After about 7000 responses, I figure I now have a pretty good sampling of who is here and what you're looking for! Here's what I found out:
-Lots of you want to be or are photographers
-I have photographed some of you
-575 of you chose the answer "I won't be put into a box" as what best describes you
-At least 10 of you described yourself as a "stalker". I'm both flattered and adding a few more locks to the doors ;)
-Several of you hated your wedding photos (hopefully I didn't shoot them)
-One of you is an orthepaedic surgeon
-One of you is my mother
In any case, this blog is about to get hit in the face with some new style and function, and I hope that there will be something for everyone! Here's what I would love for you to do: Tell me ONE THING you'd like to see more of (or see here at all) in the future in the comments. One of you will receive a little somethin' something' from me.
I was so overwhelmed with my last "things I love post" responses! With all the negativity that gets thrown around in the world from day to day, in the photography industry, and even between people who love one another, it's nice to take a step back and focus on good things sometimes, isn't it?
I've been on the road for the past week, shooting and teaching in New York. I shot an engagement session in the West Village, taught a class at Adorama Camera Store, spoke at the Showit Freedom Tour, and today am headed to West Virginia, to shoot a wedding that sounds so amazing that I hope it's real when I get there!
Here are a few things I love this week:
1. New York City Police. I just love the cops in NYC. They are so kind, and work so hard to protect us from bad things that can happen. And were willing to look the other way (literally) to let me get this photo, which I also love:
2. Reconnecting with old friends. When I decided to teach a free shoot + class at Adorama for Shootsac, I knew I would need models!. Thanks to the wonder of social networking, I had been in contact with Pax and Mary, and I knew Mary from high school! I'll post more about this shoot once I get home, but suffice it to say that reconnecting with someone from back home was SO nice. We had a great dinner with Michael & Cyndie and my brother was able to join us too. Even though I feel very comfortable in California, it's nice to see people who have known me since before I was a photographer. Spending time with them was so much fun!
3. Summer, and new covers for Shootsac! That's right folks, I shot the 4 new summer covers for Shootsac last week and they are DELICIOUS! Like, really really yummy for summer. Obviously they're under lock and key until the end of this month when they'll be released, but they are absolutely ADORABLE! So are Elise & Ryan--you'll be seeing more of them.
Also, these precious flamingo straws. I LOVE them!!!
In my last "Things I Love" post, I asked you to leave comments with things that you love! One thing that really jumped out at me was Kristin's response. She said: "I love adoption. I love how there was a little soul on the other side of the world and now she is a total and complete part of our world."
Of course I had to delve into that a bit deeper! I went to Kristin's blog, and found that last year, she and her husband adopted a little girl from Ethiopia! She is a gorgeous, amazing part of their family, and I absolutely love that they had a heart to do this. What a wonderful thing, to see that your child doesn't necessarily have to come from you to be just as much yours. Kudos Kristin, and enjoy your family! Here's a shot of Kristin moments after holding her daughter for the first time:
So again, I ask you: What do YOU love? Leave a comment, and I'll feature one of you and what you love here in my next episode of "Things I Love"!
Today's post will be dedicated to Things I Love. That's all--just things I love :)
1. I love Richard Photo Lab for processing film. I don't shoot a lot of film, I still *heart* my 5d's and 1.2 lenses, but these guys are so responsive and awesome, they are for sure the WHCC of film labs.
2. Pelican Hill. I shot the most BEAUTIFUL wedding at Pelican HIll in Newport Coast last weekend, and I have to say, this venue is INCREDIBLE. Not only is it beautiful, but the staff is just over the top incredible. It's been a long time since I've shot there, and I'm so excited to have a few weddings there this year! This venue also treats vendors SO well. When I go to a wedding, I am there to WORK, but it's nice to have the kindness and support of the venue to make it easier to to my absolute best. (It didn't hurt that this wedding was coordinate by the always amazing Jeannie Savage of Details Details. They're the best).
3. Men in uniform:
I didn't get a chance to post on Memorial Day, but THANK YOU to all the men and women who serve our country. You do the job that I would be too afraid to do bravely and proudly. A special THANK YOU and YOU'RE AWESOME to my father in law Lt. Col. Kim Norwood, who is having his promotion ceremony this week! Jeff and I wish we could be there, and we're glad that Cyndie and Makenzie are there as reps for all us kids :)
4. Summer fun:
Last month, the Brooke's and Jeff & I went strawberry picking at (where else) Strawberry Farms! They grow tons of stuff there, really fresh veggies of all kinds, and have this adorable produce stand where we shot these photos. Strawberry Farms is also a wedding venue--I've never shot there but I sure would love to! Anyway, this was just such a fun, fresh afternoon and I look forward to more of these this summer
5. Jasmine:
Jasmine was kind enough to shoot a session of Jeff, Acey and I the other day! Although my posts about Acey have had some frustrations laced through them, she is really the sweetest little (for now) thing and we want to remember her puppyhood (since we're not sleeping much, this is the only way we'll remember much). Jasmine made us laugh, and made some beautiful photos and some hilarious ones! You can go to her blog to see the beautiful ones, but I prefer the hilarious ones myself. Thanks Jas & JD!
