Jessica Schilling Photography - Los Angeles, CA

New Website and Blog!

2011-02-05T16:31:00.000-08:00

I've started a new photography website that integrates a portfolio and blog and information posts all in one place. I'm really excited about how it looks and hoping to be adding lots of new photos regularly. Everything on this blog will still have a home here, but new updates and pictures will be happening at the new site. So check out the new and improved:

http://jessicaschillingphotography.com

Film Fridays - Los Angeles Artsy Toy Camera Photography

2011-01-14T15:39:00.000-08:00

I dropped the ball on last week's Film Fridays post, but I'm back with a new shot this week.

I love signs and signage, and I love art and art supplies. So the very cool sign of this art store in my neighborhood has always gotten my attention but I never remembered to take a picture of it until last week. It was a really pretty, warm but crisp Los Angeles "winter" day, and you can almost feel that in the color of the sky and the brittleness of the tree branches. But mostly I just like this photograph because it reminds me that I've always loved art and I just have to get out there and make it!

Taken on my Diana F+ toy camera, 38mm super wide lens, Fuji Pro 400H 120 film.

Film Fridays - Los Angeles 35mm Photography

2010-12-31T13:07:00.000-08:00

Traveling to Florida for the holidays means I got behind on doing a year-end wrap up post that I had planned. However, I still got back in time to do another Film Fridays post for New Year's Eve. This shot was from the first wedding I ever photographed back in 2008. I'd had my DSLR camera for about three months and was loving it, but I also brought along my 35mm SLR to take some film photos as well. This champagne shot is from the reception and seemed perfectly fitting for celebrating the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011.

And speaking of New Year's, I was going to pass on resolutions this year. I did a lot of things I wanted to do last year without having explicit resolutions and I kind of liked not having the pressure. However, I suddenly and tragically lost a friend last week and I've been reflecting a lot on memories of him and missed opportunities to spend more time together. He was a photographer as well and one of his quotes that recently came to my attention was "I shoot film. Occasionally I have the rolls developed." We always talked about going out to take photos together with our toy cameras, but I'm sad to say we never got around to it. So in his honor, my resolution for 2011 is to take more photos on film, of and with people I care about, and develop and share them frequently. Thanks for all the inspiration, Scott. You are loved, missed, and celebrated.

Film Fridays - Los Angeles Toy Camera Wedding Photography

2010-12-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

So along with the toy camera photography I've been doing for fun, I'm also hoping to incorporate it more with the digital photography I do for portraits and weddings. I recently photographed a stylized wedding shoot with my friend Emily of Grandes Fetes and our awesome already-married friends modeled for us. For the most part, the digital photos show off Emily's amazing design better than the toy camera shots did, so we're both excited to debut those soon. In the meantime, I really love this backlit shot of Brett and Trina in front of a window. It's a little dark and grainy, a little out of focus, and still has a lot of character, which is exactly what I love about toy cameras.

Taken with the Holga 120 TLR, Lomo brand 100 ISO color film.

Los Angeles Event Photography - Roller Derby Season Champs

2010-12-22T20:50:00.000-08:00

Even though I've been going to LA's roller derby games for years now, I went to more this season than ever before and was lucky enough to get to take pictures at many of the games. I can't think of a better way to wrap up an amazing season than watching the championships where my favorite team, The Tough Cookies, played against The Swarm. As always, much love to Gori Spelling for asking me to be her photographer!

After a few ejections and much deliberation by the refs the final score was 148 to 106, with the Tough Cookies maintaining their champ title for three years running. Congratulations on an amazing season, Cookies and Gori!

Matt & Jess - Los Angeles Maternity Photography

2010-12-20T16:11:00.000-08:00

Matt and Jess are an awesome couple that I've known for years, and they have the added awesome bonus of sharing the same names as me and my husband. Which can get a little confusing when we're all hanging out and talking to and about each other, but it's still cool!

So when I heard they were having a baby, I thought it would be fun to get together and take some maternity photos. We headed to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Page Museum for some outdoor photos on a sunny afternoon. I think the photos turned out great and really show off how in love and excited Jess and Matt are about their jump into parenthood. Check out more photos on Facebook.

In the time between when we took these and when I'm getting around to putting them up, they have had a beautiful, healthy, adorable baby girl. Congratulations, Matt and Jess!

Film Fridays - Los Angeles Toy Camera Photography

2010-12-17T12:38:00.000-08:00

Second addition to the Film Fridays project. This shot was taken in West Hollywood somewhere around the Lomography Store when I did an afternoon workshop on the Diana F+ camera this summer. I have a thing for taking pictures of power lines - I like the way they criss cross through the sky and instantly add an industrial mark to natural landscapes. I have more film shots of power lines that will probably make their way to more Film Fridays, but in the midst of all the rain and cold weather in LA right now, here's a cheery summer shot to brighten your day!

Film Fridays - Pet Photography

2010-12-10T09:39:00.000-08:00

In thinking about some changes I want to implement for my website (big overhaul coming soon!) one of the things I decided to add is a new feature called Film Fridays. So each week I'll be posting a shot or series taken on film, from one of my toy cameras or my 35mm slr. The shots may not have been taken that week, especially at the rate I'm currently getting film developed and scanned, but it's a great excuse to dig through my archives and find shots I haven't shown before or that didn't really fit into any other category or post.

And what better way to kick off Film Fridays than with one of my all-time favorite subjects, Emma. The coolest cat in the world in her favorite sunning spot, the dining room window.

Taken with the Diana F+, 110mm telephoto lens, Lomo brand 100 ISO film.

Killer Nostalgia - Toy Camera Film Photography

2010-11-19T23:37:00.000-08:00

I am so lucky to be friends with the incredibly talented minds behind Killer Nostalgia, filmmakers who document weddings on super 8mm, 16mm and 35mm film. Since Killer Nostalgia shoots film exclusively, I wanted to to do the same for their portraits. I temporarily ditched the digital cameras in favor of my 35mm SLR, the Diana F+ and Holga TLR, some expired film several years old and some slide film for cross-processing. Eight rolls of film and eight hours of scanning later, I think we ended up with some really cool shots.

I can't say enough good things about Dennis, Ivette, and Bill. They are all creative, cool, fun people making creative, cool, fun movies. Check them out and have them make an amazing movie for you!

Karen - Venice Beach Portrait Photography

2010-11-16T21:26:00.000-08:00

Karen was looking for portraits for her business website and our mutual friend Marika put us in contact. We spent the afternoon wandering around the Marina Peninsula, the canals and Venice beach which gave us a lot of variety for backdrops. Karen is gorgeous and funny and sweet and that all made taking her photos really easy and fun. Check out Karen's health coaching website, Living Nourished, for her wellness expertise and check back here soon for photos of Karen and Marika launching their new business partnership.

