Teaser: Kelsey and Jordan: San Diego Wedding

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

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!

Thankful for a break

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: Ben and Kim: Neport Beach Wedding

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

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!

Teaser: Chris and Erinn: San Juan Capistrano Everyday

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

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.

Teaser: Hunter and Mark: Malibu wedding

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 :)

Teaser: Jean and Justin: Temecula Wedding

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!

Teaser: Krissy and David: Oakhurst wedding

There are some places that are just MADE for taking pictures. The drive up to Oakhurst, California was amazing. I couldn't wait to shoot Krissy and David's wedding. It is rare that I meet a bride and groom the day of their wedding... usually we've had at least one meeting as well as an engagement session, but due to the fact that neither of them live in California and the wedding was 5 hours north, the first time I met them was on the day of their wedding. We had a blast and the wedding was beautiful. More pictures coming soon!

Pre-occupied: Lucky and Unlucky

Saturday afternoon, I felt like the luckiest girl alive. I was spending time with a very special guy (more on that soon) and I felt like I was on top of the world. I even had a very special treat courtesy of the very special guy:

Photo taken with my Palm Pre

Teaser: Casey and Elise: Orange Engagement

I think Engagement sessions are my favorite.
The End.

Casey and Elise put so much thought into theirs and I am so excited to share all of their pictures, but for now, here is a little peak at what we shot yesterday!





I LOVE the tattoos on Casey's hands... and isn't it fitting??


More about this amazing car on the long post. I'll just say this. Casey has spent a LOT of time on it!




And for anyone who loves my amazing logo as much as I do, I have Elise to thank. She is a super talented graphic designer and if you need anything done, I totally recommend her!

Teaser: Bianca and Matt: Santa Ana Engagement

She hates when I post teasers.
And she tells me.
Every. Single. Time.

But this time, Bianca, I hope you LOVE it!

Today I had an AMAZING time in Santa Ana shooting with two of my VERY favorite people in the world, Bianca and Matt. They are newly engaged, and both just celebrated birthdays! We had all kinds of reasons to celebrate.

Thank you, Bianca and Matt, for being amazing and for being my friends! I love you!
And Zoe... Thank YOU for being beautiful, and sweet and coming along to help us out!

Here is your preview :)









And here is one of Bianca's sister, Zoe, who came along to assist. And hold clothes. And be fabulous.

Teaser: Damion and Celeste: Twin Oaks House

Some people are just meant to be.
Celeste and Damion are people like that.

And so are me and Sean Walker... as far as shooting goes. His wife, Brianne, was my RA in college, and since Sean and I are both in the first years in this crazy business, we've been teaming up lately and it seems to be working well for us. I foresee much more of this in the future!

Here are a few pictures from another wedding I second shot with him recently. More are coming! Check out his blog for his sneak peak!

These little flower girls were soooo cute!


I'm pretty much in love with this shot.


Helloooooo gorgeous!


This little building was awesome! So is the sun flare :)

Teaser: Ryan and Nicole: Huntington Beach Wedding

Yesterday I shot an AMAZING wedding and I cannot wait to share all of the pictures. But I wanted to get a little preview up quick since Ryan and Nicole are leaving for their Dominican Republic Honeymoon tomorrow.

Ryan and Nicole you are AMAZING and gorgeous and I had SO MUCH FUN!
Thanks for letting me be a part of your special day!
Love you both!

Teaser: Palmer and Tommy: Pet Photography

In the entertainment industry, there's a saying.
Never work with children or pets.
It's because they'll show you up. Every time.
They're THAT cute.

Maybe the saying should be, never SHOOT children or animals. If your name is Diandra.
I have the utmost respect for children and pet photographers. It is not my specialty!

However, I have some wonderful friends that have 2 cute pups that they love dearly. So I wanted to get some shots for them. Let me tell you, it was one of the most challenging things I've done.

Here's a little preview of Palmer (named after the show 24) and Tommy (who I tried to sneak home with me).

Teaser: Lisa and Kent: La Jolla Wedding

I often joke with my dad that the 2 years of college he paid for at Point Loma Nazarene University did not go to waste, even though I didn't finish school there. I made so many great friends and wonderful connections in the wedding industry through my time there.

