Diandra Ann Photography

Brand New Blog!!!

2011-03-08T10:29:00.000-08:00

So I've been hinting and talking about all of the new changes that are coming...

I am excited to announce that one of the biggest ones is here!

I have just launched a brand new blog in a brand new location!

So please update your RSS feeds and any other way you may follow my blog! You can now find it at http://www.diandraann.com/blog!

This blog will remain here as a record of my work, but please join me over there for everything new!

BIG BIG changes!

2011-02-28T22:00:00.000-08:00

Soooo....

I started this blog when I first started my photography journey. When I go back and look at the blogs that I posted at the beginning I am blown away by how far I have come.

I spent a week up in Big Bear with some amazing photographer girls last month (pictures coming in a future post). These girls are, in my opinion, some of the very best in the business. I was totally honored to be a part of such an amazing time. I was also completely impressed with their skills, not only behind a camera, but also in business. And I was challenged. Challenged to be a better photographer, challenged to be a better business woman, challenged to challenge myself. I made a decision that week to take it to the next level. To find my voice.

There are days that I go on facebook or even google... and I am overwhelmed by the amount of photographers out there. The ones who have been in business for years and the ones who are just starting out. There were times (not long ago) when I would spend my days with my face glued to the computer, scrolling through pages and pages of everyone else's work. I would finally peel my face away only to feel discouraged and incompetent. That's what comparisons will do to you.

I have decided it is time to find my voice.

I never went about photography the easy way. I pushed myself to learn and read everything I could. I asked questions, read books and chatted on forums. I know that I will continue to learn and grow, but I am at a place in my photography where I feel like I am finally beginning to grasp my own style... my voice.

For those of you who have followed my blog since the beginning, or even in the last year, you have seen me go through branding changes, logo changes, blog changes, and website changes. For those of you reading now, you are about to see me go through my biggest one yet!

In a little less than 3 weeks, I will be getting married. My name will be changing... I will now check a different box on forms... and I will have a little extra sparkle on my left ring finger. So why not throw a few more big changes in the mix?!? I have been working hard on a brand new website and blog that I am so so proud of. I want so badly to launch it RIGHT NOW. But there are a few more touches I am waiting on. And I want it to be perfect. I want it to show my hopes and dreams and passions.

So with all of this comes a brand new blog... at a brand new location! This blog has served me so well... it has been my lifeline... my place to vent... my place to learn... my place to grow and to track my growth. And it will stay here. There is NO WAY I am getting rid of this amazing record of how far I have come, but soon I will be posting somewhere new!

In the mean time, I wont be posting as often. Between all of the branding changes and working on the new blog, and planning my own wedding (and actually getting married)... my goal is to blog once a week for the next month or so until the new blog is launched. So keep checking back until the new blog link is posted! But don't be surprised to see fewer posts!

I am so excited about all of the changes.
Thank you to all of you who have supported me.
Thank you to all of you who have read my ramblings.
Thank you to all of you who have asked questions, and left comments.
Thank you to all of you who have made my dreams into a reality... a little at a time!
I hope you will continue on this crazy journey with me!!!

xoxo

Taylor and Andrianna: Pomona Wedding

2011-02-21T20:30:00.000-08:00

She ran in at the last minute.
Her make up was perfect, but her hair was still wet.

He was there early.
Ready to go and excited.
But concerned about how she was doing.

When couple's really love each other, it shows.
For Taylor and Andrianna, love is an understatement.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Maybe the distances they've had to endure are the reason for their deep love.
Taylor plays football all the way across the country. But for this day, he was here. And that's all that mattered.

Taylor and Andrianna, thank you. Thank you for allowing me to share your day and for showing how incredible love is... how it stretches and surpasses distance. And congratulations :)

I love that Taylor wore this in memory of his cousin.

First looks are my favorite. Really. For Taylor and Andrianna's wedding, many things happened and we did not get to start shooting when we'd planned. So by the time we did the first look, the sun was going down. It was getting dark!

Seriously?? Could you guys be any prettier??

Andrianna. You are stunning. STUH-NIIING!

Favorite :)

And then it got dark. So we got a little creative...

Another favorite.

There was even a choir! Cool ceremony!

Sisters.

Andrianna's niece is adorable!

The grand entrance was definitely grand.

First dance. Love.

Father/daughter dance. Always one of my favorite moments.

Taylor's mom was so emotional. It was very sweet.

Taylor is Samoan. And they have a really cool tradition. Instead of the traditional money dance, they would randomly break into this really cool dance where the girls were very graceful and the guys hooted and hollered and everyone threw money at the bride and groom.

Lo Boheme: San Luis Obispo

2011-02-17T17:26:00.000-08:00

I have been DYING to share these pictures with you.
And then yesterday I was so happy to see them featured on Green Wedding Shoes!

I've been talking about these for a while, so I will spare you the talk and just tell you how super fun this shoot was. It was basically amazing. :)

Enjoy!

Featured!

2011-02-16T09:17:00.000-08:00

A couple of months ago I did a very special shoot that I have been DYING to share with you. I haven't been able to share much because it was for something specific.

I have worked before with Lauren of Lo Boheme, but I think this shoot maybe takes the cake. It was so much fun! I can't wait to share lots from the shoot with you this week, but today I wanted to share with you all the places the shoot has been featured in the last week or so.

First of all, Lauren has a brand new website and it's AWESOME! You should definitely check it out. If you are a bride, friend of a bride, bridesmaid, or just like something pretty for your hair... this is the place to look! I have several of her pieces and I wear them on random days with jeans and a white tee!

You can check it out here: Lo Boheme
I love the whole feel of her site and I was so happy to contribute a piece of it!

Lauren has been really making a name for herself and was so excited when she was asked to contribute to Anthropologie's new bridal line BHLDN. You can now buy two of her pieces from their site! How cool is that?!?

If that isn't enough Lo Boheme for you, check out all of these cool places she has been featured this week (along with my photos for her new line)!

944 Magazine, San Diego

Wed Loft

Wed Loft (again)

Pretty Little Weddings

Aisle Candy

Happy Birthday Mom!

2011-02-15T17:03:00.001-08:00

Growing up, you always read to me.
I don't remember exactly when... or how often... but it sure seemed like a lot.
I had my favorite books... the ones I knew all the words to because we read them so much.
And you had your favorite books... the ones that we read over and over because I loved you and you loved them.

There is one in particular that occasionally still runs through my head...

That teenager grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a grown-up man. He left home and got a house across town. But sometimes on dark nights the mother got into her car and drove across town. If all the lights in her son's house were out, she opened his bedroom window, crawled across the floor, and looked up over the side of his bed. If that great big man was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

Well, that mother, she got older. She got older and older and older. One day she called up her son and said, "You'd better come see me because I'm very old and sick." So her son came to see her. When he came in the door she tried to sing the song. She sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always...

But she couldn't finish because she was too old and sick. The son went to his mother. He picked her up and rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And he sang this song:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my Mommy you'll be.

-Taken from "Love you Forever" by Robert Munsch

I know I'm grown up now... and each year that you have a birthday I have one too. I know that sometimes that makes you sad because I am no longer your "little"girl. But I will always be your daughter.

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
as long as I'm living,
My mommy you'll be.

I love you mom.
Happy Birthday.

It was the night before Valentine's day...

2011-02-14T09:12:00.000-08:00

I was young.
He wasn't much older.
It was the night before Valentine's day and I was talking to our mutual friend on the phone.
"Diandra you need to break up with him before tomorrow."
"Break up??? But we're not even going out?!?!?"
"Well he thinks you are."
"But tomorrow is Valentine's day. I don't want to hurt his feelings."
"It will be worse if you wait."

I hung up the phone, and with a heavy heart, dialed another number.
That night I broke my friend's heart.
I didn't even know we were dating.

Fast forward.
It was the night before Valentine's day and the doorbell rang.
I ran to the door in my bear feet and PJs.
Flinging open the door, I got a face full of fuzzy teddy bear.
LARGE fuzzy teddy bear.
"Happy Valentine's day. I know it's early, but I wanted to be the first to tell you." His muffled voice came from behind the bear's head.
Shocked, I took the bear, thanked him, and closed the door.
In his face.
I ran awkwardly to my room, shut the door and covered my head in embarrassment.
Needless to say, we did not work out.

A few years later.
It was the night before Valentine's day and I was with a boy that I loved.
That night he asked me to spend the rest of my life with him.
This time, I was not the heart breaker.

Last night, on the Eve of Valentine's day, my phone buzzed.
I was half asleep.
"Happy Valentine's Day."
Kuwait is 11 hours ahead, so for him, it was already Valentine's day.
But for me, it was still the night before Valentine's Day.
I groggily tried to type out a response: "Happy Valentine's day love."
"Were you sleeping?" He asked.
"Yes, but it's okay, I'm always glad to hear from you."
"Well then go back to sleep. But first, can I ask you a question?"
"Of course." I replied, fighting the heaviness that threatened my eyelids.
"Will you be my Valentine?"

Yes, Javi. I will be your Valentine.
You are the only boy who has ever asked me to be his Valentine.
You are the only boy I have ever said yes to.
And I will continue to say yes to you today,
and every day until I breathe my very last breath.

I've had my share of heartbreaks.
And I have broken my share of hearts.
While none were fun, I am grateful that each one has lead me here.
And today, on Valentine's day, I know that my heart will never again be broken.

Even though on this day of love, half of my heart is halfway across the world...
...fighting a war...
...I am grateful that my heart is safe with him.

Today I cannot hug or kiss him, or go to dinner, or see a movie with him.
I had to send his Valentine last month in order to get it there on time (which of course it didn't).

Even though I will spend today working and in meetings...
Today is the best Valentine's day ever, because I know that I am loved by the most amazing man.
Today is the best Valentine's day ever, because it is our first engaged.
Today is the best Valentine's day ever, because it is our last engaged!
In less than a month, I get to marry my very best friend.
The first boy who ever asked me to be his Valentine.
And the only boy I will ever say yes to.

I love you Javi, Happy Valentine's Day!
xoxo

Chris and Kassy: Compton Wedding

2011-02-10T13:39:00.000-08:00

They spend the majority of their time on opposite sides of the country.
He's an Army recruiter in LA county.
She's enlisted in Kentucky.
After their wedding, he was staying here and she was heading to Georgia. Once again, they would be on opposite sides of the country.
But for this day...
For this day they would be together.

This wedding was especially close to my heart because Chris was planning the wedding here while Kassy was away. I can appreciate the amount of hard work that is because I have been doing that with my own wedding while Javi has been deployed. I love that the groom took the initiative and planned the entire wedding. Impressive.

I met Chris when Javi enlisted in the Army.
Chris was Javi's recruiter.
And I have to say, he has been fantastic and helpful and made our life much easier.
I was so excited to return the favor and shoot his wedding!

Special thanks to Lisa for shooting with me!

Gorgeous Kassy.

A toast before the wedding.

Chris watching the slideshow that he made before the ceremony.

So sweet. He was so excited.

So happy!!!

We had one little patch of grass to work with. It wasn't much, but they worked it!

Right after the above picture... this happened.

And then this :)

This picture was kind of a happy accident. We were in the middle of taking pictures and Kassy got distracted watching her friends and family. It was a sweet moment.

Love this one.

Chris dancing with his God-daughter.

Love this of Chris and Kassy and her mom. So sweet.

Tanner and Lisa: Santa Monica Engagement: Part 2

2011-02-04T19:22:00.000-08:00

So if you didn't get enough of Lisa and Tanner's engagement session... here is the second half. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this session because they put so much thought into it. It was so fun to see their love and the fun they had together... and all the fun we had definitely helped :)

The sunset was gorgeous.

We had to get some shots with the Ferris Wheel in the background.

We stopped to get some ice cream. Of course.

I felt a little like I was in a movie!

