Focus on Groomsmen!

Tomorrow I am second shooting for an Orange County photographer in San Luis Obispo.  Getting ready for that event reminded me of the events where I had opportunity to second for Kaitie Brainerd Photography . As a second shooter, I often have to wrangle up the groomsmen for pre-wedding getting ready moments and group photos.  Sometimes this can be a challenge because– well you know, antics ensue when guys get together!  Aside from making pictures, this often also involves ironing shirts, tying bowties, fixing cufflinks, and generally ushering the process along so we get them to the venue on time! This group was particularly awesome and entertaining. The backdrop in Cayucos made for an interesting setting. We took over an historic little downtown bar and galavanted down the pier for some fun photos!  Loved this day and the opportunity to work alongside this awesome LA photographer! If you want to see the lovely full capture of this wedding by Kaitie, click here! 

 

Seniors and Best Friends | Madison & Teigan | Santa Ynez Valley HS

These young women...ambitious, strong, and beautiful...wanted to take their senior photos together!  I hope 20 years from now these friends will still love these moments! Friends get us through the best of times and the worst of times!  Wishing you all the best life has to offer Madison and Teigan!  Happy Senior year! Endless opportunities await! Thankful for the opportunity to capture your brave and beautiful spirits!

Brianna + Tyler | Loma Grande Ranch | October 2016

Last wedding season I had the awesome opportunity to assist Kaitie Brainerd with several weddings on the central coast! This wedding was set in a beautiful location at Loma Grande Ranch in San Luis Obispo, California. I actually love shooting weddings as the assistant looking for all those extra meaningful moments. I'm sharing just a few here!

If you love to look at beautiful wedding photographs–head over to Kaitie's blog to see the full capture of this lovely wedding. 

Source: www.seafoamphoto.com

Ballard School Old Fashioned Jamboree! Happening April 2nd, 2017

You definitely want to put this day on your calendar! This is one of the best events in the SY Valley.

Ballard School's Old Fashioned Jamboree will be held on Sunday, April 2nd, from 12:00pm to 5:00pm.  

Past years' jamborees have included; musical entertainment, an incredible silent auction, games and activities for all ages, goods and goodies for sale, sack races, tug o' wars, pie throw and pie baking contest, awesome BBQ dinner, the largest musical chair game ever, a petting corral, a photo booth, and so much more!  

Photos below show all the fun and frivolity from 2015!  You don't want to miss this! I'm excited to have the opportunity to capture all the moments of the day!  Come one, come all!  

Nature Corps + Sequoia National Park + Veterans Administration

This is a really special blog post for me!  I was invited by Mark Landon of the Nature Corps organization to photograph an event where three agencies came together to support our veterans and our national parks!  These three agencies collaborated to create an amazing work retreat focused on supporting healthy marriages in the veteran community!  Such a great connection with healthy forests and healthy marriages...planting, supporting, raising, growing strong roots!  So symbolic of love and life! We are all better for having experienced this event.  

Borrowing the words from Mark Landon of the Nature Corps–here is a description of the weekend!

"Our veterans have sacrificed so much, and for many that includes their marriages. Unfortunately, the divorce rate among veterans has reached an alarming 80%. Imagine the heartbreak of returning home from combat only to find yourself in a marriage that is in utter turmoil. This campaign is our opportunity to help veterans preserve what is most precious to them, their marriages and families.
 
In support of initiatives to address the high divorce rates, Nature Corps, in collaboration with the Veterans Administration and the National Park Service, have developed the VIP (Veterans in Parks) program. This rewarding program gives veterans and their spouses the practical “tools” they need to preserve their marriages. 

All this takes place in the magnificent setting of the National Parks. It’s here that couples come together to preserve their marriages while at the same time volunteer to preserve our nation’s most cherished natural treasures.

This past September the Nature Corps hosted veterans and their spouses in Sequoia National Park.  The goal of the event was to bring healing to the veteran’s marriages as they volunteered to restore one of the world’s rarest habitats-the giant sequoia groves."

After reading this post, maybe you'll consider giving to this organization's GoFundMe page to allow them to continue to provide this type of support to our veterans and the giants in the forest! Thanks for reading friends! Your support makes a difference! 

https://www.gofundme.com/preserving-veterans-marriages

Brock + Ariana + Reed | Los Olivos | 2016

This time of year is the best!  I love photographing families for their annual Christmas card!  Love all the love, laughter, and giggles!  This little one certainly had the best 'cheeeeeez' smile ever and he is going to steal your heart! This session was so. much. fun!  Thank you for inviting me to photograph your beautiful family Ariana! 