Now, for a contest:
Leave a comment with something YOU love! I'll pick someone at random and feature that person and what they love on a future "Things I Love" post here.
When I decided to ditch my website and combine it with my blog into a "Blogsite", I did that because I was sick of having both a site and a blog to keep up with. I found myself never able to update my website (or having time to do that), because I was spending my time posting my best new images to my blog! So while people were finding me through my website, they were seeing work that was sometimes YEARS old, which doesn't make a great first impression.
Now that I've lived with the blogsite for a while, I am still loving it, but I'm sensing that it's time to mix it up a little bit. My PRIMARY goal with this site is to make it a GREAT user experience for everyone who visits! So it would really help me to know:
WHO are you? WHAT are you looking for here? HOW would it be easier for you to find what you're looking for here? Any comments would be SO SO appreciated!
Also, a poll. Please do this poll :)
** you can choose more than one answer if more than one applies to you!**
A Shoot in Four Words (and FOUR NEW COVERS!) Thu. March 4, 2010
When Amy of Weddingchicks first told me about her idea of a styled bridal shower/brunch in combination with an engagement session, I was hooked! I shoot TONS of wedding stuff, but not much girly/bridal stuff, so it sounded like it was right up my alley! It didn't hurt that I also had four HOT new SHOOTSAC covers to shoot, and I knew that I was sold.
I wasn't wrong.
Amy put together an absolutely AMAZING team of people to design, style, and execute the shoot. If you are a bride reading this blog, you'd be making a smart move for your wedding by working with any of them:
THE FOUR INSPIRATIONAL COVERS FOR THIS SHOOT: Cheerful, Engaging, Whimsical and Swell--our NEW covers that will be available on the SHOOTSAC WEBSITE first thing on Monday! You will meet and get to know them today--I'm sure you'll become fast friends!
The focal point for this shoot was simple: A yellow button.
Why a yellow button? I don't know! Because buttons are adorable? Because I love them? Because I want to see more of them? Whatever the reason, once I threw that out at Amy, Ashlyn & Heather, they jumped on the button train and got to work!
I'm not kidding, they seriously got to work--making table runners, stringing buttons, you name it:
Buttons buttons everywhere!
Even hanging from the ceiling like a more beautiful dream catcher than I could have ever dreamed!
These recipe boxes and menu cards were so sweet! The buttons on the front are actually hair clips from Ink and Button--I kept the yellow and blue ones--try to spot me wearing one in Vegas next week!
Each girl had her own name attached to her box:
Teaspoons adorned the back of the chairs, affixed with yellow string:
Flowers with little edible treats in them and sprigs of fresh yellow buds make the table look so clean!
Erika showed up with the cake-S! I thought i was in heaven when she showed us the little baby cakes:
Each individual cake was placed on the plate for the guests as a dessert:
They were just so darling!
Katie, our beautiful bride toasts with her girlfriends:
So much cuteness!
Look who else made an appearance at brunch!
Nom nom nom--Cafe Mimosa, I love you:
Time spent with your girls is time well spent:
Some more morning cheer:
It was a brunch that was, in a word, CHEERFUL!
Later that afternoon, we took the opportunity to style and shoot a little engagement session for these two. Aren't they just...swell?! A little old fashioned, and a little laid-back, we had the most delightful afternoon!
Seriously, can they be any cuter?
One of my faves:
Erika made us these little button shaped cookies! This shoot is for the modern day housewives out there:
Ryan tries to steal while distracting Katie:
A kiss on the hand may be quite continental...(bonus points if you can fill in the blank):
Isn't life just swell?
One element that the whole team tried very hard to bring to the shoot is the element of WHIMSY! To be Whimsical, in my opinion, is to be DIVINE! And divine it was to have details like these--colorful baking supplies, a bright yellow clock, a hand tied stack of treats, a glass jar of buttons--all too beautiful for words!
Making the most of those mini-cakes:
The bouquet was just so much fun! Look a the buttons wrapping the stems:
Fun fact--the green suitcase is the one I used to exit my own wedding reception :)
I love it even more today than I did then:
Look--a whimsical little cover showed up, along with a play on photography with Ryan holding the bouquet:
When I think of Whimsy, I think--slightly unexpected and always light and fun!
Rachel, you are a beautiful, whimsical model:
The trick to a great shoot, if there is one, is that it be ENGAGING! What does this mean? Well, simply that it can attract and hold your attention. I think that these two have the ability to do that, don't you?
Katie and Ryan seem engaged with one another:
Which leads to sweetness:
And more sweetness:
The patterns and textures here are engaging to me:
And Ryan is engaged by Katie:
I am quite engaged by her also!
You make this new cover look amazing!
And two more, just because I love them:
These FOUR new covers: CHEERFUL, SWELL, WHIMSICAL & ENGAGING will be ready for you to buy on the SHOOTSACâ„¢ site on MONDAY, so get 'em while they're hot!
And for the hottest thing since sliced bread, head over to THE SHOOTSAC BLOG to see our CRAZY new announcement (here's a little sneak peek):
Everyone who was involved in this shoot--I love all of you--you're the BEST! Pop on over to Weddingchicks for more!
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