And then we headed into the arcade!

Dance Dance Revolution? In heels? Okay :)

And closing out the night with some candy :)

Lisa and Tanner I am soooo excited for your wedding. Could it please just be tomorrow???

Tanner and Lisa: Santa Monica Engagement: Part 1

2011-01-28T18:23:00.000-08:00

They met at the gym.
He convinced his friend to go talk to her because he was dating someone else.
She was seeing someone too, but a friendship was formed.

After two breakups, a move, and several more trips to the gym... they realized they were right together. And not just because they are both so darn beautiful.

I had a blast shooting Tanner and Lisa's engagement session, and we took SO MANY amazing shots that I may have to post two blogs! That is what happens when couples bring their ideas and personality to a shoot. We end up with amazing-ness. And lots of it.

Their thing is Whoppers. I was so excited that they brought some along.

I can't wait to share the second half with you!

And Tanner and Lisa... you worked it! Can't wait for your wedding!!!

Out Of Office: Big Bear!!!

2011-01-25T08:04:00.000-08:00

So I will be out of the office this week...

But for good reason!

I'm heading to Big Bear with 11 other amazingly wonderful, talented photographer ladies.

I cannot wait to enjoy some amazing relaxing fun with them!

Pictures to come :)

Cesar and Crystal: Norwalk Everyday

2011-01-23T21:55:00.001-08:00

When I was in high school, I had a binder with a clear cover. I remember changing the pictures inside the cover, and I always loved having new pictures. I wish I had had a photographer to follow me around and take pictures of me and my friends. So I love when I get the chance to do that for my family.

My niece asked me to take a few pictures of her and her boyfriend and I was happy to do so! It was a REALLY quick shoot but we got some great pictures :)

Kelsey and Jordan: Point Loma Wedding

2011-01-19T08:55:00.000-08:00

Where has the time gone??? I had blogs all ready to post through the beginning of January because I knew it was going to be a crazy month... but I had no idea HOW crazy! It's funny how when I am the busiest I seem to post the least. Ironic, right?

So I still have a couple of weddings to post from 2010... crazy, right? Here is one that was among my favorites! Kelsey and Jordan were seriously the sweetest couple. Turns out Kelsey and I actually went to Point Loma Nazarene University together and we were even in the same department as Phys Ed majors! But we didn't meet until she was getting married several years later!

The clouds in the sky made for a gorgeous, cool day, and it was perfect. Kelsey and Jordan, thanks for letting me into your lives. And Sean, thanks for letting me come along!

Oooooo First looks :) In my opinion, EVERYONE should do a first look! It allows so much time for awesome photos... and it also allows the bride and groom to spend most of their wedding day together! And really have some time to themselves. I looooove when couple's choose first looks. And as a bride, that was one of the very first decisions I made... I KNEW I wanted a first look!

I don't normally post wedding party photos, but I love this one SO SO much!

Shooting Fun

2011-01-07T06:40:00.000-08:00

Oh the joys of second shooters.
I LOOOOOVE second shooting.
And every time I do, I take a TON of pictures of the photographer that I'm shooting for.
"You can always use photos of yourself in action" I tell them.
They roll their eyes, laugh, make silly faces at me, and occasionally decide they like the pictures.
But every now and then, the rolls are reversed.
Once in a while my second shooter manages to get a couple of shots of me in action.
I roll my eyes, laugh, make silly faces at them and occasionally decide I like the pictures.

Here are a couple from my 2010 wedding season.

Wedding Details: 2010 Favorites

2011-01-05T08:15:00.000-08:00

I've blogged my favorites from my everyday shoots.
I've blogged my favorites from the weddings I've shot.
And in the process of the weddings, I found that I had a lot of favorites that weren't of the bride and groom. My couples put so much time and energy into the details of their special days, and I love shooting them! Here are my favorite details from 2010. And as I stated in the other favorites, you can definitely also see the progression of my branding in these photos!

Jessica: Seniors: Oregon Everyday

2011-01-03T08:38:00.000-08:00

I was the first non-family member to visit her in the hospital.
Her mom reminded me of that while I was there to take her senior pictures.
It made me feel old.
And sad.
And happy.
And proud.
All at once.

I haven't done a lot of senior sessions, in fact, I've turned them down to focus on weddings. But I agreed to do Jessica's because she is a very special girl to me. But after shooting this session, I've decided I love them! I will be offering senior sessions this year, so if you are part of the class of 2011 (or the parent of a senior) and you are interested in a senior session, make sure you shoot me an email (diandra@diandraann.com).

Jessica is an avid horse rider. She has raised a few horses of her own, and rides and takes care of them. It was so much fun to shoot these at the stable where she spends the majority of her time, as well as in her backyard where her own horses live. These don't take a lot of words... I just adore these images. And have I mentioned how gorgeous Oregon is?? I know I used to live there, but after being gone for almost 10 years, I had forgotten just how amazing it is!

I know I posted more photos than I usually do... but seriously? I couldn't get enough! It was hard enough just to narrow these down!

Wedding Favorites 2010

2010-12-30T06:53:00.000-08:00

It was so much fun looking back at what I've shot this year.
I love seeing the progression of my style and how I have improved over time. This is one of the easiest ways for me to do that. I have complied my favorite images from a few of the weddings I shot this year. Just like with the Everyday favorites a few days ago, you can see the progression of my branding as well!

Enjoy!

I still have a few weddings to blog from this year! Gotta get caught up before I start into my 2011 weddings! And I am sure starting out quick! I'll be shooting a wedding on New Years Day! Way to start the new year off with a bang!

Christmas at Tiffany's

2010-12-27T21:45:00.000-08:00

I knew it was going to be a rather emotional Christmas season for me.
I love Christmas.
I usually start decorating In October and leave my decorations up through February.
Okay I exaggerate.
A little.
I start my Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving. I shop long and carefully, choosing gifts I know my family will love.
I enjoy driving my car around and checking out all of the Christmas lights.
I crank up Taylor Swift and Jessica Simpson Christmas CDs every chance I get.
I light scented candles. ALL OVER.

But this year is different.
This year, the person I love the most is all the way across the world from me. It's me and Javier's first Christmas together... only we aren't together.
I haven't done any of the things I normally do.
In a season full of celebration and joy, I found that I was sad and struggling.

I haven't even blogged about Christmas!

Javi had mentioned that he was sending me a Christmas present and that I should be watching for it. He was worried that it wasn't going to arrive before we left for Oregon for Christmas. It didn't take long for it to arrive. From New Jersey.

Um... I thought he was in Kuwait!!!

As I'm opening the package, I am thinking that probably this is not from Javi. Probably it was something I ordered for the wedding.

This is what was looking up at me from inside the box:

I knew immediately that it was from Javier.

Let me rewind for a moment.
When I went to visit Javier in Chicago before he deployed, he took me to Tiffany & Co. I blogged about it on my other blog. I had never been there, and when he surprised me by buying me a bracelet, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. And when he made sure that I got the "little blue box", even though he really didn't understand why I wanted it, I was impressed.

So when I saw that "little blue box" in the package from New Jersey... I knew it was from him. Somehow, he had managed to send me an amazingly sweet present, and he managed to do it all the way from Kuwait.

Suddenly, I realized that I hadn't been forgotten on Christmas, and that even though we were a world apart, he was thinking of me. It didn't change the fact that I hate being away from him... or that I was sad to be missing our first Christmas together. But his thoughtful gift reminded me that even when we are far apart... worlds apart... our hearts and thoughts are not.

I am thankful for a man that spoils me a little... but even more for one that loves me with everything he has. I can't wait to marry him in just two and a half months!

2010 Everyday Favorites

2010-12-22T21:54:00.000-08:00

I've been writing 2011 on everything for the past couple of months.
Apparently I think I live in the future.
And yet... when I think about the fact that we are coming to the end of 2010, I really wonder where the year went.

I went and looked back through my blogs from this year and I kind of blew myself away. I can't believe how much I have actually shot this year! This has been a super fun year and very eventful. I wanted to share with you my favorite shot from some of the everyday sessions I shot this last year. You can see that my style, and branding have both changed throughout the year. Goes to show that this is an ongoing process!

Enjoy!

Kristin and John: Maternity

Jacob (Offringa Family): Family

Cori: Photographer

Courtney

Lo Boheme: Product Line

Nicole: Boudoir

Sweetharts: Product Line

Doug

Sarah: Photographer

Matt and Bianca

Chris and Erinn: Photographers

Jaydn: Kiddo

Jessica: Seniors

Caesar and Crystal

Lo Boheme: Product Line

I will be sharing my favorites from the weddings this year too!
But for now, some time with my family here in Oregon!

xoxo
D

Teaser: Kelsey and Jordan: San Diego Wedding

2010-12-20T16:23:00.000-08:00

I am sitting in my cousin's living room and it is POURING down rain.
Not California rain... but strong heavy Oregon rain.
If you are in Southern California right now... you know that it's been going on like this for several days straight. Streets are starting to flood and traffic is starting to get crazy.

I am finding myself indoors much more than usual.

I'm getting ready to fly up to Oregon to spend Christmas with my family.
I am looking forward to the break from life.

I am also reflecting on the past year and where I'm headed next year. I'll be posting 2010 highlights soon, but for now, a little teaser from a super awesome wedding.

I shot this wedding down in San Diego with Sean Walker. I think it might be among my favorites for sure! :)

Teaser: Lo Boheme: San Luis Obispo

2010-12-18T00:17:00.000-08:00

My brain is fried.
Like really.
I have written and deleted about 4 introductions to this post.

I spent yesterday driving and shooting. From 6am until 2am (this morning).

Lauren (the brilliance behind Lo Boheme) is getting ready to launch some pretty exciting stuff. I will be posting more once her line launches, but here is a little teaser from what we shot yesterday. I am in LOVE with this shoot. I can't wait to share more!

Teaser: Ceasar and Crystal: Norwalk Everyday

2010-12-15T11:24:00.000-08:00

I just feel overwhelmed.

That's what I told him today.
I had a few short minutes to talk with Javier in Kuwait... and as we chatted about everything going on, I kept coming back to that. I feel so overwhelmed.

I am at a place in my life right now that I never thought I would be. I am experiencing extreme happiness and joy, but also major stress, anxiety and sadness. All at once. I'm sure any military spouse of a deployed soldier will tell you the same thing... but life is a lot to take when you are doing it without the person you love.

In the midst of the overwhelming-ness (is that even a word??) I have been trying so hard to blog a few times a week, but I seem to be failing miserably. I seriously have FILES full of things to blog, and yet, here sits my blog... untouched. Poor little blog.

Today I have a little teaser for you from a shoot I did yesterday with my niece and her boyfriend. They are so cute and Christmas-y. I cant wait to share the whole session with you!

Friday Favorites

2010-12-10T10:06:00.000-08:00

It's Friday?!?!?
Where did this week go???

I was sitting here this morning thinking how I was doing so well keeping up with all of my blogs... and I was making a list of all of the sessions and weddings I have waiting to be blogged... and then all of the ones I have coming up in the next month that I will need to blog... and I realized... It's Friday!

I haven't blogged since Tuesday!
So much for staying on top of it!
Wow.
Where did the week go?

I have spent this week running around a bit like a chicken with it's head cut off.
So in honor of this random Friday... I thought I'd share with you a little bit of randomness.

I am not an Apple user. I still use a PC and I have an Android phone (which I think is better than the iphone... try not to hate me). But there is an app on my Evo that lets me take little Polaroid-like photos. I'm sure my friends and family will tell you how annoying I can be with it. It's so easy to use and I love how the pictures look... so I take a lot of them.
No, seriously... waaaaaaay too many!

So here is my life right now in cell phone pictures.

Airplanes. I used to be terrified to fly... I still prefer not to... but it seems like I've spent a lot of time in the air lately.