Kadyn | Santa Ynez Valley Senior | 2016

It's been awhile since I posted but I couldn't miss the opportunity to share this Senior Session! Meet Kadyn!  I'm super excited to share her laughter and her smiles! And we should congratulate Kadyn for being an SYVHS Homecoming Princess!  Hence the tiara in the photos! :) Thank you so much Kadyn for an amazing session!  I hope you have a fantastic senior year! 

Isn't she beautiful? 

 

Drew + Sidney | Ventura Harbor | April 2016

An amazing day of joy, love, laughter and family–that was Drew and Sidney's Ventura harbor wedding!  I've known Drew since he was just a young boy. I watched him grow up on the shores and the ski slopes of Big Bear Lake. He chose to attend college at the beach in Ventura where he met Sidney–a match made in Heaven. I was honored to be asked to capture their special day!  Watching two beautiful families come together to celebrate the love of Drew and Sidney was a pleasure! Congratulations to the Waner and Garza families! It was a lovely day indeed!  

“Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs: the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what.”    –Maya Angelou

The Lockhart Family | Santa Ynez Mission | Fall 2015

Once in awhile you get to photograph a family that is just SO easy...because they are beautiful, kind, and oh so fun! The Lockharts? They are one of those families!  So caring towards others and so focused on their love for one another! I know they were all missing the eldest sibling, the lovely Taylor, who is in Australia...but we made the best of the opportunity to capture some family laughs and Blake's senior photos! Annette has been so supportive of my venture into photography as more than a hobby...I was thankful for the opportunity to take these photographs!  

Dan + Annette–your family is amazing! 

Gianis + Santibanez Families | Santa Ynez Mission | 2015

Sometimes you meet those families that just have so much joy! That's this family! You might remember The Gianis family who was one of the first official photo sessions I did in the fall of 2014–well this time we had the opportunity to put parents, siblings, cousins, and grandparents together for an extended family session!  So much love, so much laughter, so much joy! Thank you to the Gianis and Santibanez families for the opportunity to capture your time together! 

"I sustain myself with the love of family."    Maya Angelou

Such a beautiful family!  Wishing you all the best!

 

Baby Henry | Olympic Peninsula | 2015

Meet Henry!  Those blue eyes and that sweet smile had me right from the start!  I could have photographed this little one all day but we had only this brief encounter while we were on vacation on the peninsula!  What an adorable little guy and a beautiful family!  

Thank you Krystal for the opportunity to photograph Henry–and thanks for jumping in a few photos with him!  Love your family!  

Leticia+Eric I Monarch Dunes I April 2015

Monarch Dunes in Nipomo is a lovely venue for a wedding–even on a rare RAINY Central California day.  The rain cleared mid-afternoon and a beautiful ceremony began.  It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to assist Jerry Giles for this event!  Here is my capture of the day...

Thank you Leticia + Eric...and Jerry for the opportunity to assist in capturing your beautiful and amazing day!  

It surely was the happiest place on Earth! 

Maggie+Brian | New Jersey Spring Wedding | March 2015

I love when I have the opportunity to be a Second Shooter {aka Assisting Photographer}. As a second shooter I have a bit more time to really watch for those meaningful moments as the story of the day unfolds. On this chilly, March day in New Jersey, I had the great fortune to assist Lauren Allmond of Lauren Allmond Photography {you can see her images from the day by clicking the link.}  I loved being a part of Lauren's team and photographing Maggie + Brian on their wedding day! From start to finish, this was a beautiful experience!  

While Lauren was with the bride, I began the day with the groom and his awesome family including his precious & precocious  son–Ben! He was the Best Man!  I photographed the getting ready photos in Brian's childhood home-so sweet! Brian and Ben's relationship was so beautiful to photograph. When they weren't exchanging special dad/son handshakes, Ben could be found entertaining the rest of the groomsmen! He also lost a tooth first thing that morning! And what you don't see in these photos is Ben gave his dad his most special Pokemon card to tuck into his pocket for the day–Ben thought it would give his dad special powers! Awesome moments all around me all day long. The love of Brian & Maggie and their families made the day! 

As I looked at the images later, a theme really stood out for me–this family knows how to love and shares that love freely!  

That last image there?  Yes, that's Lauren!  She was amazing in how she gracefully moved through the day creating beautiful photographs! Thank you Lauren, for the awesome opportunity to work with you!  

Kurtis+Sarah | Washington Wedding | August 2014

When Kurtis and Sarah asked me to be their wedding photographer I was both excited and afraid!  I have taken a million photos in my lifetime but never had the responsibility of capturing someone's most precious moments.  After trying to convince them that I was not {yet} a wedding photographer–I gave in and started studying!  What a joy and pleasure it was to be able to capture their day!  I hope these photos tell their story and show their love!