Kathy & Greg

This Saturday I had the privilege of shooting with Michael Norwood at Kathy and Greg's wedding in Malibu. The ceremony was held at Pepperdine University's chapel and the reception was just down the road at Dukes...right on the water! It was great to hang with Michael and see how he works his magic. Kathy and Greg were so fun and easy-going; the day just flew by...have fun in St. Lucia you two! Here are a few of my favorites from the day, enjoy!

The ring bearer was a heart-breaker!! So cute!

We had some great light after the ceremony and made it down to the water as the sun was setting! Thanks again Michael for letting me tag along!

After the reception, we sped along PCH trying to find some dinner...we were on a mission to find some good Thai food! Sadly, we were unsuccessful in the Thai department, but landed at an insane sushi place in Agora Hills! All in all it was a great day filled with great people!

One of My Favorite Quotes

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

P.S. One of the first gifts Erin ever gave me was this quote. It's framed and sitting on my desk so I can see it every day before I sit down to accomplish any task!

Dear Friends,

I was going to post something else tonight, but there is something that I wanted to let you all know about so you can be thinking and praying for Erin's family.

Erin's dad, Dan, was rushed to the hospital yesterday. After a slew of tests, they rushed him into immediate surgery. After six hours on the table of a very risky procedure, he is in the ICU tonight being monitored around the clock. They are trying to stabilize him, but the doctors are still unsure as to what the issue is and his body continues to get more and more sick.

I'm not trying to publicize what is undeniably a very sensitive and rough time for my girl's family, but I implore you to please keep her father, mother, and brother in your thoughts and prayers after you read this; please pray for wisdom and discernment for the doctors, and that this infection would be removed from his body.

We both can not begin to thank all of you for your support!

Kara and Ryan...So Hot Right Now!

Wow, what a weekend!

Buying more gear, meeting with brides, and shooting! Can it get any better?? 

Erin and I had a great time on Sunday afternoon shooting Kara and Ryan; they were such a blast and definitely weren't shy around the camera; they were naturals!

On the way to our original site for our shoot, I spotted this house (yes, it was a house) that looked like a barn...a full on barn! They were still working on it, so no one was home, and the dirt driveway only added to the scene. We had to stop and have some fun! 

After our hootenany at the barn, we headed over the Cultural Arts Center in the valley and got a little artsy ourselves. *I was obsessed with their shoes, can you tell??*

Thanks again to Kara and Ryan, you two rocked it! :)

Slobber Beneath the Stars

It's late. I have been staring at my computer screen for the better part of the day editing images, building our website, ordering our new business cards, and emailing old friends. It amazes me how quickly a day can just fly by when you just chug along trying to mark things off of your "To Do" list!

In an effort to get away from my desk to relax and unwind, I headed out into the crisp midnight air to sit in the jacuzzi...heated to the perfect 104 degrees. The type of 'hot' that makes your skin tingle while simultaneously giving you the chills. It's intoxicating really. I wasn't alone however on this moonlit night; Torrey was right there with me anxiously awaiting to shower me with kisses and joyfully receiving any ounce of attention I would give her :)

Now before you all start sending Erin emails alerting her about my scandalous midnight rendezvous, I feel it important to mention that Torrey is my dog! My pup of 5 years, who can awake me from any funk that I might be in. Her wagging tail combined with the undeniable scent of chlorine was just what I needed this evening. 

Both Erin and I are gearing up for what is to be an exciting two months, and we are making all efforts to prepare during this calm before the storm. We are very much looking forward to what God has in store for us the rest of this year! But as for tonight, I'm glad I took a break!

May you always find time to stop and smell the chlorine :)

P.S. World...meet "Torrey The Dog!"

[b] Cool..Stay in School!

For the past several weeks we have been a part of a community that I have yet to see in any other profession. It's amazing! The [b] School launched at the beginning of this month and so far the response has been fantastic. 

What is the [b] School?

The [b] School is a community set up by [b]ecker exclusively for wedding photographers throughout the nation as a place where they can go and ask questions, make new friends, exchange calendars, give advice, and even refer one another business! It is Facebook meets Open Soure Photo forum for photographers. Already in less than a month members are having get togethers, requesting second shooters, posting pictures, and networking with people across the US. Both Erin and I are proud to be in on the ground floor of what is looking like an industry-changing school of thought whose motto is "A rising tide raises all ships."