My great grandma's purple hat. It was way cooler when she wore it. :)

Ooohhhhh glasses. Learning to use them so I don't get headaches. Not always a fan.

This year I am in a Christmas play. (Can you guess which one???) But during practice, my ring was sparkling in the stage lights and I got a little bit distracted...

Some days are just like that. My nephew Jaydn.

Javi made me these super cool bracelets.

When I was out doing some errands the other day with Javi's cousin, I saw this in the parking lot. I made him drive around so I could get a picture of it. Because seriously... how cute is this?

So what kinds of random pictures show up on your cell phone?

Happy Friday everyone!

Jaydn: San Juan Capistrano Everyday

2010-12-07T16:31:00.000-08:00

I am a wedding photographer.
I am a lifestyle photographer.
I am NOT a kid photographer.

Kids are adorable. Seriously.
And for a while, when I first started my business, I kind of thought I might like to just take pictures of kids. I mean they are so cute, how hard could it be?? Well, then I shot a few kid sessions. I decided that was not my cup of tea. I race around after kids that are crying and throwing things and downright crazy sometimes... all while looking like a photographer who does NOT have a clue what she is doing.

They move faster than wedding days!

So I gave up shooting kids.
But I have a very special little boy in my life who just turned 2. And his mom asked me nicely. So I took some pictures of him. At the end of the session I turned to his mom and said, "This is why I don't shoot kids. Would you take me seriously after seeing that??" (THAT being, running through mud, around tractors, in and out of tires all while Jaydn manages to look THE OTHER WAY. THen making goofy faces and noises and yelling and waving and even dancing to get his attention).

But we managed to get some great pictures :)

Video FAQ: Part 2

2010-12-05T10:12:00.000-08:00

Not long ago, I blogged a couple of videos that answered questions I have been asked frequently. I also posted the photos that were the product of those videos. My hope was that this could help people who are more visual.

So here is part 2 of my video blog posts :) As always, if you have a question you'd like answered, feel free to leave it in the comments. I will be working on shooting another set of videos soon!

As before... these are unedited and right out of the video camera, so you will have to excuse my randomness :)

Victoria's secret Angels and Photography

2010-12-01T08:42:00.000-08:00

They're beautiful.
Tall, slender and curvy all at the same time.
They are perfectly tan, and their hair is perfectly coiffed.

They walk down the runway and they don't trip or fall.
They don't stumble...
They walk with grace and confidence.

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
Its an amazing thing, really.

Last night I tweeted something that started a conversation on my facebook wall. This is what I said: "I choose NOT to watch the VS fashion show. I think it promotes unrealistic body image and kills healthy self esteem in women."

I won't get into the debate it started, but my point was this: These women make a living off of their bodies. It is their JOB to work out and eat healthy and keep themselves in shape. They have professionals to help them and train them and guide them. So when average women, who work, and keep up a household, and take care of children, and dont have access to all of those same resources, watch the fashion show, and begin to compare themselves to these girls, it can be discouraging. Because most people watching this aren't taking into account all the work and time it has taken.

I think it is easy in this industry, especially starting out, to feel discouraged because you just don't match up to what you see on all the blogs. It is easy to feel like you will never be as good as some of the people whose blogs you read. I get into ruts sometimes... as I'm reading blogs and surfing the internet. I start to compare my work to the work of others. Often the work of others who have been doing this much longer than me. Or who have better equipment than I have. It can be discouraging and frustrating.

I think in all areas of our lives, we should stop comparing ourselves to the people around us, and start to focus on bettering ourselves for OUR sake. And compare away... but compare to your own before... not someone else's after. When I go back and look at myself several years ago, I can see how much weight I've lost and how much better shape I am in now. I know I feel better than I did a few years back because I am eating healthy and working out. Do I look like a Victoria's Secret Model? Nope. But I am much better than a couple of years ago. Same goes for my photography. When I look back to my first photo shoots, I can see how much I have improved over such a short time. It's not about if I'm as good as someone else, but rather, am I constantly improving?

So I encourage all of you today that are reading this blog... whether you are a client, a bride, a photographer, or just passing by... be the best you can be. Work to improve yourself. And compare away... but don't compare to other people or other's work. Challenge yourself and beat your own best!

Have a great Wednesday everyone!
I'm glad to be back from my Thanksgiving break :)

If you want to see my very first solo weddnig ever... click here
And just for comparison's sake... if you want to see my most recently blogged wedding... click here

Thankful for a break

2010-11-24T11:46:00.000-08:00

It is almost Thanksgiving!
While most people are thawing out their turkeys, traveling to meet up with family, and taking extra naps to prepare for 4am shopping on black Friday... I am packing to go to Las Vegas.

Yes, Vegas.

I am an only child. My mom and dad and I all live here in Southern California... but all of my extended family lives all the way in Oregon. 17 hours away.

So we have a tendency to throw tradition out the window.
I mean really, how much turkey can 3 people really eat?
Definitely not a whole one... and I don't like stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy.

One year mom decided she would make "healthy" thanksgiving food. We had cauliflower mashed potatoes that year. And needless to say, they do NOT taste like real mashed potatoes. You can't fool me.

Last year we all went to TGI Friday's for our thanksgiving meal. It was open and we like TGI Fridays. And that meant no cooking for my mom.

This year, our plans are totally and completely different. We are only a couple of hours away from hopping in the car and driving 5 hours away to Las Vegas, Nevada. Yes I know it seems like an odd choice, but Javi and I have decided to get married there in March. So we must make a plan. This seemed like the smart choice of time since all of us are off work.

So we are heading to Vegas for Thanksgiving. While some might scoff at us... I am quite excited. I am thankful for parents who are willing to help me plan a wedding (well, my mom at least... dad's decided he will sit by the pool and read while we traipse around town trying to make plans). I am thankful for a break from the business of life. I am thankful for a fiance who is giving up his holidays to fight for our country's freedom. I am thankful that traditions can be broken, and made more fun. I am thankful for lots of family, even if they are far away in Oregon that I love and that love me. I am thankful for my new family who invited me to spend thanksgiving with them, even though Javier is away. I am thankful for blog readers who have stuck with me through times of not blogging... and who read the random thoughts that come out of my head and into my computer. I am thankful for the opportunity to do something I love.

So even though I will not be sitting by the fire, eating turkey, watching parades and football, my heart is full of thankfulness.

Oh and there is of course one tradition that will never die... no matter where we are.
Shopping.

Wishing you all a fantastic Thanksgiving holiday!
(Note... I will be out of the office and maybe not blogging until next week!)

And since blogs are way more fun when there are pictures...Here's a couple little pictures I took a few days ago at an impromptu session with my little nephew, Jaydn.

Teaser: Jessica: Oregon Senior Portraits

2010-11-22T11:26:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been focusing primarily on Engagements and Weddings.
In fact, I've turned down families, babies, seniors, etc because I wanted to focus on one thing.

Then one day I got an email from a family friend. I've known them since I was 4. Their oldest daughter, Jessica, is a senior this year, and they wanted me to fly up to Oregon where they live and take her senior pictures. I couldn't say no. I've known this girl since the day she was born. Literally. I baby-sat her and her sister since they were tiny. And now she is graduating from high school. Am I seriously that old?

I had such an AMAZING time, that I have decided to add senior portraits to what I do. So if you are a senior this year (yeah class of 2011) or the parent of a senior this year... please contact me for pricing. And we will have a blast :) Seriously... I had SO MUCH FUN that I cannot wait to shoot more of these sessions!

Here is a little preview.

Jessica is an avid horse rider. And she is soooo good with them!

This may be one of my all time favorite photos. Ever.

Wait until you see the rest of this session.
I'm kind of in love with it!

At the end of the day...

2010-11-19T10:21:00.000-08:00

I walked into her living room and slumped down into a chair.
My mom looked at me and said the 4 dreaded words that always mean trouble is coming:
"We need to talk".
A myriad of what might be coming raced through my mind...
Someone had died....
Someone was sick...
My parents were moving away...
Santa Claus didn't exist...

She continued, "I think you are too stressed out with this wedding planning."

Tears slowly started trickling down my cheeks.
First one, then the other.
Faster and faster until I was audibly crying.
Stressed out was an understatement.

As we sat in her living room talking, I shared with her how much of a toll it's been on me having Javier gone. I knew it would be hard... I knew I would miss him, but I had NO IDEA the effect it would have on my everyday life; on my emotional well being.

In addition to that, I was trying to plan a wedding... arguably one of the most stressful things to do... without the help of my fiance. And I couldn't make a decision. Not one. Every time I thought I came to a decision, I found that a few days later I would be over it. Or even hate it. I had found a dress I thought I loved, but I couldn't bring myself to buy it. I finally found a venue I thought would be perfect, but I couldn't manage to go look at it. I had settled on colors... but then I would see something else and think it was better. So after 5 months of being engaged... all I had figured out is who my groom was going to be. And while that is really the most important decision... and the reason for the wedding in the first place... It wasn't bringing me any closer to the wedding we were supposed to be having in just a year.

And that was another thing.

A year.

It seemed like so long.

It was starting to feel like planning a wedding was standing in the way of being married.

So yes, I admitted, there was a problem. But what on earth was I supposed to do about it??? And so began the brainstorming. What was most important to me about the wedding day?

1. That I marry Javier
2. That our family can be there to celebrate with us.
3. That we have beautiful pictures that we can keep forever.

After a short time, with those things in mind, we had come up with a plan. I was thrilled. I felt relaxed, and for the first time since we got engaged... really excited!

I am a wedding photographer. This is what I do.
I am surrounded by AMAZING weddings that I shoot, that my friends shoot, and that I see on the countless blogs that I read on a regular basis. But somewhere along the line, wedding planning stopped being quite so much about me and Javier and our unique relationship and started being more about planning a wedding that was blog-worthy. When I realized that's where it had gotten, I knew it was time to make some changes and simplify. I knew that the thing that mattered most was that we be married at the end of the day.

It also reminded me why I do what I do. I don't do it so that I can shoot the most amazing weddings and get featured on the most prestigious blogs. While it's a huge honor to have my work featured anywhere... the biggest honor is to have my brides and grooms walk away with memories of the day they started their lives together.

When the day is over... the "i do"s have been said... the cake is eaten... the dance floor is empty... the bridesmaids dresses are hung in the back of the closet never to be seen again... the flowers have died... the details have been thrown away... the fancy hair is taken down and the make up washed off... what is left over?

A marriage.

And pictures. Pictures to remind you of how beautiful you looked and the feelings you had as you looked at the person you would spend the rest of your life with. Pictures to remind you where you have been, how far you've made it, and the amazing things still ahead.

That is why I do what I do.
That is why I am a wedding photographer.

To read more about our wedding and my planning process (including a post with a little more about this) feel free to head over to my wedding blog: "Girl Plans a wedding, Boy goes to war"

Above image from our engagement session with Jordana Hazel of Hazelnut Photography.

Andy and Leah: San Diego Wedding

2010-11-18T09:17:00.000-08:00

She had been sick.
Really sick.
On her wedding day.
But by the time I arrived, the only evidence of that was a large bottle of Gatoraide mixed in with the hair and make up supplies.

Leah was ready to marry Andy.
And Andy was ready to marry Leah.

The entire day was full of fun, laughter and genuine love.
Oh and lots of great details :)

Leah and Andy did a first look which gave us lots of time for pictures. I [heart] first looks.

Bridal Party= Super Awesome.

Moments before walking down the aisle.

Such a special moment in the ceremony when the whole family gathered around Andy and Leah to pray for them.

Moments after saying "I do". Such excitement!

Hello super awesome car.

Yeah... there was a trampoline.
And yep... Leah ROCKED it.
So did Andy.

Rings on the car hood ornament. One of my fav ring shots. Ever.

Gorgeous Reception!

First Dance. Love it.

