marianne and kevin

Look at all this yumminess that is Marianne and Kevin, who are kicking off our 2014 wedding season. Marianne and I were bridesmaids in a wedding a couple years ago when she made a promise that if she ever got married, I would be their wedding photographer. Here we are today, giggling and snorting over their engagement because Kevin wants to butter her bread. Chivalry is not dead! We are so excited to see their wedding day come together.  We know we will cry hard and laugh even harder.  

2014 and a little bit of history

So if you visited the blog lately and was nearly taken out by a lone tumbleweed, I apologize. I blogged a pathetic two times last year and am totally annoyed with myself. Truth be told, 2013 was one of the those years I would have hid in bed every day if it weren’t for photography. Life is given and taken everyday, but one in particular didn’t make any sense to me. On July 1st, colon cancer took my close friend who was diagnosed 9 months prior. She was 32. And as I watched her husband, their three year old son, and 10 month baby say goodbye to her, I figuratively shoved all that anger and sadness up cancer’s ass.  I don’t like to talk about sad stuff so I started reading everything I could get my hands on because books, other people’s stories, gave me an escape. And consequently caused the blog to suffer.

But 2014 is here so 2013 can suck it. On the business front, we are currently working on selecting our proof packaging for our wedding clients. This wooden box with our logo carved into it came today and I squealed like a prepubescent One Direction fan. Actually, I squeal when I see our logo on anything. The logo was really a labor of love. Hence the heart shape. I have never been formally trained in Illustrator and could not afford a designer so when it was time to create something to represent the brand, there were very many versions but this is the one that survived and will continue to embody the company’s image. As for Lucid, the word was part of my AOL name in 1995, so we have a long history together.  

Lofty Coffee Co.

Surviving March consisted of two things; J’s ever so calming demeanor and the magical soothing power of salted caramel lattes. A salted caramel latte so powerful, it deserves its own blog entry. Normally, I would avoid photographing in businesses such as coffee shops. Why, you ask?  Because the moment I whip out my tank of a camera, all heads turn with the precautionary stare of…you better not take pictures of me. It’s okay. I’m just a tourist. 

 

Lofty Coffee Co. is located in Encinitas, CA. You can grab a cup to go and walk to Moonlight Beach or stay and enjoy the small, friendly environment. I’m no food or coffee critic but what I know is that they love their coffee here. One time, the barista delivered my latte and accidently splashed some on the side of the saucer. And instead of leaving it for me to lick off the side of the mug, he took it back to make me another one even after I told him it was okay. “It’ll drive me nuts,” he said. Can’t stop an artist. 

Go visit them! Or better yet, drop me an email and maybe we can meet up for coffee. Really. Or if you have a favorite coffee shop you’d like me to play tourist in, let me know. Your shop could end up on this blog. 

march madness

It's twelve short days away from our first wedding of the season.  Quickly followed by several engagement shoots, a couple of family sessions, another wedding, and our tax appointment.  Oh and did I mention we’re moving at the end of March?

So March is already giving me anxiety and we haven’t even said good bye to February.  But despite all this, I am looking forward to shooting this couple on their wedding day.  Amber and Lucas met while going to school at UC Irvine, so it was only natural to shoot their engagement on campus.  My sister attended UC Irvine so I was familiar with the campus.  Being behind the camera, with love in the air, the mood was all romantic with a side of academic.  Like smexy…yah?

still life

It’s been a little bit hectic lately.  Not the “I’m too busy I can’t breathe” busy but the type of busy where you can feel an imbalance in the universe.  I usually work on a couple of personal projects to make sure I don’t teeter on the verge of insanity.  But in the world of photography (at least for me) personal and business are beginning to look a lot alike.

So I’ve turned to another outlet.  Bel far niente.  The beauty of doing nothing and to enjoy being still.  Quite frankly, it’s the hardest thing to do and I’ve got way too much on my mind to completely empty it out and be still.  Which leads to the next best thing I could do – photograph still life.
 

I have a slight obsession with peonies.  I’ll keep them till they start wilting just because I like watching the petals curl at the edges. 

I love how beautiful the colors are on these leaves when the light shines through.  

 

And who can resist heart shaped eucalyptus leaves.  

watching

I thought I saw you for a brief moment yesterday.  It’s been years.  And it can be many more years before I forget your face.  I’m watching you, debating if it’s appropriate to say hello, after so long.  But I will wait here in obscure stillness.  For nothing is more beautiful than seeing you thrive without me.  

birthday wishes

I closed my eyes, made a wish and blew out the candles on my Little Mermaid birthday cake.   It’s the same wish every young girl secretly makes.  To be the prettiest, the smartest, and the most helpful girl EVER.  It really is a simple request.  No unicorns, no world peace, or obscene amounts of money.  Just to be perfect in every way possible.  And because the universe always works against a teenage girl, I came in fourth place on an algebra quiz challenging the effectiveness of all my birthday wishes.  

The times are a lot different now but I still wish for the same things.  Not for myself but for the young girls I work with.  They are my favorite population to photograph.  I’m captivated by their sincere and delicate beauty and inspired by their good nature.  And at the same time, I can’t help but feel a little sad.  Happy because I’ve captured such pure moments and sad that they are so fleeting.  I really wish I had photos like this taken of me at thirteen.  Perfect.    

 

 

Sorry dudes.  I’ve never been a boy so I can’t offer any insight. 

mission san juan capistrano

So like any studious student of photography, I’ve been stalking other photographers and taking note of where they photograph their clients.  I came across another photographer’s blog post about their recent shoot at Mission San Juan Capistrano.  The pictures were beautiful and the drive was short. Commence Mission Mission. Impressed? Didn’t think so.  There’s a lot more to a photographer’s repertoire beyond taking amazing photos.  We pick locations, do hair, provide improvisational comedy, guide art direction, and empower our clients to feel and look their best. 

Oh sweet Mission San Juan Capistrano, I salivate at the thought of your magical light and ethereal colors. Not my photos or any other photos will every truly depict the beauty that is Mission San Juan Capistrano. Surrounded by lovely flowers of all kinds, it was paradise for butterflies and inspirational seekers like myself. I wanted to cry.