Matador Records - Las Vegas Concert Photography

2010-10-12T15:50:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Matt and I went to Las Vegas for Matador Records' 21st Birthday Party - the Lost Weekend 3 day music concert. I had never been to Vegas before and having so many of my favorite bands converge at one point in time provided the perfect opportunity to go. I've been a fan of many of the artists since high school and college, and many of the bands have well, disbanded, since then, so seeing them reunite or seeing them for the first time live was a really amazing and nostalgic experience for me. Matt and I also did some sightseeing in other parts of the city, like checking out the Pinball Hall of Fame and the vintage neon signs on Fremont Street, but the music was definitely the highlight. This was also one of the only concerts I've been to that allowed more than point and shoot cameras, so I was able to get some fun pictures.

The Japanese punk band Guitar Wolf opened and closed the first night and they were amazing. They played an after-party where I got some of my favorite photos of the whole weekend.

Pavement was the Friday night headliner and even though I had just seen them the night before at the Hollywood Bowl and earlier this year in Berkeley, I can't get enough of their music.

Saturday we went to the Strip and the Pinball Museum, but we got back in time to catch Spoon and Belle and Sebastian. Spoon didn't play "Sister Jack" and Belle and Sebastian didn't play "Slow Graffiti" but they were still great.

Sunday included another trip out of the Palms to check out neon signs and more of Las Vegas. Then back to see the last night of bands, starting with the New Pornographers.

And then Liz Phair, whose music I've loved forever but never thought I'd get to see touring. She played a short set of songs from only her first two albums, but they were perfect. Ted Leo joined her in a duet for her last song.

And then closing out the whole festival was my all-time favorite band, Guided by Voices. They retired in 2004, though I've seen Bob Pollard tour since then (and gotten his autograph on my one-of-a-kind vinyl Propeller!) This was the "classic lineup" with band members from 1993-1996. It was such a good show and a great way to end the weekend!

Other awesome bands we saw that I didn't get awesome pictures of were Sonic Youth, Harlem, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Superchunk, Yo La Tengo and many more. The rest of the pictures can be seen here. I had such a good time and have had such good music stuck in my head for the last week. Happy Birthday, Matador!

The LA Ri-Ettes vs. TRD - Los Angeles Roller Derby Photography

2010-09-15T02:39:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the amazing Gori Spelling for giving Matt and I some tickets to watch the All-Star derby team LA Ri-Ettes play against Tucson Roller Derby team Iron Curtain. TRD usually skates flat track so the Ri-Ettes definitely had a home-field advantage, but it was a good game nonetheless. Gori said I could skip taking pictures if I would rather just watch, but come on, if I hadn't brought my camera I would've missed out on all of these shots!

LA Ri-ettes win - final score 184 to 71!

Tough Cookies Win! - Los Angeles Roller Derby Photographer

2010-09-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

I have been to my fair share of roller derby games, but I have to say the Tough Cookies vs. Sirens game last weekend may have been the best one. It literally came down to the last 15 seconds but the Tough Cookies scored the winning points in the last jam to win 135 to 130. It was pretty intense.

As with the other games I've photographed, the amazing and wonderful diva jammer Gori Spelling let me be her guest photographer. It was the first game I had a flash for, so I got to experiment with some motion blurs and try out my new lens. It was also Skatum O'Neal's birthday, so I'm glad I got to see her and give her a birthday mustache necklace. I had such a great time and can't wait for the next game. Here are a few highlights, with the rest of the set up on flickr.

Night at the Fair - Los Angeles Photography

2010-08-26T03:34:00.000-07:00

I like fairs. I like the colorful lights and bad music and smell of funnel cakes. But I hadn't been to a fair in probably ten years, for whatever reason. So when I heard there was a small one a few blocks away from my apartment, I knew I wanted to go. As I've gotten older, I'm less adventurous about going on very high or fast rides that can be built in a matter of hours, but it was still fun to walk around, take pictures and go on a few rides that were tame enough for the faint of heart. The Gravitron has always been one of my favorites and I couldn't stop laughing on the Bumper Cars. I took a few Diana F+ and Holga photos too and I can't wait to get those developed. In the meantime, here's a few of my favorites.

Lemon & Romeo - Los Angeles Pet Photography

2010-08-05T22:09:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in the previous post, when I was taking portraits of Emily and Tim, they wanted to get some with their dogs - Lemon and Romeo. While I've been taking photos of Emma (the cat) and Sidney (the box turtle) for years, I don't usually get the chance to take pictures of other people's pets. Lucky for me, Romeo and Lemon are were completely willing and adorable. Romeo, the black dog, was pretty content to hang out wherever we plopped him and does this very cute head tilt thing without us even asking. Lemon, the white one, was really attentive for his little tennis ball, but was a lot more energetic and kept me on my toes. As an animal person myself, I really get how pets are part of a family and I think having them in family portraits is a great way to show the personalities of the animals as well as their owners. It was a lot of fun to shoot Lemon and Romeo and I'm looking forward to doing more pet portraits in the future!

Emily & Tim - Los Angeles Portrait Photography

2010-08-05T20:25:00.000-07:00

Emily is a friend from my hometown, though we didn't actually know each other until film school and we've hung out more in Los Angeles than we ever got to in Tallahassee. Funny how that works. She's started her own wedding and event planning business, Grandes Fetes, and wanted some photos of her and her boyfriend Tim to put on the website. We met in Burbank one afternoon for some portraits of the two of them and their super cute dogs - more on them in the next post! Though these aren't exactly engagement photos, it was nice to get some cute couple shots mixed in with Emily's portraits. Emily's website is still under construction but be sure to check it out soon for more info, especially if you're in the market for a wedding coordinator or design diva. She's pretty handy with a glue gun!

Diana F+ Toy Camera Photography - West Hollywood

2010-07-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I took a short workshop on the Diana F+ camera at the Lomography shop in West Hollywood. It was great because I got to learn about the camera first, then shoot a roll of film during a photo walk on Santa Monica Blvd - like test-driving it before I bought one. The Diana is a lot like my Holga camera - plastic and unpredictable. Unlike the Holga, though, it has interchangeable lenses, which is pretty cool. Because I had just started my new job and the workshop entitled me to a 10% discount, I ended up buying a camera at the end of the class. For cameras that are relatively cheaply made, buying the film and getting it developed could turn into an expensive hobby. But it's a risk I'm willing to take. Here's a few shots from my first roll of film, and I'm sure more will be coming soon.

Family Portraits at the Getty Center, Los Angeles

2010-07-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

Josh and Erika and I all met in 2001 when we started film school together. After moving to Los Angeles, they started dating and got married in 2007, just a few months before Matt and I did. And then last year they had their adorable son Oliver. I haven't spent too much time around babies, but I really like this one. He's very alert and happy and smart, and he recently started walking. It was really cute how excited he got just walking around and having mobility.