Big congratulations to Andy and Leah.

A big thanks to Sean Walker for having me along.

Video FAQ Part 1

2010-11-16T08:51:00.000-08:00

I often get emails (or facebook messages) with questions from other photographers. I am always blown away each time I get an email like this because in my mind, I am still that girl a couple years ago with a camera in my hand and no idea what to do with it. I know when I stop and think about it I have really come a long way. But to have someone ask me a question about how I do something is a total honor and a huge compliment!

With that said... I do things the way I do them not because it is the "right" way or the best way, but because it's how I learned and it works for me. I have been completely blessed by some people who are fantastic at photography who have taken the time to teach me things. People who have answered my questions and helped me out where they can.

I know sometimes for me, reading FAQ posts help, and sometimes they don't. Sometimes they confuse me more. So I had a thought. What if there was a way to SEE the answers to the questions? And an idea was born :) I have a much BIGGER idea that I am still working on, but for the next few weeks, I wanted to share with you pieces of that.

Recently I did a shoot where I brought a couple of girls who are interested in learning photography. We set the shoot up as a way of teaching. I was trying my hand at mentoring and teaching what I know. I've had some requests for workshops and mentoring lately, and I am trying to figure out where I fit into all of that, without jumping the gun. But in the midst of this shoot, I had the girls tape some footage for me of what I was doing. I wanted to answer questions that I often get asked and show what it is I do. Hopefully someone, somewhere will find this helpful. Or at least entertaining :)

Here is some of the footage from our shoot with Nicole. It's unedited and in all of its glory. I hope you find it helpful (and any feedback you could give me would be very helpful in my bigger project!). I'll be posting several of these in the next few weeks so stay tuned!

I hope these videos can be of some help! If they are, I'd love to hear about it! If you have questions, or would like to know other things about how I shoot, please let me know in the comments below so I can work on this project! Keep checking back... I have lots of footage! :)

Teaser: Ben and Kim: Neport Beach Wedding

2010-11-14T21:47:00.000-08:00

Okay. So I am catching up on blogging.
Oh MAN do I have so much to blog in the next couple of weeks.
My goal is to blog a few times a week.
Not every day...
But more than I have been!

Thanks for hanging in there with me as I get my groove back! You'll also see that I have been playing around with my logo and how to watermark my images. I think I'm happy with what I've come up with. Finally.

I am excited about some of the things I have planned to blog!

This amazing wedding shot with the wonderful Ala:

A super amazing set of senior pictures complete with horses are also coming. So are a few other weddings, some FAQ and how to videos, a contest announcement, a couple of super awesome commercial shoots and some other fun stuff! If you have things you'd like to see on the blog... let me know!

Have a great week!

Teaser: Leah and Andy: San Diego Wedding

2010-11-06T20:21:00.000-07:00

It's been soooo busy over here in my world!!!
I have so many fun and exciting things to blog!

The following picture is from a wedding that I recently shot with Sean Walker. I can't wait to share all of the pictures with you!

I'm in Oregon right now. I flew up here to take senior pictures for a very special girl and I cannot wait to share them with you! I've been surrounded by fall trees, horses, barns, and amazing gorgeousness! In light of how fun this has been, I have decided to add senior pictures to what I'm doing this year... so if you are a senior (or a parent of a senior) and interested in having senior pictures done this year, send me an email!!! diandra@diandraann.com

Also... I haven't advertised this on my blog, but I thought I would today. I am offering a few mini sessions for Christmas. 30 minutes of shooting at a location within a 30 minute drive of Cerritos, California. The photos from the session will be uploaded onto an online album where you can view and purchase them for Christmas cards. These sessions are designed for families (5 people or less. added fee for more). I'm offering a limited number of these sessions for $150, so if you are interested, email me at diandra@diandraann.com.

More pictures and blogs coming soon! Stay tuned!

Casey and Elise: La Mirada Wedding

2010-10-27T11:03:00.000-07:00

It was one of those days.
The ones that it seems like you've been waiting for your entire life.
Casey and Elise had been planning their wedding day for over a year, and when it finally came, they were ready. So ready. It was a beautiful day full of personal touches that they spent so much time and energy putting together. Friends and family surrounded them and they committed their lives to each other.
It was a long time coming that finally came.
And it was beautiful.

Congratulations Casey and Elise! Thank you so much for inviting me in and making me a part of your friends and family and your special day! Special thanks to Megan for being an awesome second shooter!

I love that Elise took rainbow sandals and customized them herself!

Love this shot. Elise and her 2 sisters and her mother.

First look. Amazing.
Let me take a second to say that EVERYONE should do a first look. They day goes so much smoother! I have never had a bride wish they hadn't done this. As a bride to be myself, this is one thing I am DEFINITELY going to do!

You may remember Casey's tattoos from their engagement session. I adore these on his hands. I think they are not only a beautiful work of art, but for a wedding day, they couldn't be more perfect!

Seriously Elise? GORGEOUS!

This was the cutest moment. We were getting ready to head over to the ceremony and the little ring bearer jumped in the driver's seat with Elise. He was the perfect gentleman :)

Elise is a super talented graphic designer (she designed my logo!) and she definitely had a hand in their programs!

I think the first dance pictures are among my favorites of wedding photos.

There were so many stories and so much laughter during the toasts.

Congratulations Casey and Elise!

***Side note unrelated to Casey and Elise's wedding*** You may have noticed changes to my branding and logo placement over the last few blogs. I've been playing around with different ideas of how to watermark my images. I often see my images in other places around the web. I have no problem with people using my images for personal use. That is why I don't block the blog from copying photos. I especially want my clients to have access to their photos for facebook or myspace or any other personal use before they receive their disc. However, I have seen my photos many times with the logo cropped out. That is why I have been posting my logo right ON the photo lately. But I've decided that it is too distracting to the actual photo. So I would ask that anyone who wishes to use my photos for personal use PLEASE leave them as they are here on my blog. If you want to do otherwise, please contact me for permission. These images are copyright Diandra Ann Photography and should be labeled as so. Feel free to post with a link back to my site! Thanks friends :)

Learning to Juggle

2010-10-25T16:00:00.001-07:00

I've written and re-written the opening to this post like 10 times. I keep writing and deleting, writing and deleting. I can't seem to form words.

I started writing this blog almost 2 years ago. This will be my 348th post. Which means that I've written on average about every other day. That blows my mind. Because so many times I feel like I really have no words. Right now... this time in my life... is one of those times.

I started this blog for several reasons. I wanted to track my progress in my photography journey. I had NO CLUE what I was doing when I started this blog... I wanted to remember my joys and successes, but also my heartbreaks and failures. Not only in Photography, but in life. This blog, while business related, is not my business. It is a personal record. I am grateful for the support and the readers that I have... and I adore getting feedback and comments. But that is not why I blog. I blog to remember where I've been. So that I don't forget where I came from. So that I can move forward.

I'm not just a photographer.
I'm a daughter...
...a friend...
...a youth pastor...
...an artist...
...a fiance...
... and so much more than that.

Life seems to be a balancing act.
Or maybe it's better said that it's a juggling act.
A constant process to keep several balls in the air at one time.
Have you ever watched someone juggle?
Someone who has been doing it for years can sometimes make it look easy.
And yet, even they drop a ball every now and then.
But have you ever watched someone who is just learning to juggle?
The can't seem to catch 2 balls in a row to save their life!
And their bodies are flailing all over the place in hopes of catching the stray balls.
Most of the time... they end up dropping them all.

I feel a little like a person learning to juggle.
I'm struggling to keep all the balls in the air at the same time.
And failing.

I know I am behind on blogging.
I have SO MANY things to blog... but I seem to keep dropping that ball.

Some of you who have followed my blog know that I am engaged to a soldier.
Currently, he is overseas... fighting a war.
And that ball feels like less like a tennis ball and more like a 20 pound medicine ball.

If I were to be honest, I would say that I feel a bit out of control right now.
I'm getting things done... but half of my heart is gone.
And it hurts.
Sometimes I feel like crying.
Sometimes I feel like giving up...
Like crawling in bed and sleeping for the next year.
But I don't give up...
And I get out of bed...
And somehow I find a way to hold it together.
I pick up the ball I dropped...
And I start to juggle again.

And each time, I pick up a ball...
I get a little better at juggling.

Photos by Love Ala.

BRAND NEW SITE!

2010-10-05T16:38:00.000-07:00

Oh man can we say Indecisive?
I sure can.
Or maybe I'd rather say that I can't make up my mind.
Then again, I can be a bit indecisive.

But really.

I feel like my website has changed about as much as my hair color! Which, if you know me, is quite often.

But then Show it (the company I use for my website) launched this brand new, super cool set of designs by Promise Tangeman. I adore Promise. I think she is amazing at what she does. I've even toyed with the idea of looking into having her design a site for me. So when I saw this, I was so excited. I immediately looked into it and immediately fell in love with one specific design. Lucky for me it was the one already on show it! And so, I began to tweak and play with it.

There is something super addicting about website design... at least for me. I start working on it and I just. Can't. Stop. So only a couple of days later, I am ONCE AGAIN launching a new website and blog.

But this one...
This one feels like me.

I may play around with a few things here or there, but I think this one is here to stay.
At least for now.
Probably.
:)
Indecisive.
Told you!

Check it out and let me know what you think!

Oh and did you notice the blog matches too?? YAY!

One-on-one Mentoring (Huntington Beach Everyday: Nicole)

2010-10-04T20:08:00.000-07:00

I had no CLUE what I was doing.
I had a new camera, and a passion.
But NO knowledge... no prior experience... and no idea what to do.

When I was given my very first camera, I never DREAMED that that passion would take on a life of its own and eventually become a full fledged business. One of the most common questions I get is how did I get started. And while I've attempted to answer this question more than once... it is so hard for me to really explain, because I honestly believe that much of my success is due to a few key people in my life who invested in me. People who believed in me more than I believed in myself. Fellow photographers that had nothing to gain by helping me, but did it anyway. To this day I wonder why. I just feel incredibly blessed that a few people took it upon themselves to be kind and helpful and encouraging. I am where I am today, largely due to their wisdom.

Lately I've gotten several emails asking me if I've considered doing a workshop, or if I might be offering one soon. I am completely BLOWN AWAY by just that simple request! It makes me feel incredibly honored and blessed to do what I do. I love this amazing network of photographers that is Southern California! And while I am not yet at a place where I am ready to offer workshops... I am looking at the possibility of developing a one-on-one mentoring type of thing.

I gave it a little test drive with two very special girls who are a regular part of my life. They have both expressed an interest in starting their own businesses, and so I made them my guinea pigs :) Special thanks to Crystal and Shirley for helping me develop what could end up being a really cool thing!

I set up a special shoot with my gorgeous friend and past bride, Nicole. She was a fabulous sport and a beautiful model! In addition to shooting, I video taped some special FAQ answers that I will be sharing here on my blog. I hope that by offering these sessions and by posting some videos and answers to questions, I can give back even a small percentage of the help that has been given to me!

I wanted to share some of the photos from our session because... well... Nicole is gorgeous.

You may also notice that the last few blogs I've changed my logo/watermark a little bit. I've been playing around with different branding... working on some new projects! Diandra Ann Photography is in a big transition place right now! Pretty excited about what is to come!!!

Green Wedding Shoes!

2010-10-01T10:59:00.000-07:00

Soooo...

I am SO excited to share a very special feature with you today!

It's not the typical feature of my own photography... but this time it's photos of us!

