DOSKOFOTO

This was hands-down one of my most adorable photo shoots to date. Little Johan (pronounced 'joe-han') was too cute for words in his little outfits, both as Yoda and an Ewok. His dad is a huge Star Wars fan so they bought him all these cute little SW stuffed animals for his crib which also doubled as props for our shoot! Unfortunately 2 of the characters did not arrive in time for the shoot, but what we got was pretty darn cute! I have never gotten so much positive feedback, so I figured I had to blog about it!

Enjoy, "Jo-da" and the Ewok!

By now you are probably tired of me bringing up how awesome Yessenia is, not just as a friend but as my mentor who got me interested in photography by asking me to shoot her wedding. Well sorry, but I'll say it again, this girl is amazing! Not only can she take amazing photos but she is so creative and crafty--she can make anything! She even recently opened an Etsy shop with her mom where she makes all kinds of goodies. Well anyway, on to the purpose of this post....

Way back about a year ago we took some engagement photos of Y + R for the holidays. We then went back to their place and that's where she taught me how to use Lightroom! (Wow! That seems like so long ago!) At the time I thought the photos were pretty good, but 8 months later I think her and I both were thinking they could be a bit better. So in August we headed out to this beautiful canyon to take a few more shots, and boy am I glad we did. We caught the sun RIGHT at the golden hour and the results were amazing...

Stay tuned for photos from their WEDDING DAY and all the beautiful work that went into it!

If you recall, earlier in the year when I was first getting my start in wedding photography, I pimped myself out on Craigslist, offering to shoot a wedding for free. Then later in the week I got an email from Paula who explained that her soon-to-be-husband had a soft spot for beginning photographers seeing as he previously worked as a wedding photographer and knew the business. My heart was overjoyed that I would get the chance to shoot my first wedding, but little did I know it would actually end up being my second wedding since I was contacted by another couple before Paula and Jay's big day came.

This past summer I worked in Massachusetts as the photographer for an elite girls soccer camp. I got to be part of the camp and experience what it's like to live in the boonies of East Otis, but I also got the chance to shoot soccer celebrities like Mia Hamm and Heather O'Reilly. After our first week of camp, however, I took a quick flight home to San Diego to squeeze in Paula and Jay's wedding before darting back to finish the rest of the summer on the east coast.

It was the 5th of July, about 85 degrees and sunny. I showed up at the cottage where Paula was getting ready with her two sisters and I began to snap some photos. I was surprised at how calm everyone was and how low-maintenance the bride was being (which is a good thing! I was ready for a bridezilla but did not find one!). From there we meandered to the resort where the ceremony was to be held and everything was set and ready to go. Before I knew it, she was walking down the aisle. Her fiance, Jay, was beaming throughout the entire day and for an older couple, it was just the cutest thing to see them so happy and lovey all day long, as if they were high school sweethearts. The reception felt like a family dinner and the dancing capped off a great night of family, food, and love. It was truly a great day, and a great way to spend my 4th of July weekend! Paula and Jay thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to shoot your wedding, and for helping me so much in my aspirations.