Now, Josh is an amazing cinematographer and Erika seems naturally talented at every imaginable thing, so they both take great pictures of Oliver all the time. But since one of them is inevitably behind the camera for these, I thought it would be fun to take some photos that had the whole family in them. We headed over to the Getty Center on an overcast Sunday and got a bunch of cute family portraits and candids. These photos were taken two days after Oliver's first birthday, so I was really happy we got to commemorate that milestone with them all.

Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles: Jesse & Marika Engagement Photos

2010-06-23T10:43:00.000-07:00

Jesse is one of the first people I met in LA. I hadn't even moved here from Florida yet, but came out for an editing internship with American Cinema Editors in 2004. Jesse was one of the other interns selected that year, so we spent a lot of time together and a few weeks later I met his wonderful girlfriend Marika. Since then, we've all stayed in touch, whether it's working together or meeting up to watch Roller Derby. At a career-coaching workshop Marika hosted in January, I found out that she and Jesse were engaged. They're getting married on the east coast this fall, but I thought it would be fun to take some engagement photos in LA, and the Griffith Observatory is a pretty iconic place to do that. Just in time for sunset, we headed over to Barnsdall Art Park to get a few more shots. The lighting was really pretty there, and I love how you can see the Observatory in the background of some of them. Not only are Jesse and Marika an adorable and great couple, but they were also perfect subjects - lots of fun and willing to try anything. Congratulations, you two!

Ariel Photography: Portraits at Venice Beach, CA

2010-06-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

Ariel and I met on my first job in Los Angeles, when I was working as a logger and she was an assistant editor on the reality show Outback Jack. A lot of us stayed in touch after the show ended, and Ariel and I even worked together a few years after. But since then, our schedules have both gotten busy and it had been awhile since we've been in touch. Then I got an email that Ariel was looking to reconnect with people and I thought taking portraits of her would be the perfect way to spend an afternoon catching up. Ariel lives in Venice, so we went down to Venice Beach to take photos near the ocean and around the street vendors. And Ariel is an aspiring photographer herself so we got to talk about cameras and lenses and plan some future photo outings for the two of us to go on. There are a lot of great locations and backdrops there, and Ariel was a perfect subject. Here are a few of my favorites from our session.

More Alexis Quinceanera

2010-06-21T23:08:00.000-07:00

A few more favorites from Alexis' Quinceanera celebration now that I've had a chance to finish editing the set for her and her family.

Happy Anniversary!

2010-05-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

Today is the third anniversary of our wedding, 1 day after our dating anniversary. That worked out pretty conveniently for us when we were wedding planning. Even though Matt and I were living in Los Angeles when we got engaged, we decided to have the wedding in Tallahassee so that more of our family and friends would be able to attend. We picked the Retreat at Bradley's Pond for both the ceremony and reception. And we chose Laura Ciociola as our photojournalist wedding photographer, who surprised us on the day of the wedding by bringing her then-assistant Meredith Russell. So we ended up with two great photographers when we were only expecting one, and we ended up with Laura's film shots and Meredith's digital shots, which was cool to have both.

I've looked through these photos a million times as I was making prints for guests, putting together albums, and just reliving the day over and over again. Not only did Laura and Meredith do an amazing job of capturing all the happiness and all the wonderful people there at our wedding, but the emotion and beauty of the photos is what inspired me to take up photography myself, and for that I will always be grateful.

Thanks to everyone who attended our wedding, and everyone who celebrated with us in LA after the fact, for making it such a memorable and special occasion.

Happy Anniversary, Matthew! I love you with all my heart.

Decade of Awesome

2010-05-24T16:51:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 10 year anniversary of when Matt and I started dating. It is hard to believe that it's been that long, but it has been a decade of happiness and fun all around. In that time, we've lived on both sides of the country, had a wedding, gone through multiple career changes, traveled the world, adopted a cat, and watched a lot of movies. Hard to imagine that all of this came out of what was supposed to be a summer fling, but luckily we were both smart enough to realize what a good thing we'd stumbled into.

The night it all began, New College Graduation PCP May 26th, 2000. Matt, Gabe, and James Ponder came down to visit and I was officially smitten. Later on we ended up calling this our anniversary.

My graduation from New College, May 25th, 2001.

Matt and Sidney hanging out in Tallahassee. Summer of 2001.

Crazy hair-dying days. Pretty sure this was at the photo booth at Movies at Governor's Square. Likely during the film school years, so either 2002 or 2003.

Halloween 2004, after we moved to LA. I was a space cowgirl. Matt was allegedly Balki from the Thanksgiving episode of "Perfect Strangers."

May 2005, the Getty Center and Venice Beach. Julia took these photos while she, my mom, and my aunt Maureen were visiting us.

Halloween 2005. I'm a generic ancient Roman. Matt is Dignan from Bottle Rocket. In an amazing coincidence, our friend Dennis shows up as Anthony from Bottle Rocket. Perfect.

March 2006, at the Getty Center.

At Drew & Becca's wedding, Buffalo, NY June 23, 2006.

One of my all-time favorite pictures of us, taken by our very talented friend Derek Bell. We commissioned Derek to take photos at the Japanese Gardens in Van Nuys to have some pictures of the two of us to put on our wedding website. Taken in November 2006

This one is really cool, a reflection in the pond as we were standing on a small plank bridge.

DIY postcards we made and sent out for our wedding.

Coachella, April 2007

Our wedding, May 27, 2007. (More wedding photos tomorrow!)

Honeymoon in the Bahamas.

Zombie Matt, sometime in the fall of 2007.

Me with Emma Goldman, May 2008. The perfect addition to our little family.

These two are from a trip we took to Catalina Island in August, 2008. We got engaged in Catalina over Memorial Day weekend 2005, so it was fun and sweet to go back. In these photos we're perfecting Matt's patented "Look to the Future" pose.

Our trip to Ireland and the Oxygen Music festival, July 2009.

In Mexico celebrating Ivette's birthday, September 2009

Snowball fight at the Waldens' in Virginia over Christmas 2009.

Because we can never have enough photo booth pictures!

Happy Anniversary, Matt! Thanks for making the last 10 years so awesome and giving me lots to look forward to in all the coming years. I love you so incredibly much.

Alexis' Quinceañera

2010-05-10T21:18:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I got to photograph Alexis as she celebrated her quinceañera. I met Alexis through her aunt Diane, a bridesmaid at the first wedding I ever photographed, so it was very cool to have the photography I've been doing over the past few years come back around in that way. Alexis is incredibly sweet, as was her whole family. I loved her mom's speech about how special Alexis is and how she'll achieve all her dreams, and I felt really lucky to be a part of the day for that.

There are about 200 photos from that day that I'm still going through, more of which I'll post soon, but in the meantime I wanted to post a little sneak peek of some of my favorites!

About Me

2010-05-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

I like taking pictures. Of people, pets, places, and things.

I'm a self-taught photographer, but I have degrees in both Literature and Film Production. So that background shows up as a strong sense of storytelling and a cinematic eye with the images I capture. I'm also a documentary filmmaker, so my photography style leans more towards photojournalism and candid moments.