The engagement photos that Jordana of Hazelnut Photography took of Javi and me are currently featured on Green Wedding Shoes! A HUGE thanks to all who made this shoot possible:

Photography: Hazelnut Photography
Concept/Design: Carter and Cook Event Co.
Cake Lollipops: Sweet and Saucy Shop
Hair Piece: Lo Boheme

Make sure to check out the feature to see more!
And if you are interested in my wedding planning adventure... you can check that out here:

Chris and Erinn: San Juan Capistrano Everyday

2010-09-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

I first met Chris and Erinn a couple of years ago. It was a difficult time in my life, and I was just at the point where I'd decided I really wanted to pursue photography. I was hoping to learn anything and everything I could from the people around me. I followed Chris' blog back when he was Chris Austin Photography, and Erinn's blog too. One day he announced a Trash the Dress shoot they were putting together, and I decided that I wanted to go. But at the time, I couldn't afford to go as a photographer, so I emailed Chris asking if they needed girls with dresses. I figured I had a dress... that I would never use again, and really had some bad feelings towards... so why not trash it? And I did. And it was awesome. And I stayed in touch with Chris and Erinn.

They are now White Haute Photography (and Erinn is still E.D. Austin Photography). But they are still as amazing as ever! They are seriously two of the sweetest people I have ever met. I am fortunate not only to get to work with them from time to time but also to call them friends. Chris and Erinn took some pictures for me a while back, so when Chris sent me a message asking about photos of the two of them, I couldn't have been more excited to return the favor.

We headed out to San Juan Capistrano and had a great time shooting! Here are some of my favorites. And lots of fun details! :)

Okay Erinn... you are NOT allowed to say you aren't photogenic anymore!

I love the thought that was put into their props! It added so much!

The tagline for White Haute Photography is "Vintage Modern". I think they did a great job incorporating that into our shoot.

Vintage Modern at its best :)

Chris has got hops!

Unexpected Happies.

2010-09-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

Unexpected Happies.
Yes, it may be incorrect grammar.
Maybe "Happies" isn't even a word.
But today I am feeling unexpected happies in my stomach.

My fiance is in the Army and about to be deployed overseas. He's been across the country training and preparing, and we've said good bye more than once. Here's the thing... the Army doesn't always seem so organized. My mom often says they need a wedding planner... someone to get them organized and make sure everything is done on time. Because so far, we've said good bye three times. Three times.

It's about to be four.

Hence the unexpected happies.
Because rather than think about the good bye that is coming...
I'm thinking about the hello.
Because I get four more days with him before he leaves.
And for that, I am happy.
Really really happy.

Inspiration

2010-09-22T06:06:00.000-07:00

I blogged a little video a few days back about inspiration.
I mentioned that I would like to expand a little more on this in a later post.
Welcome to that post :)

Inspiration comes in so many forms.
I am inspired by music videos (just today Sugarland's new video inspired me to paint my fingernails bright pink!), billboards, advertisements, other photographers, fashion magazines, and people in general. I have also been known to be inspired by a google search every now and then.

That's what happened last week. I was searching for some specific images and I happened to come across this:

And I fell in love...

I adore everything about this picture. I couldn't find ONE THING that I didn't like. I was inspired :)

So during a shoot last week, I asked Nicole if I could try a specific shot that I'd been wanting to try. But here's the fabulous thing about inspiration... it's not the same as the original. Normally I wouldn't share several shots that are this similar, but I love how this one photo inspired so many photos that are similar and yet sooo different.

Ed and Heidi: Fullerton Wedding

2010-09-20T21:50:00.000-07:00

It was hot.
And sunny.
But Heidi and Ed were glowing... and not because of the heat.
They were glowing because it was the day they would be married.
Husband and Wife.
Together.
Forever.
And for them... even the heat couldn't put a damper on the day.

We did everything out of order, changed the plan and location, and ended up with a gorgeous day, an awesome venue, and stunning photos.

Here are just a few of my favorites!

We did their first look first. Like RIGHT at the beginning. I've never done that before, but it ended up working out perfectly! And lets just say... first looks are the BEST!

Lots of fun details!

Ed and Heidi are both big baseball fans... and I love how they incorporated that. The ring bearer carried this baseball glove with their rings tied to a baseball instead of a regular ring pillow!

And are you kidding me with those cute little princess Belle dresses?

So many great places to take pictures of Ed and Heidi at the venue!

Heidi and Ed... you guys even make walking across the street look good :)

I kind of love cupcakes at weddings... it's like individual little cakes of goodness! :)

Father/Daughter dances get me. Every. Single. Time.

And I'll leave you with a shot from their first dance. Love it.

Teaser: Chris and Erinn: San Juan Capistrano Everyday

2010-09-16T12:54:00.001-07:00

I know there have been a TON of teasers on here lately... and there's another one coming after my shoot today :) But I promise there will be full posts soon!

AND... the teasers are fun right? So here's a little peak of a shoot I did last week with Chris and Erinn Austin of White Haute Photography. They're pretty awesome behind the camera, but I think they were SUPER awesome in front of it! More coming soon! Their shoot was way fun! If you follow me on twitter, you probably saw one of these the night after the shoot. I am going to be posting FASTER sneak peaks from shoots on twitter, so if you are interested, make sure you follow me!

Teaser: Ed and Heidi: Fullerton Wedding

2010-09-12T22:17:00.000-07:00

7 degrees of separation.
They say everyone is connected by only 7 people.
And sometimes that means you book a wedding.

I was SO excited when Heidi and Ed contacted me to shoot their wedding. Turns out we are connected by only 2 people! And it was meant to be, because on semi-short notice, I happened to be available for their holiday weekend wedding!

Their day was wonderful and a total blast and I cannot wait to share the rest of the pictures with you, but for now, a little teaser!

I have lots of fun stuff... teasers and full posts coming up. I am giddy. Like seriously. I cannot WAIT to share all of the fabulousness that has been going on over here!

PS... fabulousness is totally a word. Unlike "photogooey" which I accidentally saved into my autocorrect on my phone (do not ask me HOW that happened) and now shows up every time I try to type "photoshoot". Just so you know.

FAQ Video Blog #2

2010-09-11T12:25:00.000-07:00

So for those of you who patiently watched my entire video blog a couple of days ago... here is part 2.
A little shorter.
Just as many "ums".
Just as much arm flailing.

The answer that you will hear is in response to several questions about where I get inspiration from and what my style is. I get these questions a lot it seems... but I've kind of avoided them because they are so difficult to answer and nail down.

I may do a follow up post to this. As I say at the beginning of the video... I've seen different answers to this question (in different forms) on many blogs recently. I think it is something good to think about as photographers and I think it is good to always be looking for new inspiration and ideas.

Enjoy!

Oh and please ignore the first sentence or two. It was left over from the last FAQ and I couldn't get rid of it :) Still learning to use this little flip!

Her Wedding.

2010-09-07T17:33:00.000-07:00

I picked her up in my jeep.
I was nervous and wondered if she'd hate it.
Because after a ride in the jeep, your hair is always messy.
I wondered if she was a messy hair kind of girl.

We spent the day at Disneyland, messy hair and all.
We stood in long lines, rode rides, and talked.
And talked...
And talked some more.

It was then that I heard about this boy.
His name was Matt.

The rest is history.
Today she is marrying that boy and I couldn't be happier for them!

I had another blog planned...
But as I sit here, writing on my wedding photography blog, all I can think about is her wedding, and her marriage, and the start of something amazing.

THAT is why I do what I do. Because weddings aren't just about a day to look pretty...
They aren't about all the details and the shoes and the dress and the venue.
Weddings are about new beginnings... about the start of a new life together... and for some, a second chance, for others a long time promise finally fulfilled. Weddings are about love.

So to Bianca and Matt...
I know your day will be amazing.
I know it will be beautiful and personal and special.
But even more than today... I know that the rest of your lives together are going to be incredible.
Congratulations!
Love you both!

FAQ Video blog part 1

2010-09-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

I typically think of myself as a creative person.
You have to be to do what I do, right?
Well today I attempted being creative with my post by doing a video.

What I discovered is that I am not only creative...
But I apparently like to talk.
Even when no one is ACTUALLY listening.
I talked for 15 minutes in response to a couple of questions!

So I've split it into two posts so as not to bore you with my voice all at once :) I'll post the next video in a day or two.
Sorry if I say "um" and if I sound weird, or wave my arms around a lot.
But here I am. Uncut :)

***Note: For some reason when I made this I was convinced that it was OCTOBER??? And it's taken me several days to actually get the video uploaded (hey, it's my first time!) so I apologize for the date at the beginning that is completely wrong.***

Teaser: Hunter and Mark: Malibu wedding

2010-08-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

I'm in the process of planning my own wedding.
And there are days (already!) when I think I would love to just take off and go to Vegas to get married. It would just be so simple! But then I think about all of our family and how much they would miss being a part of things. And then I continue planning.

Hunter and Mark had the best of both worlds... a small family wedding by the beach and a DIY reception at an estate in Malibu.

Thanks Jordana for letting me second shoot with you!

Here's a little preview of the wedding goodness to come :)

FAQ: Engagement Sessions

2010-08-27T23:24:00.000-07:00

I have expensive taste.

It's kind of become a running joke amongst my family and my fiance that given a choice between two items, I will inevitably pick the most expensive one. Not on purpose... it's just how I am.

BUT... I love a bargain.
Seriously.

There are some things I am willing to splurge for, but I would much rather find it on sale! Buy one get one free... 50% off... buy this, get that... You name it... if it's on sale, I need it!

Soooo... I think free engagement sessions are a FANTASTIC deal!
I mean, how much better can you get then free? Well, unless I pay YOU.

One of the questions I get asked the most is "Do I have to do an engagement session?"
The answer of COURSE is no.
But I think you should.
I think you should SO MUCH that I do them for FREE if I am shooting your wedding!

Engagement photos are definitely one of my very favorite things to shoot. There's excitement and love without pressure. Without other people. Without guests and time constraints. Just you, your fiance, and your love story.

Often times, the engagement session is the first time I get to spend time with my bride and groom. I get to hang out with you, hear your story, see your interaction... but even more than that, it's often the first time my bride and groom have gotten to spend time with ME. You get to see how I work... how I shoot. That way, when it is time for your wedding, we are old friends! And we know what to expect and how things will work. It just makes the wedding day run even more smoothly!

Not only that, but how fun is it having engagement pictures??? There are so many fun things you can do with engagement photos on your wedding day. Here's the thing... Since I've been a photographer, I've always been a photographer. But now I'm a bride. As I'm planning my wedding, I am sooooo excited about all of the ways I am going to use our engagement pictures. Guest books, slideshows, save the date cards, decorations... There are so many options!

Okay, so you've decided to do an engagement session (And I am jumping up and down with excitement). Now what? Where do we go? What do you wear? And what is it going to be like?

I want your engagement session to be about YOU! I want it to show off your personality and who you are as a couple. Did you meet in high school? Awesome! Let's shoot there! Do you love to go hiking? Perfect, we can shoot on the side of a mountain! Do you love to read together? Cool... we'll hit the library! There are so many choices of locations... and it doesn't have to be where your best friend had their photos taken. It should be uniquely yours!

So you've got the perfect location in mind... but what to wear? Well what did you wear last Saturday on date night? Because that would be perfect! You don't have to wear perfectly matching outfits. In fact, it's usually better if you don't! Wear what you are comfortable in, making sure to coordinate but not be too matchy matchy. Think about your venue and how you want your photos to feel.

You've dressed to impress, you've picked a venue that you love and we are getting ready to shoot. What now? RELAX! Have fun! Be yourself! Love each other. That's it. No joke! It's THAT easy! And don't worry, I will help you out :) You don't have to just KNOW what to do.

My fiance and I took our enagement photos just a couple of weeks ago. The amazing Jordana of Hazelnut photography shot our session and it was amazing! One of our favorite things to do together is to ride Javi's motorcycles. So naturally, we took one with us! You will notice that in this picture, he is wearing a t-shirt. Nothing fancy... just a t-shirt. That's what he wears. So that's what he wore. I love this picture because it's us. It's not someone else's idea of who we should be.

