Deanna & Jim

Deanna and Jim are two of the most delightful people I've had the pleasure to work with. They were both positive and good-humored, even when the rain started to pour just before their guests arrived. Thankfully, throughout the day the clouds parted for breaks in the rain every time we needed it.

The two were married at the College Avenue Baptist Church in San Diego. The reception was held at Tom Hams Lighthouse.

One of the best parts about shooting a wedding is the back-stage pass I get as the ladies prepare for the big moment. After all these years and all of these brides there are certain pieces of advice that I can comfortably give anyone who is planning her big day. Here's one of them.

Tip: Be sure to surround yourself with your own personal cheerleaders!

Happy New Year!

On New Years Eve we headed over to Mike and Christina's house for a delicious dinner and an enjoyable evening with close friends. Here are a few shots I took with Dick's camera. Dick took quite a few more of Mike and Christina themselves. Hopefully he'll post them on his flickr page shortly.

Dick naps between turns playing Mario Party. How he still managed to beat us I have no idea.

New Years Day - used poppers from the night before

Christina broke out some molding clay and we went to town creating fun, colorful critters

Expecting Rylan

Those of you who know me know that I'm a huge fan of my cousin Amy and her artwork. She is without a doubt the most creative person I know and I'm constantly inspired by her. So you can imagine what an honor it was when she asked me to shoot her maternity photos.

As you can see from the images, not only is she extremely artistic, but she's also a classic beauty. And don't even get me started on Waylond. At just three years old he was so well behaved today and he looked great in the photos!

Today's session was more fun than I could possibly put into words. I can hardly wait to take more... when we'll collaborate again for family photos after Rylan is born.

Thank you Amy!

Kumiko & Wisler

On the day after Christmas Dad and I headed up to Orange County to photograph Kumiko and Wisler's wedding. This is one very special couple and we enjoyed every minute of this absolutely gorgeous event. The two decided to have an intimate ceremony, bringing together their two families and just a few friends. The ceremony was held under a gazebo in Laguna Beach and their reception was at the St Regis Monarch Beach in Dana Point, CA.

As you'll see for yourself in the photos below, the connection between Kumiko and Wisler is such a sincere and touching one. Kumiko was absolutely breathtaking in her organza dress while Wisler was the epitome of cool in his tux. All in all, this was a photographer's dream wedding. And the guests were fantastic too! They really made us feel like part of the family.

Thank you Kumiko and Wisler for allowing us to photograph your day. It truly was a pleasure.

Susana & Doug

... are expecting a little angel. We had such a great time on this shoot. I love how playful Doug and Susana are together. It makes me happy to think of a little girl growing up surrounded by this much love and laughter.

While I've only just met the lovely Susana, Doug and I go way back. Since junior high school in fact. As I was taking photos of these two, and seeing what a great husband and father-to-be Doug has become, I felt a great sense of joy. It occurred to me that if, at fourteen, someone were to tell me that when I grew up I'd be taking maternity photos of Doug's wife, I would have smiled. It is moments like these that make me so grateful that I am able to do this now.