I'm originally from Florida, currently live in Los Angeles, and love traveling all over. I'm available for portraits, events, and wedding photography in the Los Angeles area. In addition to digital photography, I also offer gorgeous 35mm black and white film photos or medium format film coverage with Holga toy cameras for a vintage, retro look.

Contact me at jessicaschillingphotography@gmail.com for rates and availability.

Holga!

2010-04-21T04:45:00.001-07:00

As mentioned in some of my earlier posts, I got a Holga camera from my amazing friends Azin and Lyle for my birthday this year. I had two rolls of film, with 12 exposures each, so I could've blown through them very quickly, but I wanted to take my time. I ended up spanning almost a month of carrying the Holga around, taking a few photos here, a few more there, and finally getting them developed last week. And I ended up with a collage of different parts of Los Angeles, and love that there are color and black and whites pictures in the mix. I really like the vintage look of the camera, the experimental nature of not knowing exactly how your film will turn out, and having a fun new toy to play with. I'll be getting more film soon and updating here, but in the meantime check out the awesome Holga flickr pool.

Looking westward and the Hollywood sign from the Griffith Park Observatory.

My friend Aimee's croquet birthday party, where I unfortunately forgot to take pictures of the birthday girl. Hopefully she will forgive me.

Emma in our living room, longer exposure gave a ghosting effect.

Outside our apartment, very early morning. I love the red car tail lights trailing through the frame.

A double exposure and some other shots around Valley Photo Service, using up the last of the film before dropping it off for developing.

Griffith Park Observatory

2010-04-15T17:30:00.000-07:00

In April, Matt's parents came to visit and we went to the Griffith Park Observatory. I'd lived in LA for 5 years before I finally checked out the observatory, but now it's one of my favorite places and always good to take visitors to. The architecture of the building and the telescope domes is really beautiful and photogenic, and there are amazing views of Griffith Park, the Hollywood sign, downtown, and even the west side if there's not too much smog. The afternoon we went was pretty and clear and I was able to get a lot of good shots, including some with the Lensbaby!

"Career Day" at the Tallahassee Film Festival

2010-03-28T23:34:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy to announce that a short film I had the pleasure of editing recently will be premiering in two weeks at the Tallahassee Film Festival. The film is called "Career Day" and will be shown as part of the Comedy Shorts program of the festival.

I'm so proud of how this film turned out, and feel so lucky to have worked with so many talented friends on this project. Several members of the crew are people I met as a grad student at FSU's Film School, and it's a testament to the strength of the program and the alumni network that we keep working with each other all these years later, on the other side of the country. And since we started off together in Tallahassee, it's incredibly fitting to be having our festival debut there as well.

The film tells of the story of tenacious 8-year-old Marco Casanova, who secretly follows his mother to work to complete his Career Day essay, and is shocked to discover that she is not actually a nurse, but a stripper.

I will be back in my hometown for the festival, along with the film's writer/director Ivette Garcia Davilla and executive producer Dennis Hauck. We'll be at the screenings of "Career Day" Friday night and Saturday morning, and I hope to be speaking on a documentary panel as well. Check out more details about the film and showtimes and please come out to support "Career Day"!

Me + Cameras = Happy

2010-03-09T21:26:00.000-08:00

So now that I like to fancy myself a photographer, it seemed only fitting to have some pictures of me with cameras. That's what photographers do, right? But which camera should I have in the photo - the one I can do the most with, the one I carry around the most often, the one that looks the coolest? At this point, I currently own 6 cameras, so there are quite a few options to choose from. I decided to have fun and take pictures with all the different cameras to show off my collection! And also show off my new haircut.

The Canon EOS 50E - a 35mm (i.e. real film) SLR camera. I love the way true black and white film looks and this camera is great for shooting that.

The Canon PowerShot A540 - my first digital camera! This little guy is very compact and takes great daylight pictures. The screen on the back is a great size, bigger than my other digitals, and it's small enough that it's really easy to use for quick shots that don't need anything too fancy.

The Canon PowerShot S3 IS - this is an advanced Point and Shoot camera. It has more options than the A540 and so it gets a lot more use lately. It's not considered a "professional" camera, which means I can take it into concerts, and it's lightweight enough to carry around in my purse every day. I bought this camera before our trip to Ireland last summer, and it's perfect for traveling.

Okay, technically this camera doesn't work. Well, the camera would work, but it's a vintage Kodak from the 1950s and they apparently don't make film for it anymore. Which is a shame because it's in great, working condition and I bet photos from it would look cool. I love the accordian-style box part of it and think that makes it worth keeping as a prop even if I never get to use it for anything else.

The Holga 120 TLR - the newest addition to the camera family! I just got this Holga as a birthday present and I'm hoping to shoot with it this weekend. It's a plastic, "toy" camera that takes retro-looking 6 x 6 square film pictures. And the flash "flashes" in white, yellow, red or blue. Should make for some very interesting shots, so be on the lookout.

The Canon 20D - this one is kind of my baby. A digital SLR that I bought used in 2008, but was a splurge for me at the time. This was the camera I used for my photography class last summer and I really learned a lot with it. It's heavier and bulkier than the S3, so I don't carry it around every day, but I can use all my different lenses on it, so it's great for any kind of advanced shooting. It has the Lensbaby lens on it in this picture.

Los Angeles Derby Dolls

2010-02-17T23:13:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me well could easily tell you that I am not into sports. I am completely uncoordinated when it comes to playing sports and just not interested when it comes to watching sports. The one exception to this is Roller Derby. I went to my first LA Derby Dolls game a few years ago and was instantly hooked. The games are fast and action-packed, the players are charismatic, and the fans are really into it. Matt and I and some of our other friends have been going ever since. Along the way, I became friends with lovely and talented Gori Spelling, one of the jammers for the 2008 and 2009 champions, the Tough Cookies. For awhile now I've wanted to take photos of a derby bout, but cameras aren't allowed in for the general audience. Gori was nice enough to let me be her family photographer for a recent game and I was really excited to take pictures for the first time.

Because of how fast the skaters are going and the low light of the arena, some of the pictures are a little dark and grainy, but I was pretty happy with how enough of them turned out. I'm hoping I'll be able to take more in the future and will keep getting better with practice.

Here are a few of my favorite shots, but there are a lot more to check out here.

Columbus Wedding

2010-01-31T19:28:00.000-08:00

Two of my amazing friends from New College, Sarah and Phillip, got married in August 2009. They are such a great couple and their wedding was incredibly personal, stylish, and sweet. The ceremony and reception were at a park in downtown Columbus, Ohio, overlooking a train trellis. The day started off overcast, but the sun came out after the ceremony in time for portraits and a gorgeous sunset over the river.

Congratulations, Sarah and Phillip! I love you guys and I'm so glad I got to be part of your wedding celebration!