Everyday: Sarah, Portland Oregon

2010-08-23T13:21:00.000-07:00

Oh life.
I don't know how many times or how many ways I can say it, but sometimes life gets in the way of blogging. Ironically when I'm the busiest, I seem to have the hardest time blogging. The last few weeks have been crazy busy. I said good bye to my fiance for the next year as he heads off to fight a war. (I'm blogging about that, and my upcoming wedding here: http://www.girlplansawedding.blogspot.com/)

Now it's time to catch up on all the stuff I haven't shown you yet! I'm so excited about some of the gorgeous shoots I will be sharing in the upcoming weeks! Starting with Miss Sarah!!!

When another Photographer contacts me to take photos, I am both flattered and nervous. So when I tweeted that I would be in Oregon and I wanted to shoot up there, I couldn't have been more excited.

Sarah of Yellow Eleven Photography drove 2 hours to meet up with me and then spent another couple of hours driving around an unfamiliar area to both of us. Thanks to my cousin, James, for helping us scout locations. I love the way these came out. Sarah, you are amazing and beautiful and you rocked it! I hope you love these pictures!

Live, Laugh, Love.

2010-08-11T00:20:00.000-07:00

3 simple words.
We forget them so quickly.
Live.
Laugh.
Love.

The last week has flown by in a blur. Javi is home on leave for only 2 short weeks.
We're halfway done.
Then he will be gone for an entire year.
400 days.

It seems like a lifetime.

So I am reminding myself of those three things.

To live.
Live every day to the fullest.
Live like it's your last day.
Live in the moment.

To laugh.
Laugh at your own jokes.
Laugh even when no one else is.
Laugh when you don't feel like it.
Laugh until you cry.

And to love.
Love without boundaries.
Love without holding back.
Love with all of your heart.

I'm reminding you all today to Live.
To Laugh.
And to Love.
But I'm also reminding myself.
Because life is short.

For more on me and Javi and our upcoming wedding... head over here: www.girlplansawedding.blogspot.com

YES!

2010-07-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

I've never been a fairy tale kind of girl.
Fairy tales have never ended well for me.
But I feel a little like a princess in a dream at the moment.

My love story has been a roller coaster of ups and downs and twists and turns.
But just like the very best love stories in life... it has a happy ending.

Well... a happy beginning of the end I suppose.

I am ENGAGED!!!

Not to prince charming... or my "knight in shining armor"...
But to my very best friend.

I am so excited to start a life together and to finally marry my best friend.

I know I am going to be tempted to blog about my wedding planning process and all the stuff going on with Javier as he gets deployed... I also know that this may not be of interest to everyone who reads my blog. I know some of you are photographers, some of you are brides, some of you are potential clients, some of you are just reading for fun. Maybe some of you will find my upcoming wedding of interest, but many of you may not care so much. So I have started a BRAND NEW BLOG that I am super excited about! I've been posting mysterious comments on facebook about it, and the launch day is FINALLY here! I will be blogging on that blog on a regular basis about the wedding planning process, and loving someone who is deployed.

So to read more, you can check out my NEW blog HERE: Girl plans a wedding

Jean and Justin: Temecula Wedding

2010-07-29T10:26:00.000-07:00

I love to second shoot.
Have I mentioned that?
Because I do. If I could do just that for the rest of my life, I might be super happy :)
I especially love to second shoot when I get to hang out with a fabulous friend all day!

For this gorgeous wedding, I had the privilege of second shooting for one of my favorite people, Ala. I had a blast, and I LOVE some of the images that came out of it. Hope you enjoy them too.

Gorgeous little flower girl.

I love the little flower girl watching the bride get ready. Dreaming of her day? :)

Proud parents.

Could they be any more gorgeous? Seriously.

Favorite.

First dance.

Jean's dad was so sweet and proud and loving. I love these of their dance.

Dancing the night away.

I wanted to take them home with me. No joke.

FAQ: What's in my bag?

2010-07-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

Twitter.
It's taken the world by storm.
And now it has taken over my house!!!

It started with my mom. Then my dad (I thought pigs were beginning to sprout wings at this point). And today... my grandmother tweeted. On twitter.

Pigs have sprouted wings and are flying freely throughout the air.

Social networking is really an amazing thing. I am grateful for the conversations that it has opened up. One of the questions that comes up routinely in those conversations is some form of "What's in your bag?"

So here it is.

I shoot with a Canon 5d. I ADORE it. It was given to me as a very generous gift and I am totally blessed by it! Seriously, it has made a huge difference in the quality of my photos.

I would like to take a minute and say this. I personally do not think you need a 5d to be a professional. I shot my first couple of weddings, and several sessions with a Canon Rebel Xti. Then I upgraded to a Canon 20d. I shot with that for a long time (it's still my back up), and then a Canon 30d. I thought I would shoot with that forever. I did notice a difference in the quality of my shots when I upgraded to the 5d, but the biggest difference I noticed is that my lenses are actually true to what they're supposed to be, because the 5d is full frame.

I adore prime lenses. I shoot 99% of my engagement and other sessions with my 50mm 1.4. I also use this for probably 80% of my weddings. It is for sure my favorite lens. I use it for ceremony shots, a huge portion of my portrait shots, and even some reception shots.

I also use an 85mm 1.8. I use this for close ups during portraits, and some during the ceremony. I also love it for a few first dance shots. It is good for low lit receptions if you want to get a little tighter on the bride and groom.

The newest lens I have come to love is the 28mm 1.8. This is great for "scene setting" shots. It's also a great one for large families!

I am a BIG advocate for prime lenses. I prefer them over any other lens. I would rather move my feet than zoom my lens. I have found that this has really changed the way I shoot. I love it.

I do occasionally use a 70-200 at weddings, and although I have heard some wedding photographers say this is a MUST HAVE if you will be shooting weddings, I have shot entire weddings without using it once.

On my wish list are the 15mm fish eye lens and the 100mm macro lens. I am looking forward to getting both of those at some point!

Lenses, and even camera bodies, are really a matter of preference. Like everything else. I would strongly suggest renting equipment before buying it, because it gets expensive and you want to be sure you are going to like what you are investing in.

Just for fun, here's a picture that my cousin, James, caught of me when I was shooting Sarah last week in Oregon.

Camp Counselor Diandra

2010-07-20T08:56:00.000-07:00

This week I am gone... AGAIN!

I know it seems that I have been incredibly busy... which is probably because I have been!

But this week I am taking off and heading into the mountains.
Without my big camera.
Without internet.
Without my ipod.
Without my laptop.

Just me, the wilderness and a whole bunch of teenagers!
I'm spending the week being a counselor at camp for teens. I do this two times a year and I adore it. I look forward to it every year. I'll admit it feels a little odd leaving technology at home, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

There will be blogs posting while I'm gone (see how I plan ahead??). I'll be returning emails and such when I get back next week!

Have a fantastic week!

Shadows of me and some of the teens :)

Everyday: Doug: Cerritos Lifestyle

2010-07-18T08:22:00.000-07:00

He believes in me.
He always has.

Doug and I work together, but in the nine years I've known him, he's been a friend... family.
He's made me laugh, made me think, encouraged me, and challenged me.

He asked me to take a few pictures of him with one of his guitars for a special project. Doug leads worship at our church, and he's a fabulous guitar player. I was so excited to get some great shots of him with his guitar. We didn't shoot long, only a few minutes. And it was the middle of the day. The sun was really bright and high, but we made the most of it.

This isn't a full session, but I love the photos that we ended up with. And I love how sitting in the same place, holding the same guitar, with the same clothes, we could get so many different shots!

Enjoy!

The name plate on it has the name of his late wife. I think its so cool!

Summertime is...

2010-07-16T08:06:00.000-07:00

...Wildflowers in the backyard...

...countless DVDs...

...endless games of Clue...

...lazy afternoon reading...

... bright sunny days...

...bare feet in the grass...

...hammocks in my grandma's back yard...

...vacation in Oregon.

Today I am getting on an airplane and heading back home to California after an amazing few days in Oregon at my grandparents' house. This is how I remember summer vacations... relaxing each summer in the backyard, playing board games and watching movies late into the nights. I am so thankful that at 25 I can still enjoy these times here with my family.

So what does summer mean to you? Share with me! I'll be sitting in an airport for a chunk of the day, and I'd love to hear your summer stories!

Everyday: Tommy and Palmer: Lakewood Pets

2010-07-15T18:57:00.001-07:00

I love little furry, four-legged children.
They are the only children I've ever had up to this point.
They can just do no harm! They are so stinkin cute and full of personality.
I love how dogs become part of the family.

Palmer and Tommy are definitely part of the family.
Palmer is a sweet natured, amazingly smart Black Lab, that carries grocery bags, picks up tools and hangs out with the Cat.
Tommy is a rambunctious, spunky French Bulldog that loves causing mischief... especially to Palmer.

A few of Palmer.

A few of Tommy:

And Tommy stirring up trouble. Palmer pouts.

Thanks to James and Kathleen who let me take pictures of their furry children!

80 Years Young

2010-07-13T18:25:00.000-07:00

80.

How does one even begin to sum up 80 years of life in only a few paragraphs? I've only known him for the 25 years I've been alive. And yet, I don't even know where to start.

Today my Gramps is 80 years young.
Not old.
Young.

Because at 80 years old, my Gramps is still as young as ever.

I can remember my Gramps and our adventures together from the time I was a very little girl. I don't always remember what was said, done, or taught... but I remember the way he always made me feel. Every memory with my Gramps is full of smiles, learning, laughter and love.

Even as a really little girl, my Gramps made a point to spend time with me. I was his only grandchild for 18 years, and I got lots of his attention :)

He read to me...

...Taught me to fish... in the grass!

...Took me across the country and showed me the sights...

One year, he dressed up as Santa Clause at Christmas time. I was only 3 years old, but I couldn't be fooled! I immediately knew it was my Gramps. Our family was shocked, but I knew my grandpa. I pulled on his beard, and sure enough!

Another time, he took me to the fair... carried me on his shoulders, lifted me up to see the animals, and bought me my very first cowboy hat.

I'm sure everyone thinks their grandpa is great. But mine is the very best. I am so grateful that today, on his 80th birthday, he is the same grandpa he's always been. He is still up and around and doing the things he loves to do. He is still hunting and fishing and camping and skiing and collecting rocks.

Today I went out in the front yard, and watched him work away on his boat. He's building some sort of contraption to attach to his boat. For catching crabs. He worked away, telling me step by step what he was doing and why it would work. And you know what? I think it will!

Gramps, I am so thankful for you. I am so glad that my childhood is filled with memories with you and that as an adult, I can do all kinds of fun things because you taught me. I am so glad that I know what a dredge is, and how to pan for gold, I am glad that I can fix anything with just a little super glue. I'm glad I can fly down a ski slope and not be afraid.. and that I can use a metal detector... you know, in case I ever lose something, or just want to hunt for treasures. Thank you for reading to me, and taking me to garage sales, and teaching me about rocks and animals. I am proud that you are MY Gramps. I love you!

Old Cameras, An Army Jacket, and a family history

2010-07-11T13:35:00.000-07:00

My grandpa was in the Coast Guard.
I've always known that, but I've never heard him talk about it much...
Until now.

During this trip to Oregon, I've heard more stories about my Grams and Gramps then all of the years I've been alive. It's been so fun to hear about how they were when they were young, how they met, and life back then. I have always been fascinated by the time period they lived through, and I have LOVED hearing about it first hand.

Yesterday just topped it all off with a trip to the Antique Show. It was so much fun walking around with my mom and my Grams, looking at all of the things that people used to use years and years ago... and finding treasures of my own.

Here are a few of the great things I found.

I collect old cameras... of all kinds. They don't have to be "vintage"... just old. Which is a little funny because some of the cameras I picked up yesterday were cameras my mom had when she was a kid. She couldn't quite wrap her brain around the fact that they could be "0ld".