One of those connections is Sean Walker; a wedding photographer based in San Diego, California. Sean's beautiful wife, Brianne (who is part of the team at Sean Walker Photography) was actually my RA in college my sophomore year. Last Friday, I headed down to La Jolla to second shoot with him for the first time. In return, he'll be shooting for me in just a couple short weeks!

Here is a little preview of the gorgeousness!
More will be posted soon :)



**Edit... I originally stated this wedding was in La Habra... it was ACTUALLY in La Jolla. I didn't even realize it!!! It's things like this that get me lost and make me drive an hour out of my way :)

Teaser: Lacey and Dane: Long Beach Wedding

Yesterday I had the honor of shooting a beautiful wedding in Long Beach. I cannot wait to share all of the beautiful photos with you but as I was going through them, I thought I'd share a little sneak peak :)

Congrats Lacey and Dane!

Oh blog... how I've missed you.

I plan to blog 4-6 times a week.
That is always my plan.
Isn't it funny how sometimes life gets in the way of our plans?

These last couple of weeks seem to have kept me busier than usual, and as a result, I have neglected my blog. It's funny how when it looks like I'm busy (from my blog), I actually have time to blog... and when it looks like I'm not doing anything, it's really because I'm too busy to blog!

I have a lot of fun shoots that I've already wrapped that I will be sharing with you soon... as well as some great ones coming up! (On that note, if you are wanting to book with me, shoot me an email asap because my calendar seems to be filling up quickly!)

But today I want to add a new blog post that I plan to do on a regular basis. I'm not sure what to call it. I see a lot of people doing this and I love reading them, so I thought it would be fun! I've seen all kinds of names for it, but maybe you can help me out? I have NO IDEA what cutesy little name to call this post.

I want to share with you some of my favorite things. Just little randoms. Sometimes photography related, sometimes not. If you have a great name for what to call these posts, leave it in a comment below! If I pick yours, I'll send you a Starbucks card :)

So for now... a few of my favorite things:

1. Red Nail polish
I have a love hate relationship with my nails. I love long, acrylic nails, but I hate the price tag and maintenance. So right now my nails are very short. And BRIGHT red. And every time I look at them, they make me happy!

2. Forever 21
A brand new, HUGE forever 21 store opened in my local mall. It is 2 stories of brilliance. I am a big fan of fashion and clothes, but I am also a sucker for a good bargain. I love searching and finding great deals. This store is full of them!

3. Jasmine Star Workshop
It's next week and I couldn't be more excited to meet these 20 amazing photographers and learn from my friend and amazing photographer, Jasmine Star. I have heard great things about her workshop, and if I were going to take ONE workshop, it would definitely be hers. So I am :)

4. Unexpected ways of making people smile
I am so excited to be working on an exciting project of bringing a Quincenera to a very deserving little girl in Mexico. We have gotten to know her through the years of trips to Mexico with our church and we've decided to throw her a Quincenera. I can't wait to see her face when she sees all the great stuff we're planning. If you are in the industry and have something to offer this little girl (services, products, etc.)... donations would be hugely appreciated as we are working hard to pull off a great event for her. Shoot me an email if you want to help!

And a couple of my not so favorite things:

1. Turtles with no names
Yes, you heard right... no names. Nothing has seemed right. I just can't pick.

2. 24 hour days
Can't we have just a few more hours a day???

3. uncomfortable shoes
I have blisters. Enough said.

4. Saying goodbye
Why is it always so hard???

Just so we leave the blog on a good note... here's a little preview of an upcoming newborn session with baby Jacob :)

Teaser: Lo Boheme Vintage Shoot

I won't be the photographer that stops taking pictures that I love.
I won't be the photographer that only takes a job because of the money.
I won't be the photographer that gets to a point and decides I've learned enough.

Sometimes the very best thing I can do for myself as a photographer and for my clients, is to stretch myself and do something that is out of the realm of what I normally do. Last week, I did just that. And it was amazing! I teamed up with Lauren of Lo Boheme, and we created the following Vintage themed shoot in Union Station. I can't share too much with you just yet (cuz we have some things in the works), but here's a little preview :)

Special Thanks to Lindsay of Label Me Lindsay, and our beautiful models, Megan, Edo and Dominique.