Ireland - Oxegen Music Festival

2010-01-24T22:34:00.001-08:00

After we finished the Antrim Coast tour, we headed back to Belfast and then took a bus back to Dublin. We got to our hotel late at night and crashed. Friday was our last day before leaving, and we headed down to Punchestown Racecourse for the Oxegen Music Festival. We got to see several bands, in between rain and mud, but Blur as the headlining band was definitely the highlight. They played all the songs on our 'wishlist' and played them well. It was a great concert.

Mogwai

Snow Patrol

Blur

Shot of the engine taken from the plane window on our return flight back to the US.

Northern Ireland - Antrim Coast

2010-01-02T18:45:00.000-08:00

The next day we left Belfast and went on a guided taxi tour of the Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland. Our taxi driver, Nigel, was great and we got to see so many different places crammed into one day. Our first stop was Dunluce Castle.

Then on to the Giant's Causeway.

We took a tour of the Bushmill's whiskey distillery, which was great, but didn't allow photography. Next was a quick lunch stop at the picturesque Ballintoy Harbor.

Our last stop before heading back to Belfast was the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. The views of the coast were gorgeous and even though the bridge itself is very high and shaky, crossing it was such a cool thing to do.

Looking down at our feet on the bridge, 100 feet up in the air.

Northern Ireland - Belfast

2010-01-02T18:17:00.000-08:00

After spending a few days in Dublin, we took a very scenic train ride up to Belfast in Northern Ireland. We spent an afternoon walking around and exploring the different sights. First we walked to the city center and rode on the Belfast Big Wheel, a hug Ferris Wheel that had great views of the city.

Belfast City Hall

Sign for Ulster Hall

Queens University Belfast and War Memorial statue

Belfast Botanic Gardens

Duke of York Pub in Belfast

Ireland - Dublin and Wicklow

2010-01-02T17:49:00.000-08:00

For my 30th birthday, my awesome husband Matt surprised me with a trip to Ireland. Best present ever. We went in July so that we could attend the first day of the Oxegen Music Festival. We flew in and out of Dublin, but also took tours of Wicklow County, visited Belfast and the Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland, and just had a really great time. Here are few photos from the first part of the trip.

Intersection near where we stayed, at the very cool Grafton Guest House.

View from inside the Guinness Storehouse, and from the panoramic Gravity Bar on the seventh floor. The Guinness is delicious in Dublin.

We were staying pretty close to St Stephen's Green, so we walked there one afternoon.

Okay, the Irish Film Institute leaves much to be desired in the way of a tourist attraction. As far as we could tell, there wasn't a book shop, only DVDs for sale, and no real cafe. But I thought the sign was cool and that was enough, I guess.

We took a full-day bus tour to Co. Wicklow outside of Dublin, and the highlight of the trip was Glendalough and St. Kevin's Monastery.

Photography Class: Assignment 6 - Portraits

2010-01-02T17:32:00.000-08:00

I'm skipping assignment 5 because it was kind of abstract - Painting with Light, and because I have so much to catch up on and I just want to hit the highlights.

For my portrait study, and final assignment of my photography class, my friend and neighbor Wendy brought her dog Chewie along and posed for me at the nearby library. She is incredibly photogenic and I had a lot of fun shooting with her.

Photography Class: Assignment 4 - Urban Landscape

2009-08-31T23:56:00.000-07:00

Our fourth assignment was to take photos of an urban landscape, experimenting with focus and depth of field, covering as many angles and perspectives as possible. I went to LA's old Chinatown and found lots of great stuff there. Going close to sunset meant I got daylight and nighttime pictures after the neon lights came on. Some of my favorites:

Photography Class: Assignment 3 - Light and ISO

2009-08-31T23:33:00.000-07:00

Our third photography assignment was to experiment with high ISO for our photos, and to take pictures in low, bright, and mixed lighting to see what the effects were and how to expose for each. All of these were taken at ISO 3200 on a 50 mm lens.

Bright light through my bathroom window:

f/22@1/1000 sec

f/22@1/400 sec

Softer, mixed light in my bedroom:

f/8@1/400 sec

f/4@1/400 sec

f/4@1/500 sec - Emma snuck into this photo, but snuck out of the room before I could adjust the aperture.

Low light:

f/1.8@1/50 sec

f/1.8@1/50 sec

same shot, blown up a lot to show the digital noise or grain that happens with high ISOs. Definitely my favorite shot for this assignment.

Photography Class: Assignment 2 - Motion

2009-08-31T23:08:00.001-07:00

Oh so belated in posting this, but I wanted to finish before I get to photos of all the other fun stuff I've done this summer.

My second photography class was about motion, and how changing your shutter speed and aperture (the amount of light you let in) affects motion. The first part of the assignment was to take photos of passing cars in bright daylight, keeping the camera still, and changing the exposure incrementally.

F/5.6@1/1000 sec

f/8@1/500 sec

f/11@1/250 sec

f/16@1/125 sec

f/22@1/60 sec

So since the camera was on a tripod, the background stayed the same throughout. But as the exposure time was lengthened, the movement of the cars with the longer time lapse created a more blurred effect.

The second part of the assignment was to take pictures of another set of passing cars, this time in lower light and panning the camera with the cars to try to time the camera movement and car movement to be as close as possible.

f/2.8@1/125 sec

f/4@1/60 sec

f/5.6@1/30 sec

f/8@1/15 sec

f/11@1/8 sec

f/16@1/4 sec

f/22@1/2 sec

So theoretically since I'm moving the camera with the cars, with this photo group the cars should be in focus while the background gets blurrier. That pretty much happened in the beginning, but as the light got darker and the exposures got longer, it all turned pretty blurry. But this was a fun assignment and got me very familiar with my manual settings and doing a little bit of math, both of which are good.

Photography Class: Assignment 1

2009-07-12T11:05:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to take a photography class for a long time, since all my photography so far has pretty much been self-taught. So I finally got around to signing up for a Photography 101 class at the Pasadena Art Center, as part of their Art Center at Night program. The class was once a week for six weeks, in May and June. I'm so glad I took it - a lot of the information was stuff I learned in film school, but hadn't paid enough attention to at the time, and was slightly different for still photography.

We had one assignment per week, based on what we'd learned in the class before. Our first class was about aperture and shutter speed, and how they work together. Our assignment was to take several different photos of the same subject at different shutter speeds and apertures, but trying to achieve the same exposure for each. There is some math involved in these formulas, and even though math has never been my strongest subject, between how it was taught to us and the user-friendly settings on dslr cameras, I was able to manage.

These were all taken with my 50 mm lens, ISO 100 on my Canon 20D, manual settings.

f/2.0, 1/1000 second

f/5.6, 1/125 second

f/22, 1/8 second

f/2.0, 1/3200 second

f/8, 1/200 second

f/22, 1/25 second

So they pretty much all look the same as far as the lighting and the exposure, which was the point of the assignment, but there are subtle differences, mostly how much or little of the background is in focus with the distinct settings.