I also found this really cool old camera box that I intend to use in my office. You know, to hold stuff.

And this super cool photography book from the 40's... AND this super cool, super old book of poetry (from 1818... it's mentioned in my favorite movie/book "The Notebook").

I also found this Army Jacket. I decided it would be cool to have an old Army jacket to wear... since Javi is in the Army... but all of them were so big. Because, you know, soldiers have a tendency to be a little larger than 5'2" 125lbs. And THEN... I found a real treasure. It's a women's jacket from the Army back before Vietnam. The guy said it would have been a nurse, because women back then weren't really anything else if they were in the Army.

I saw more pocket watches out there than I've ever seen before. I am oddly drawn to pocket watches. I have one at home that is beautiful and works wonderfully (thanks to vacation with Grams last year) but yesterday I got this broken face, and this other broken pocket watch. I'm sure there is a use for them.

I don't know what this necklace is from, but I love it. And I love it even more because it was only $2!

These stamps are going to be used in my upcoming photoshoot that I am so excited about. Jordana Hazel of Hazelnut Photography is going to be shooting, and Carter and Cook Event Co is doing an AMAZING job styling it! I can't wait to see how it comes out!

This compact? Gorgeous!

The night before we went to the antique show, my Grams was showing me an old ID bracelet that my Gramps had when he was in the service. It was so cool because you could open it up and put photos inside. I was SO EXCITED when I found one for myself!

I love that I was able to get a little piece of history. Each time I bought something, I thought about the people that had used it at one point in time... imagined who they were and what they did with it.

As I looked at all the old pictures throughout the show, I was reminded of what a gift I have been given in getting to record moments in time... moments that will one day be someone's history.

My Gramps in his Coast Guard uniform.

Teaser: Sarah: Portland, Oregon Everyday

2010-07-09T23:16:00.001-07:00

Today I had a FANTASTIC shoot with fellow Photographer, Sarah of Yellow Eleven Photography. She is based up here in Oregon, and it was an absolute blast to shoot her. I can't wait to share the whole session with you, but I wanted to post just a couple tonight because I know she'll be anxious to see them :)

A number 11. You know, like YellowELEVEN.

Yes, we stood in the middle of the street....

And yes, we went into a river...

I cannot wait to share more! Sarah, you were fabulous! And a special thank you to my wonderful cousin, James, who came along to help!

Oregon Bound

2010-07-08T16:35:00.000-07:00

I am in Oregon!

This is where I grew up, and where my family still lives. Next week is my grandpa's 80th birthday so my mom and I are here to celebrate! I will also be doing a couple of shoots, and hitting an antique show which I LOVE!

I'll be gone until July 24th, so blogs may be a little less regular while I'm out of the office. I'll be returning emails as I can and staying in touch as much as possible, but also enjoying this time with my family. Keep checking back on my blog, I anticipate quite a few personal blogs these next couple of weeks, but don't worry, there will be some fun shoots too!

Oh and did I mention how cool our airplane was? So cool.

A 4th of July Miracle

2010-07-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

Today I am thankful.
I am thankful to live in a country that is free.

And I am thankful to be alive.

Yesterday I was driving between Javier's house and the fireworks stand I'd been running to raise money for the teens at our church. I had an unfortunate accident and I am so thankful to be alive and well. Sort of well.

I don't remember a lot of the accident. Someone was coming over into my lane, and then I spun across 4 lanes of traffic and smacked into cement median. The airbag deployed... I couldn't hear anything for a few minutes and I was terrified. But I was alive. And nothing was bleeding or broken.

I am so thankful for the angels I know God had protecting me. Because there is no way I should be even close to okay. There is no way the car should not have been completely smashed in. But I am. And it isn't.

I am really sore but thankful.

I am also thankful to Javier. Because he let me borrow his car that day. And that may have saved my life. My jeep could have rolled, or flipped. I am thankful that even though he is sad for his car, he is thankful I'm okay. And not mad at me.

I am thankful today for another day of life.
I am thankful today that I can hug the people I love.
I am thankful today for the life and the freedom that I have.

Here is my reminder to love big everyday.

Behind the Scenes

2010-07-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

"A picture is worth a thousand words"... or so the saying goes.
I think a picture is worth a lot more than that.
Especially when it is a picture of a photographer.
Can we say blackmail??

Here's the thing. When I am shooting, I don't expect for my picture to be taken.
And add to that the fact that I am positioning yourself in ways to get the shot, and you create quite an interesting photograph.

I almost always shoot with a second shooter, so occasionally I get shots back that have me in the background. Or sometimes my second shooter will purposely get a shot of me. Ya know, just for fun.

I thought today I would post a few of the more acceptable photos of me in action.

Love Story: Casey and Elise: Norwalk Engagement (part 2)

2010-06-29T13:13:00.000-07:00

Today I am doing something I don't do very often.
Well, ever.
This is the first time I've done it.
I'm showing a part 2 of a session I blogged quite a while ago.

But I love it.
Casey and Elise are a FABULOUS couple and I can't WAIT to shoot their wedding in October.

Here are a few more shots that show exactly why they are so fabulous!

I love Casey's tattoos... especially this one.

Casey just happened to have this super cool cooler. Hello.

This picture was kind of a happy accident. And I love it.

Elise. Seriously. You are GORGEOUS!

My favorite.

Teaser: Jean and Justin: Temecula Wedding

2010-06-25T13:48:00.001-07:00

I adore second shooting.
I adore it even more when I get to shoot alongside a friend.
My friend Ala invited me to shoot alongside of her at a recent wedding and I couldn'd have had a better time!

Here is a little teaser:

Ala, please don't hate me for posting this picture. I think its gorgeous and adorable and totally you. I love how you always have fun when you shoot!

Jean, you are fab. And Justin... not so bad yourself :)

I am finding that I LOVE this kind of picture... I have seen several of them showing up in my shoots... without even meaning to!

Ala, thanks again for letting me shoot with you! I think it gets more fun each time!
More pictures coming soon!

Computer issues and Graduation

2010-06-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

It is a sad day.
My computer is in the hospital :(
Yesterday it kind of crashed. It wouldn't turn on.
So I am without a computer for a couple of days while our brilliant friend, James, fixes it all up.
I'm hoping to have it back by tomorrow so I can commence with blogging all of the fun shoots I have piling up.

On a personal note, last night I attended a high school graduation. Javier's son, Javier Jr, and Javier's niece, Crystal both graduated. I sat in those stands and remembered back to my graduation 7 years ago. It was a little surreal. I thought about all of my plans and hopes and dreams when I was only 17 and getting ready to take on the world. I am at such a different place at 25 then I ever thought I would be when I was 17. But I am so glad to be where I'm at!

Congratulations to all of the class of 2010. Especially Javvy and Crystal. I love you guys and I am soooo proud of you.

David and Krissy: Oakhurst Wedding

2010-06-22T11:16:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful sunny day.
A day that was a long time coming.
The girls were in the room of the church excitedly getting ready, while the boys began to arrive.
A perfect day for a wedding.

Krissy and David have known each other for years. Their families go way back several generations to when their grandfathers were pilots together in World War II. That's where the friendship started. Generations later, these 2 families that were first joined together by friendship, were united by marriage.

Krissy and David's day was full of love, memories, and a few tears. I am so glad I was able to be there to share it with them. A special thanks to my amazing second shooter Jamie. A couple of these shots are hers.

Krissy and David decided to do a First Look and I couldn't have been more excited. I think EVERY bride should do a first look... but that's just me :)

Krissy's sister passed away... so she and her 2 other sisters honored her memory. They each wore a ring honoring her, and each of their bouquets was ties with a piece of one of her t-shirts.

Love this shot of David seating his mom and dad.

Dreaming of her future wedding :)

Old letters between their grandparents.

A whole lot of new!

2010-06-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes life throws you curve balls.
I have felt like one big flying curve ball for the last several weeks.
It's like everything has all hit at once. I am trying to take things piece by piece... one by one... task by task... so that I don't get overwhelmed and buried.
But it's also very good news because I've been so busy. I have SO MANY things to blog... and I'll be working on getting them up on the blog in the next couple of weeks. I still have some exciting pieces of news to share... and I am gearing up for even more business. But I'm so blessed!

You may have noticed some changes to the blog. I have been working on re-branding and re-designing everything for the last several months. The blog is still a work in progress, but along with this, I have also launched a brand new website! Check it out at www.diandraann.com!!

I have to say a very special thank you to Show It. I've talked about it before, but for anyone who wants to do their own website, and have control, this is the very best way! I love Show It because I can change my mind. All. The. Time. It's fantastic.

I also want to say a very special thank you to my fantastic friend Ala, of LoveAla.com. She is FABULOUS! She took the photos that I used for my site of myself, and I couldn't love them more!

Chris and Erinn Austin of White Haute Photography get a big thank you as well for the photos they took of me a while back. A few of those are gracing the top of this blog.

Cant wait to share some awesome shoots with you over the next couple of weeks!

Happy Father's Day Dad!

2010-06-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

Today is Father's Day. It's the day we celebrate our dads. I have the best dad in the world. Seriously. I am so thankful that God gave me the dad he did. My dad is the kind of dad that every kid should get... If the world was perfect. In honor of this father's day, I wanted to share one of my memories of my dad.

When I was young... probably about 7 or 8. Maybe 10. My dad used to get up EARLY (like 5am) and go to the local YMCA to work out and play basketball (it was a small town). I was into basketball, and starting to play on competitive teams for kids. So one day, I asked if I could go with my dad to play in the morning. To my surprise, he said yes. So we went. And we played. And he did NOT go easy on me AT ALL. I don't think I scored one point that day. I'm not even sure I held the ball long enough to attempt to score a point. But that day taught me so much. And to this day, I hate when people take it easy on me. It also started many early mornings of playing basketball with my dad. And that spread to other activities. I am thankful that I was an only child and I got all of my dad's attention. I am thankful that I didn't have a brother that got to do all the "boy" stuff. I am thankful that my dad included me. Because of that, I am thankful to call my dad friend.

Thank you dad, for telling me jokes.
Thank you for making me laugh.

Thank you for always making me a priority,
Thank you for taking my phone calls during meetings, even when they were insignificant.

Thank you for tolerating all of the random animals I brought home...
Thank you for letting me keep a kitty cat outside... even though you were allergic.

Thank you for making me go to church, even when I didn't want to...
Thank you for teaching me that loving God is about more than just going to church.

Thank you for playing with me..
Thank you for pretending to like my dolls and my little ponies.

Thank you for passing on to me your love of sports, motorcycle riding, scuba diving, and all of the other fun things we like to do together.

Thank you for teaching me how to be competitive, without being mean.
Thank you for never going easy on me.

Thank you for loving me despite my weaknesses, and mistakes.
Thank you for always giving me a second chance.

Thank you for being my dad first, and my friend second...
And thank you for making such a big effort to be both.

I love you dad!
You are the best.
Happy Father's Day!

25

2010-06-19T22:07:00.000-07:00

Today, I am a quarter of a century.
It sounds so old...
So mature...
I'm 25 years old.

25 years ago, my mom was in labor for 28 hours, right in the middle of Wednesday night Bible study. I am thankful for that. For my mom and dad giving me life.

In honor of that... and of my birthday... my 25th birthday... I'd like to share with you, 25 things I am thankful for on my birthday.

