that has been awesome! And as we speak I am hopefully making friends at J*'s workshop! I hope I am! :)3. Ke$ha. I kinda hate to admit this publicly but Kesha's debut album Animal is a total guilty pleasure of mine. I love "Tik Tok," 'cause you know I can totally relate. I mean I soooo wake up every morning feeling like P. Diddy. ;) LOL. And songs like "Kiss and Tell" "Blah Blah Blah" "Take it Off" and "Dinosaur" are just classic party jamz!!!! Yeah I like Kesha. I'm gonna own it!4. Getting over fear. This week I *think* I got over a really big fear in my life. One that my parents drilled into my head thinking it would keep me safe. One that handicapped me for the last 7 years of my life. It took a lot of support from my husband but I finally realized I need to grow up, woman up, and get the F over it. And I think I did. So yay me!!!5. Ikea. My husband and I live in an amazing one bedroom apartment in Downtown Culver City. It's not huge but its fairly large for a one bedroom. Its really quiet and private feeling. And most importantly is within walking distance to so many places-- my day job for instance, the movie theaters (yes we have two within walking distance), Trader Joe's, and ample restaurants! So basically the point is we love where we live! Unfortunately we have lived here 3 years and are starting to out grow it. Storage is kinda an issue. A good work space is kinda an issue. And we were lamenting...move to an area where we could afford more space or stay put but be cluttered and cramped and grumpy. Then we took a peruse  around Ikea. And I think we found some stylish and affordable furnishing options to revamp our apartment and make it work for us again! Here's a looksy at what we are thinking of getting:

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Here is part two of the San Diego Photog Shootout! This is my favorite part of the day-- the Pin Up girls!! Hot babes and hot cars, now tell me is there anything better than that?! Really, I have always wanted to do more pin-up photography, expanding on my love for boudoir, so this shoot was kinda a dream!Again I'd like to give a shout out to the talented people that made this shoot so fabulous. So thank you to Pamela of Pamela’s Parasols who donated the amazing parasols, Sabrina Sloan who was the fashion consultant/stylist and also provided custom made wardrobe, and Lance Durant of Hire Old Cars who provided the absolutely gorgeous classic cars! The make up was 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!!Enjoy the photos below!

I had a hard time making any of these photos black and white because the colors in this shoot were just SO good! But I love this photo in black and white, because it just looks so much like 1940's Hollywood glamor photographs!

Work it ladies!!!

Below is my favorite shot of the day!!! Possibly my favorite (non-wedding) shot EVER!!!!!

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