Wedding in Black and White

2009-06-30T19:15:00.001-07:00

In early May, I attended the wedding of some family friends. I'm not sure who their pro-photographer was, and if I find out I will link to the "real" photos, but I managed to take a bunch as well. The ceremony was at a very cool, historical theatre, and then the reception at a hotel ballroom. Out of the 400 something I took, I narrowed it down to 170+. I had a lot of favorites, but I really liked how the black and white ones turned out, so here are the best of those.

The rest of the photos, with bigger sizes, can be seen here.

Sew Crafty

2009-06-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

Since the end of last year, I've been gradually expanding my craftiness in a few different areas. First, I bought a starter kit and some patterns from Sublime Stitching and got hooked on embroidery. It was pretty simple to learn and I felt like I got good at it fairly quickly. Then when I was between jobs in March, I took an "machine intro" sewing class at Sew L.A. The instructor and owner there were both really helpful and friendly. I got a lot out of the class and hope to take some more advanced lessons in the future.

So armed with new embroidery and sewing skills, I successfully made a few presents over the last few months:

Festive tea-towel apron for my sister's birthday, embroidered with different colored lanterns.

Some details of the embroidery.

Another blue and brown tea-towel apron for my mom on Mother's Day, with coffee and cake embroidery.

And a cotton and minke baby blanket for some friends of mine who are expecting their first baby any day now. The baby blanket ended up pretty small, but I think it made up in cuteness what it lacked in size.

I've done a few other embroidery projects since then, but none I've taken photos of.

And I have several other photos to update here, including a wedding, my six-week long photography class assignments, and then my upcoming trip to Ireland!

Valley Village Wedding

2009-03-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

So the day after the amazing talent show, Annabel and Paul had a beautiful wedding at a friend's home in my neighborhood. Their professional photographer was Anne Ruthmann, who is as sweet as she is brilliant. Anne has one several awards for her photojournalist wedding photography, and if you check her out, it's easy to see why. But she's also incredibly friendly and funny and was wonderfully generous in letting me photograph the wedding as a second shooter, giving me tips and encouragement all along the way. She doesn't seem to have her photos of the wedding up on her site or blog yet, but I've seen the proofs and they are stunning.

The ceremony was incredibly genuine and relaxed and momentous all at the same time. I was defintely crying a little behind my camera at how much love there was, both from Annabel and Paul, as well as all their friends and family. And their dog is so cute with his little tie.

Reception and details

2009-03-18T19:54:00.000-07:00

In addition to being sweet and totally in love, Annabel and Paul also seem really cool. For their first dance they did an amazing tango. They looked like total pros. Their reception had this vintage garden tea party feeling, and all the trees were lit up with lights and candles. It was beautiful, and while I ducked out before the sun completely set, Anne's photos captured the evening and the atmosphere perfectly. These are a few of my favorites from the reception.

Moving on to the Talent section...

2009-03-18T15:32:00.000-07:00

Last year, I was lucky enough to meet Annabel and Paul, a really funny and adorable couple getting married. Instead of a traditional rehearsal dinner, they decided to invite their friends and family to participate in a talent show at the beautiful Silent Movie Theatre in Hollywood. The talents ranged from jokes to singing and rapping to science experiments to the most amazing air guitar performance I've ever seen. And everyone was saying such sweet things about the couple, and they were saying such sweet things about everyone there. It was a really unique and wonderful preview to their wedding.

Because the Silent Movie Theatre is so old fashioned, I tried to give the pictures a desaturated look and feel that matched the setting a little more. It's taken me forever to get photos up, but here are some of my favorites.

"The September Issue" at Sundance Film Festival

2009-01-31T18:42:00.000-08:00

For over a year, I was working as the assistant/associate editor for a documentary called "The September Issue" about Vogue magazine and the making of their biggest issue of the year. The film was selected to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, and our first screening was opening night in Salt Lake City. Several members of the crew (above!) came to Utah in support of the film, and it was great to meet some people for the first time and hang out more with others. For our first screening in Park City, Anna Wintour, Vogue's editor-in-chief, came out and participated in a Q&A with our director R.J. Cutler. The film was very well received by audiences, and even won the US documentary Excellence in Cinematography Award. It was a great experience working on the movie, and a wonderful way to wrap up by celebrating at Sundance.

Park City, Utah

2009-01-31T17:42:00.001-08:00

In mid-January, I got to go to Park City, Utah for opening weekend of the Sundance Film Festival. The weather was great while I was there, but there was still snow on the ground everywhere. Having only lived in Florida and southern California, snow is still a complete novelty to me and I love being in it. Park City is really charming, quaint, and photogenic, so I had a lot of fun taking pictures of the snow and the town in general. These are a few of my favorites.

Good Reading

2009-01-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

If you have a few minutes and a burning curiosity about my photography, I am being featured this week on a fellow Etsy photographer's blog. Check out my brief (but fascinating!) interview here: http://qbranchltd.blogspot.com/

The feature comes courtesy of my Photographers of Etsy team member PastPerfect. Lots of great photos in this shop, and my favorites are the flowers on black backgrounds. Very cool, modern floral images that I haven't seen anywhere else.

Post-holiday wrap up!

2008-12-31T13:34:00.000-08:00

Now that the gift giving of the holidays is over, I can share some of the great handmade stuff I gave as gifts this year without ruining the surprise. Of course, most of it was not handmade by me, which was my original goal, but it was great to support small businesses and give gifts that seemed especially meaningful. Here are some of the great Etsy shops I bought from this year.

For my sister and sister-in-law, I ordered two of these cute pink bird zippy pouches from Bethysak. She was very helpful with the custom order and really friendly to work with.

To match the pouches, I was able to get custom-made sleep masks in the same fabric from one of my teammates and favorite sellers, Our Side of the Mountain Crafts.

Debbie from Our Side of the Mountain also took a custom order for two half aprons that went to my mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law. They both love to cook, so the aprons were perfect, and I can't say enough good things about how sweet Debbie is and how great her stuff looks.

My sister, who is always stylish, also got some silver sparrow earrings from the Urban Muse. They have a lot of great jewelry and I'm sure I'll be back for more from their shop soon.

I also ended up with some great stuff for myself this Christmas. Through trading with other sellers, I managed to pick up some wonderful items that had been some of my favorites for awhile. These beautiful filigree earrings are from Beaux Bijoux Jewelry. I've worn them several times already and they always get noticed.

The POE team (Photographers of Etsy) held a Secret Santa Swap and I got paired up with fellow team member Risamay. She sent me a print of her amazing Let There Be Lights photograph, along with some Obama post cards.

And last but not least, I got this set of three adorable pink bird ornaments from Woodmouse. Her shop is temporarily closed for the holidays, but make sure to check it out when she reopens in January because she has really wonderful toys and decorations. In addition to being so cute, these little birds are incredibly sturdy. That comes in handy, as I found out, if your cat enjoys trying to knock your Christmas tree over!