1. My mom, who was in labor with me for 28 hours.
2. My dad, who was right there with her.
3. All of my wonderful amazing family who I couldn't love more.
4. Living in LA... land of sunshine, convertibles and lots of shopping!
5. Sweet Potato Fries. They are simply amazing.
6. American Eagle flip flops. I could live EVERY DAY in them.
7. Javier, the wonderfully amazing man that I get to call mine for the rest of my life.
8. 2 cute warm puppies that welcome me home everyday. And try to sleep on my face.
9. A growing business doing something I adore.
10. Fantastic friends that send me birthday messages all day long!
11. Shows like "Glee" that warm my heart and make me want to sing and dance.
12. Bianca, my amazing friend, that I can always count on to pray for me, even if it's 2am!
13. Twitter. Need I say more?
14. The OC Swap Meet. We spent a chunk of the day there and found great deals!!!
15. Airplanes. With all the traveling I'm doing this summer, I am so glad I can get there so fast!
16. An industry full of creative, friendly, helpful people.
17. Jeans. I have so many... and yet, I can always use "just one more"
18. Brown Hair dye. Otherwise I'd be a blonde!
19. Facebook. It's connected me with so many people I haven't seen in years!
20. Tom's Shoes. I can't stop wearing them! Now I want them in 10 colors! Especially silver...
21. Show It. If it weren't for this wonderful company, my website would be an expensive disaster. More about this coming tomorrow! :)
22. Cake Ball Lollipops. Melody of Sweet and Saucy Shop is amazing and these are HEAVEN!
23. Our armed forces. And the men and women who serve. And their families. Thank You.
24. Technology. As much as I hate it at times, it really makes my life easier. And better.
25. All of the blessings God has given me. All of the people, memories and gifts.

I am so thankful for the last 25 years of my life. And I am so excited to see what the next 25 hold! Here's to celebrating life. Every day. This photo was taken doing just that. We were celebrating my birthday before Javi had to leave. We took a motorcycle ride and this was the gorgeous view.

Featured: Wiley Valentine

2010-06-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

I LOVE seeing my work show up places. It is so fun to get that email telling me someone has seen one of my photos somewhere. It is fun to see what other people see in them, and I especially love when they are used on design and inspiration boards. The thought that my photo could inspire someone is one of the reasons I love doing this!

My friend Courtney (who has done hair and make up for me and my clients) is a guest blogger for Wiley Valentine the next couple of days. In yesterday's post, she featured a couple of my photos and I was thrilled and honored! Make sure you check their blog and hers too! Lots of inspiration!

Birthday Week

2010-06-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

It's finally here.
My very favorite time of year!

It's my birthday week!!!
I have found in the years of celebrating my birthday week (and encouraging my friends and family to do the same) that many people do not fully understand the wonderfulness that is a birthday week.

Maybe it comes from being an only child...
Or maybe it's just me.
But I love a celebration!

So in honor of turning a quarter of a century on Saturday (my actual birthday is June 19th), I will be spending this week with my friends and family and making sure to do at least one fun thing a day!

I have soooo much to blog, and I'll be blogging it all soon! A couple of weddings, a funky engagement session, seniors, and a very special personal blog complete with something sparkly! :) In the mean time, follow me on twitter, or "like" me on facebook (or be my friend!) to keep up with the day to day!

Today I am celebrating with Javier since he will be missing my actual birthday (ah the Army life).

And speaking of Javier... here is a little video we made of our last trip to Disneyland. Because, you know, life is worth celebrating :)

You'll have to excuse my horrible taping skills. I can't seem to get a person in the frame. Guess I'm better with a camera...

Prom

2010-06-09T18:08:00.000-07:00

I still remember my senior prom.
I didn't take a date...
In fact I wasn't planning to go at all.
At the last minute, my friend's date cancelled on her and she was left with an extra ticket. So the week of prom, I borrowed a dress, had a friend do my hair and make up, and headed out with my girl friends.
It seems as though prom has come a long way in only a few short years (hey I'm not that old!). Or maybe it was just me. But it is a BIG DEAL!
Javier's son had his senior prom this year, and so I ventured out to take some pictures of him and his group of friends. It was something different than I'd ever done, but I think they came out pretty good!

Javvy, Tracy, Moises, Lorraine, Nick and Liz... you guys are awesome! And you looked pretty darn fantastic too! Thanks for workin it!

We started off with some fun group shots:

Then some of just the girls...

And a few of the boys... being boys...

Of course we had to get shots of each couple.

I loved that Nick and Liz kept stopping me with ideas.

You guys are amazing.

A vacation from blogging... and from California

2010-06-07T22:31:00.000-07:00

I think I set a new record.
I think this may be the very longest time I have ever gone without blogging.
It's been more than a week.
I thought it was time I fill you in on my life and why I've been absent :)

Remember Javier?
Did I mention that he is in the Army Reserves?
Well he is. And he is about to deploy and go overseas for a year.
Yes, a year.
I am so proud of this man, for giving up a year of his freedom to fight for mine...
But I am going to miss him.
SO MUCH.

So I've taken the last 2 weeks to really soak up the time with him and make memories.
Because now he's gone. He'll be training out of state all summer, and then in a few months he'll be leaving for a whole year.

As much as I love to blog... and I love to write, and update with photos and funny stories, and little random things about life and love... sometimes real life gets in the way. And by gets in the way, I mean it takes priority. This was one of those times. Javi was my priority... spending time with him was so important. Because my blog will be here for the next year and a half... Javier won't be.

Hug your families. Tell the people you love that you love them. Take a day off. Relax. Soak up life and enjoy things the way they are RIGHT NOW, because tomorrow doesn't always go the way we originally planned. Sometimes that means saying good-bye... or see you later.

This weekend I flew out to Texas with him for an Army Yellow Ribbon Ceremony. The Army sent Soldiers who are about to deploy and family members out to Texas for a day of information. Lots of information.

It was a long day, and a lot of information, but I was glad to be there to support Javier and to be a little more well informed of what is going to happen over this time. Here are a few shots from my time here in Texas.

The Military USO at the airport is the coolest idea. Ever.

I'm amazed at the amount of bags they carry. I could hardly pick up just the back pack!

Our flight got in at an odd time, so we waited in the airport for the shuttle for probably about 3 hours. We were with a few other guys, including the Sergent in charge who told us all kinds of crazy stories. It was definitely interesting.

As we were waiting, one of the guys noticed David Robinson from the San Antonio Spurs. So of course we took pictures with him! He was so nice and let us all take a picture.

Nothing like a 7 foot 1 inch tall man to make you feel short...

Army life.

A group of us was walking back from lunch. All of the guys had their uniforms on. We walked past a family sitting on a bench (see below, bottom right). The lady that was in the group came walking up to us with her little boy (pictured) walking behind her. She said, "Excuse me, but my son wanted me to ask you if you are real soldiers." At this, the little boy began to jump up and down and clap his hands. Javier replied with "Yes we sure are!" and the little boy got even more excited. He shook each of their hands, and as we began to walk away, I heard him saying to his mom, "I knew it! I knew they were soldiers!" It was so cool to see them impact that little boy's day! I bet he'll be a soldier himself one day!

Formation was done in the parking garage of the hotel where the meetings were held.

Love this shot.

My hair was nice and curled before we walked outside... but it was so humid that nothing lasted long out there! I couldn't believe how humid it was!

The Riverwalk in San Antonio. One of the coolest places. Ever.

I adore this picture of Javi. It was really dark outside, but I like the grain and I just like it. I don't know why. I just do. So here it is :)

He loves me :)

I'm in El Paso now, visiting my cousin Holly. I'll be here until Friday, so I have a little more limited access to the internet than usual. So I'll be back to blogging, but it will probably still be light the rest of the week! And I am out of the office, so if you have tried to reach me and haven't heard back yet, I will be catching up on emails and everything as soon as I'm back!

Love Story: Casey and Elise: Norwalk Engagement

2010-05-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, we used to take long road trips to visit family in Northern Oregon. We would do all kinds of things to stay entertained. The alphabet game... a fun game we played with rolls of coins... and my favorite (and my dad's LEAST favorite) was the "slug bug" game. You know, the one where you conk someone in the arm when you see a volkswagon?

When Casey and Elise first met with me about their wedding, we talked about all kinds of things, including Casey's love for cars. And oh yeah... his Volkswagon bus that he was totally restoring. I immediately knew I would be THRILLED to include it in our shoot, and I was so excited when I discovered they wanted to as well!

Some of my favorite photos I've ever taken are in this set. I adore his Bus! And these shots. Hope you like them too!

On the other side

2010-05-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

As a child... I was far from camera shy.
Being the only child... I was used to being the center of attention.
As an adult, I love being in front of my OWN camera... I take cheesy pictures holding my own camera and whoever happens to be beside me all the time.
But when it comes to being in front of someone ELSE'S camera... especially a big one... with changeable lenses... well then I get nervous.
But being in front of the camera has taught me SO MUCH about shooting... and it challenges me.
Every.
Single.
Time.
So once again I stepped out of my comfort zone and in front of a camera.
Jasmine Star's camera.

We had a blast being bridesmaids and enjoying this styled shoot put together by some AMAZING vendors. It has been featured on Style Me Pretty, so make sure you check that out for more photos, as well as all of these amazing vendor's sites:

Designed by : Heavenly Blooms, Oh Lovely Day, and In The Now Weddings
Paper Goods: In The Now Weddings
Florals: Heavenly Blooms
Hair/Makeup: Flawless Faces
Desserts: Jay's Catering
Tiered Cake: Sweet and Saucy Shop
Linens and Backdrops: Glow Concepts
Dress: Dolly Couture
Hair Pieces: Lo Boheme
Jewelry: All Things Tinsel, Angel Black Designs, and Renee Pawele Bride
Furniture: Luxe Event Rentals
Other Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Photography: Jasmine Star

It was an amazing shoot so you have to check it out... but here are a couple of the shots that I took from their sites :)

Priorities, People and Pedicures

2010-05-21T23:55:00.000-07:00

Thursday night as I sat in my weekly class, something that was said offhandedly smacked me right in the face.

People are more important than tasks.

I know it seems obvious...
but how many times do we get caught up in massive "to do" lists, and neglect the people that are right in front of us?
I am often guilty of this...
of getting stressed with all of the millions of things I just HAVE to get done, and forgetting to enjoy the moments with the people I love.

About a year ago, Javier joined the Army Reserves.
Already, he is about to deploy.
In a very short time he'll be leaving for training, and then off to Iraq.
For a year.
I have so few moments left with him before he is gone for quite a while. So I want to be sure that the next couple of weeks, I spend as many of those fleeting moments enjoying life with him as possible.
Because the fact is, that in a couple short weeks, my "to do" list will still be here.
But my boyfriend won't.

So please hang tight with me, and forgive me if my blog posts are few and far between for the next couple of weeks. I promise that I will come back to it :)

For now, I'll leave you with a couple of things that I am loving right now!

1. Brown Hair and Bangs
I am naturally blond. But I decided I wanted a change :) I've been brunette for a while now, and I think it will stick! I also recently cut bangs... but I love that I can still pull them back! Hair is so fun! (PS.. this was taken with my Palm Pre, not my Canon)

2. Pedicures and Manicures... especially RED!
I don't always get my nails done... but every now and then, I love getting a manicure and pedicure... and there's something about BRIGHT nails that just makes me kind of happy! (Photo also taken with my Palm Pre).

3. Sparklies...
See above photo :) I absolutely adore sparkle. This has not always been the case. My mother worried about me as a child... she worried that her love of all things bling would not be passed on to her one and only daughter. But sure enough... if it sparkles... I love it :)

4. Etsy Military Necklace
I ordered a personalized one for myself (this photo was taken off her site... this one isn't mine) and I love it! I love anything personalized, so this was super fun for me! And very affordable. Everyone who has a loved one in the military should go there quick and get one!!!

5. Grey's Anatomy
I am a HUGE fan of Grey's Anatomy. I started watching in the second season and I watched the entire first season in 2 days! It is addicting. Although I watched the Season Finale on Tivo today and it just about killed me. It was that suspenseful. I won't give away the end, but it was pretty fantastic :)

What are your top 5 fav things right now???