For many of you who aren't photographers, but rather clients, this post need only encourage you that the photography professionals of the nation are constantly striving to be the best, shoot the best, and present to you the best possible experience on your wedding day. We can't wait to fully take advantage of all the [b] School has to offer!

Have a blessed day!

Two Tickets to Paradise

Hi Everyone! I hope that you are having a wonderful weekend so far. :)

After A TON of thought and prayer (and a little number crunching), Erin and I are excited to announce that we will be attending Mike Colon's next workshop...in Maui! In less than two short months, we will be staying at the DaKine Mansion, in Lahaina, which is a private retreat/getaway complete with gourmet chef, ocean view rooms, pool, waterfall, and tons more! In celebration of his tenth workshop, Mike is going all out on this one and is sparing no expense. On top of getting massages and surfing lessons, we will have the privilege of joining a select group of photographers to learn from one of best! We will be shooting professional models to implement all that we'll be learning with perhaps one of the most beautiful backdrops in the world! We could not be more anxious for all that we will be learning and can't wait to meet all of the wonderful people who are sure to be in attendance! You can bet that this won't be the last you'll hear about our tropical adventure, and we will religiously blog every single day we will be in Maui...so you won't miss anything! We will be gone December 7-12th (Which means I've got time to work up a bit of a tan so I don't fry like a lobster!), but we will return with even more knowledge, experience, portfolio work, and wonderful friends. Here are just a few pictures of where we will be in just a short while! Aloha!

Do you want to come with us?? Here is the link to Mike's blog that has way more info and details about the trip. This will be a workshop people will be talking about for a long time! Don't miss out!!

The Mike Colón Experience Retreat in Paradise!

Max and Christina

I've been friends with Max for over 14 years. We first met when we were team mates in NJB (National Junior Basketball) on the Texas Longhorns. He was the team's star player and led us to the league championship...a feat of gargantuan proportions when you're only 10 or 11! I remember that day well. The big game was played in front of a large crowd in a big gymnasium, each family cheering their young players on to victory. The game was a disaster...the refs called a lopsided game in favor of our opponents, my father *the assistant coach* got a double technical foul and was thrown out of the gym in front of my whole family, and we went on to lose by over 20 points, taking second place in the league. It was a day we can now look back upon with only laughter and marvel at how our friendship has spanned the years.

I will always remember what both Max and I scribbled in each others' yearbooks senior year of high school (unbeknownst to the other until we traded books back), as we looked ahead at adulthood and the prospect of different colleges, "Your Friend for Life."  

We had the privilege of following Max and Christina around at Fashion Island and Corona Del Mar for most of the afternoon. The results as you can see, were fantastic!

Thank you Max and Christina for a wonderful day! We cherish your friendship and can't wait for more adventures together in the days to come! :)

**I wanna give a special shout out to a friend and awesome photog, Brian Khang, for helping me get bigger images on my blog! Thanks dude!**

Santa Barbara for the Day

Who said learning can't be fun? Yesterday Erin and I had a chance to take an "us" day and make a trip up to Santa Barbara. It could not have been more perfect weather, and driving up the 101 with the ocean beside us set the tone for an afternoon filled with friends, learning, and fellowship. The main excuse for our last-minute road trip was the fact that Mike Colon was being interviewed at Brooks by Ron Dawson for F-Stop Beyond. It was a small gathering that was broadcasted around the world that included a question and answer time by both the house crowd as well as those online. For three hours we listened, took notes, and got yet another boost of encouragement from Mike's testimony. And by testimony I don't just mean professionally, but also spiritually. Despite what feelings people may have about religion and its place in business, Mike's responses and his openness about his faith spoke encouragement to both Erin and I as it was a wonderful reminder of where our priorities should always remain, and to whom we should alway look for guidance. Here are a few pictures of our day!

We had a picnic dinner on the beach. Somehow SB sunsets are just more enchanting than those in Orange County :)

Mike fielding questions from Ron.

After the interview a group of us headed over to David Jay's house for a late night party, which was such great fun! We met a ton of awesome photographers who we cannot wait to see soon!

**We will be announcing something exciting later this week!!**

Beauty in Her Eyes

All my friends are amazing and willing to help me practice shooting! :)

My friend Meghan was behind the camera this afternoon. We chose her house to be our "destination" location today because they have an amazing yard that just got re-modeled... so we had to take advantage of it! :)
The pictures came out fantastic with her sparkling blue ocean eyes and fire red hair. ;)

Thanks again Meg! You're the best! :)