I hope everyone had a great holiday season. I had a wonderful time with my family and friends and love all the wonderful gifts I was able to give and get. Happy New Year!

Today's giveaway.

2008-12-07T13:29:00.000-08:00

I'm giving away a robot keychain from my etsy shop today. All details can be found here, so take a hot minute to enter. It's free, quick, and easy.

I also recently added a lot more photo jewelry to my etsy shop. I think I need to retake the photos of them, but the basic idea is there and I'm happy with how they've turned out. More news and photos to come soon!

Give it away, give it away, give it away now!

2008-12-01T12:45:00.000-08:00

One of my Etsy Teams, the Artsy Danger Ladies, is having a holiday giveaway! Each day for the next 12 days one of our team members will be offering a gift item on our team blog. To enter, just check out the team member's Etsy shop and then leave a comment about what you liked most. Winners will be chosen randomly from those comments, and 12 lucky commentators will receive prizes. I'm giving away a robot keychain, but you have to check each day to see when my item will be up for grabs. Where can you find out more and enter to win, you ask? All the info is right here.

Scenes from Sunset Blvd.

2008-12-01T11:32:00.000-08:00

I work on Sunset Boulevard, so a fair amount of my photography is on or around Sunset while taking lunch breaks or running errands. Sometimes there's not a lot going on, sometimes there is. Last week I saw this gorgeous pink and blue bike parked outside of a diner, and next to the Cross Roads of the World center. The bike looks like it would more at home on a beach in the summer than on a city street in the fall, but it brightened the scene on the sidewalk and made me smile.

Fall Crafts Challenge

2008-11-01T16:08:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in an online monthly challenge where a small group of crafters and artists submit a piece of their work for the month's theme. Anyone can vote on which item they like best. The winner and two runners up will receive small prizes from everyone else who submitted. This month's theme is autumn, and I submitted a picture I took over the summer at the Getty Center. The photo is of a single orange leaf in a shallow brown stream.

To check out the other wonderful entries, go here. If you'd like to vote, all the items are listed in a column on the right.

Blogiversary.

2008-10-30T18:14:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late in remembering, but October 13th was the one year anniversary of when I started this blog. In the course of that year, I've bought a new digital SLR camera, learned and experimented more with photo editing programs, and opened up an etsy shop. I've also been commissioned to photograph a handful of weddings and events. So several photography goals have been met in that relatively short time frame. I'd like to think my skills have improved a little as well. So here's some champagne and confetti to celebrate, and with hopes that the next year will bring even more experience, accomplishment, and success. Cheers!

1 Week until Elections!

2008-10-28T12:05:00.000-07:00

As election time gets closer, I hope everyone is planning to vote on or before November 4th. Last week while I was traveling, I ended up going to a rally for early voting in Florida, where Barack Obama spoke, among several others. Though I am now a California resident, I grew up in Florida and was living there during the controversial 2000 presidential election, and as sad as it is to say, Florida's track record for disenfranchised voters has not improved much since then. So I hope this year will be a turning point - that people in Florida will come out to vote in strong numbers and will feel like their votes matter and are counted. This election year has been full of historical firsts, and I hope no matter who you are voting for, you'll exercise your right to voice your opinion.

I took several pictures at the rally, which can be seen here. These are two of my favorites:

More treasures

2008-10-12T10:12:00.000-07:00

I put together another etsy treasury of some very talented work. In the last 3 weeks, I've switched my schedule to working days after 3 years of working mostly nights. Because of this, I've been drinking a lot more caffeine while I'm re-adjusting, and it seemed like an appropriate theme for this collection. Once I started searching for stuff, a pretty blue and brown color palette emerged.

So please pour yourself a cup of coffee and check out some of the wonderful etsy shops featured in this treasury:

artspot, misslo, candlevida, WylesStyle, molecularmuse, lupin, bittersweets, odannysgirl, KreatedbyKarina, studiolyon, applepieorder, weberphoto, and missindie.

Excessories

2008-09-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

I decided to try branching out with my photography by making some jewelry and accessories out of it. I ordered a small glass pendant starter kit and went to work. By sealing some photos onto these little glass tiles, they end up the perfect size for pendant necklaces, charms, or keychains. I'm still working on my technique, but I think they've turned out pretty well so far. One necklace has been given away to my wonderful friend Ivette for her birthday. One keychain has been promised to my husband. The others will soon be going in my etsy shop, and hopefully more will be on the way soon.

Carded

2008-09-30T00:14:00.000-07:00

When I first decided I wanted to open an etsy shop, a fellow etsy seller, ettu, suggested including note cards as well as photography prints. I thought this was a great idea, so I had a small amount printed, and have been offering them in my shop and giving them away for birthdays since then. While I liked the way they came out, printers who will print small quantities are few and far between, and I didn't want to be stuck with 100 robot or disco ball note cards cluttering up my apartment if they weren't that popular. So since then I've started making my own cards by mounting 4 x 6 inch prints to blank white cards I found at a crafts store. This is so much easier, since I can make them to order in any quantities I want, and don't have to wait for them to be printed and shipped. And since the photos are a standard size, it gives the option of having a small frameable print in addition to the card. Of the two new card designs I've debuted, both sold almost immediately. So I think it's a success and I'll be making more cards like this, with more photos, in the future.

"His & Hers" shoes card

"Confetti" 3 card set

Dangerously crafty.

2008-09-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

I've put together my first etsy treasury! The point of treasuries is to promote the work of other shops you admire. So what better way to do that than to feature the members of one of my etsy teams, the Artsy Danger Ladies Mod Squad team? This team is a diverse group of women whose crafts cover the range of knits, jewelry, ceramics, wood, photography, sewing, stationary, artwork, vintage, and so many other accessories for kids and adults alike. A very talented and resourceful group!

Here is the treasury, based loosely on color since that was the easiest thing to find in common:

If any items from the treasury get bought, they will be replaced by one of these great alternates:

So if you get a chance, please visit this treasury here, click on the featured items, and leave a comment if you'd like! Then check out the individual shops of all these amazing etsy members:

cherrybombe - hair flowers, awesome cards, zines
MiriamandEleanor - vintage clothes, accessories, and housewares
woodmouse - handmade wooden toys & figurines
jangie - crocheted accessories and beautiful ceramics
RabbitPatch - goodies for babies & people who love them
carriekei - cool stationary and origami
Niknod - Handmade Hats & Whatnot
rainfeather13 - Sewing, embroidery, custom gifts & personalization
OurSideOfTheMountain - stylish sewn crafts for babies, kids, and adults
theHennery - photos inspired by everyday life
claireja - fun felt flowers and accessories
ettu - handmade wearables and upcycled kids clothes
dorisandelva - modern, stylish jewelry
theantibride - original drawings and fine art prints
calabaza - fine line work and abstract art
scrappygrasshopper - crazy baby items made from scraps of stuff

Featured

2008-09-15T02:26:00.000-07:00

I was featured last week on another Etsy member's blog, showcasing one of my photographs along with 3 others. Please check out sassalynne's blog here to see it. The photograph that was featured was a coppery orange/brown version of my Lunar Power photo.

Also, please check out sassalynne's Etsy shop full of beautiful hand-dyed yarn and fabric. Truly gorgeous colors that make me want to get back into knitting!

Feeling Treasured.

2008-09-09T21:06:00.000-07:00

Today I was featured on two separate Etsy Treasuries! A Treasury is a way for an Etsy member to showcase the work of others by displaying a collection of 12 items they pick, usually based on a common color, theme, or subject. Since this is the first time I've been handpicked by someone else to highlight my photography, I'm a bit giddy and kind of want to brag about it, as well as thank the people who were kind enough to pick me.

So the first Treasury was picked by Etsy member FlandersField. It showcases the work of several members of the POE (Photographers of Etsy) team that I'm on, and it includes my Blue Disco photo.

FlandersField is an amazing photographer and has lots of beautiful nature photographs in her Etsy shop. I love how close she gets in to the flowers and plants, giving an entirely different perspective than what we would normally see. Here are some of her featured items:

The second treasury I found myself in was curated by Etsy member KarmaRox. The theme for this treasury was "Seeing RED" so my red Chandelier photo was showcased among lots of other cool red clothes, accessories, and artwork.

KarmaRox's Etsy shop has some really beautiful vintage clothes and jewelry. Stuff that you wold have to comb through several thrift stores or estate sales to find even a few of these lovely, antique items, and yet she's managed to collect so many of them all in one place. I also really like the way she photographs the items she has, giving them a real sense of time and place. Here's a quick glimpse of some of her featured items.

So if you're reading and have a chance to check out the treasuries and shops of these Etsy members, please show them some love since I'm brimming over with gratitude!

Photographers of Etsy

2008-09-07T23:17:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned earlier, I started an etsy shop as a way to showcase some of my photography. I also joined a team of other photographers there, and together we talk about techniques, new photos, and generally try to promote each others' work. This group has a blog that discusses and shows a lot of talented photography: http://photographersofetsy.blogspot.com

I was featured on the blog last week as part of a welcome to new members. Please check it out here if you have a chance. This is the photo of mine that was featured:

Catalina by night

2008-08-26T00:27:00.001-07:00

The beach at night is such a cool place to be, and Catalina has a lot to offer in that department. Lots of pretty reflections of street lights and the moon on the water. The last picture is one of my favorites from the whole trip - it's a boat that has a glass compartment so the passengers are actually sitting under the water level for the ride. There was a late night underwater tour during our last night there and the colored lights of the ship with the full moon and the ominous cliff in the background gave a kind of eerie look to the whole scene. Spooky and beautiful at the same time.

Postcards from Catalina

2008-08-25T23:17:00.001-07:00

Lots of pictures from a recent trip to Catalina island. Almost anything you could take a picture of there would turn out a pretty, like the view of the harbor and the Casino, the round building in the first picture. Higher up on the island is the Wrigley Botanical Gardens that features native plants and lots of cacti and succulents. It's a bit of a hike to get up there, but it has incredible vistas of the ocean and the mountains, and a really cool structure made out of local granite and beautiful tile. One of my favorite spots in one of my favorite places!

What I did on my summer vacation

2008-08-25T22:55:00.000-07:00

So these pictures are more what you would see in an album of snapshots than in a gallery or my etsy shop, but there should definitely be a place for the photos I take during the moments of my real life and sometimes I want to share those too.

I had a short break from work, so my husband Matt and I took a mini-vacation to Catalina, which is a small island off the coast of Los Angeles. We first visited Catalina 3 years ago and we actually got engaged there, so it's a very sentimental spot for us and it was really fun and romantic to go back. The first picture is from our hotel room balcony - such pretty views. We were only there for 2.5 days, but we managed to cram hiking, biking, meeting up with friends, eating lots of ice cream and taking lots of pictures into that small amount of time. Vacations are never long enough, and this one was no exception. But I'm glad we got the chance to get away and we'll just have to plan another one soon.

K & J Pre-wedding prep

2008-08-14T05:20:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I photographed my first wedding! The couple, Kelly and Jason, got ready at a gorgeous house close to where the wedding was being held. When I showed up, Kelly, her mom, her bridesmaids and some family friends were putting together all the beautiful flowers they got from the LA flower market. Jason and his groomsmen showed up to get their boutonnieres and then headed off to the location while Kelly and her girls finished getting ready. The hair and make up took a little longer than planned, so once it was done, there was a mad dash to get Kelly in her dress and get out the door. That whole part only took about 10 minutes, which is kind of unbelievable. Oh, and Kelly had the cutest wedding shoes I've ever seen.

K & J Ceremony and Portraits

2008-08-14T04:33:00.001-07:00

The wedding was held in a small amphitheater at Griffith Park. The ceremony was short and sweet. At one point, the officiant was talking about holding the hands of your spouse, the hands that will comfort you and wipe away your tears. Kelly was crying at this point and Jason reached up at that exact time to brush some tears off her cheek - it was a really touching moment. After the ceremony, we took some pictures under a nearby tree.

K & J Reception

2008-08-14T03:58:00.001-07:00

After the ceremony and portraits, Kelly and Jason and their guests headed into the Griffith Park Visitors Center for their reception. There were sweet toasts, an amazing cake from Porto's bakery, and a lot of laughing from everyone. Kelly, a graphic designer, made all of the beautiful decorations herself and they were the perfect touches around the room. The bride and groom closed the place down, hanging out with the guests until the last possible moment.

You & Me & the Moon

2008-08-14T01:38:00.000-07:00

I'm apparently continuing my obsession with power lines. I came out from a Starbucks one evening to see the sun setting in the distance and the sky turning cool colors in the process. None of these have been edited yet, though I may try to make some of the backgrounds different colors later. My husband said the first one looked like a modern version of an Edward Hopper painting, which is about the coolest compliment ever.

Miscellaneous

2008-07-31T00:03:00.000-07:00

In Los Angeles, even the cats have scripts.

This is my cat sitting on a script my husband was reading. Later on, she was yawning, so I guess that means she's going to pass on it for now.

In other news, I started an Etsy store for my photography - Flash Frame.

Etsy.com is a website for buying and selling all kinds of handmade arts and crafts. It's an awesome site, and a nice way for me to be able to sell prints of my photos. So check it out if you are interested.

www.flashframe.etsy.com

Palm Trees and Power Lines

2008-07-30T23:47:00.000-07:00

Last week I was up for sunrise and noticed how pretty the silhouettes of the power lines across the street from my apartment looked in the early morning light. I took a few pictures of the sun coming up, the moon going down, and some that are just plain power lines. Then I played around with the colors on some of my favorite ones and now it looks like the view from my place is from another planet. Or in the middle of really psychedelic smog. But in a pretty way, right?