Thundersnow

This was a very cold, strange day.  Thunder, lightning, snow, rain, sleet – all one after the other.  Just a few shots from my backyard.

 

 

 

Ultramageddon

Here are a few pics I took during my day workshop in San Luis Obispo, CA with the one and only, Jeff Newsom

Jeff showing us his new Tai Chi/Photography moves. Kidding – he was explaining how he gets a couple to be more even-height if the difference is REALLY significant. His pants are rolled up because it literally rained all day and only stopped for our shoot, coincidentally.

Talking to us before we headed down his street to wander and find cool places to shoot the couple.

Favorite of the pics I took over Jeff’s shoulder of the couple. They were awesome – Jeff shot their wedding in ‘06 so they were real and candid and a perfect example of a slightly awkward couple not knowing the perfect way to pose. But they were awesome and so sweet and did basically anything Jeff wanted, including sitting on a towel on muddy ground in his backyard.

This is when he said he shoots into the sun and way underexposes so he can get the sky perfect. He said, “I’d rather shoot sloppy and fix it later than to shoot perfect and miss the moment” I feel the EXACT same way – especially when you are trying your best to capture real moments. Not to say you shouldn’t try your best to set the exposure right, but you shouldn’t waste too much time tinkering with settings and miss your couple laughing

this shot was awesome when he showed us later

The super cool people in our workshop – everyone was so nice and happy to be there – really made the day great.

I learned so much – I don’t really know how to process it but I had this overwhelming sense of peace after I got home. Like it was all going to be great this year. Jeff really embodies working for the right reasons. He loves his clients, loves his job, loves giving and loves his family. It’s like he has somehow escaped the dreaded business side of wedding photography that always got me down (and gets me down.) He takes each day and each job in stride and doesn’t over-plan or over-think and doesn’t dominate the couple’s day. I really hope to grow in my business this year and I hope that along the way, I learn to chill, to hone my craft and become better, to stretch my mind to think outside the box and to make friends instead of business partners. We have the best job in the world – I want to recognize that more this year and work really really hard so I will appreciate it the way I should.

Thanks, Jeff – although I know you will never read this post, I am so grateful that you were so open with us, that you and your incredible wife opened your house to us and let us hold your sweet baby and just be a part of your world for one day.

The Faces of 2009

These are the people that shaped my year, taught me so many things, helped my business grow and challenged me in ways I never thought possible.  I wanted to give one photograph representing each client, which was difficult because there were so many photographs I loved that I had to cut (for instance, some clients are represented by a photo from their engagement session or bridal, rather than their wedding.)  It’s amazing looking back on this year and I can only pray that God continues to bring amazing clients my way. 

 

February 26: All About Looks fabric store

 

March 7: Davonne and Austin
 

March 20: Jason and Krystal

March 23: The Wilsford Family

April 9: The King Kids

April 10: The Bernal Family

 

April 14: Krista’s Graduation Session

 

April 18: Nathan and Megan

 

April 24: Aiden

 

April 27: Amanda’s Maternity Session

 

May 3: Blake and Heather

 

May 7: Charlie and Abbye

 

May 9: Chad and Ashley

 

May 12: John and Leeanna

 

May 18: Grace

 

May 30: Alex and Cali

 

June 4: Pounds, Maternity

 

June 11: Phillips’ Maternity

 

 

June 13: Dean and Jerrie

 

June 24: Justin and Frances

 

July 30: Garrett and Tyanne

 

August 15: Zach and Robyn

 

August 19: Campbell Family

 

August 22: Brandon and Amber

 

September 5: Chris and Allyson

 

September 14: Tonya Maternity

 

September 28: Adrian and April

 

October 6: Andy and Amy

 

October 10: Keith and Alisha

October 15: Steg 7

 

October 25: Dylan and Alex

 

November 1: Chris and Hillary

 

November 3: Henthorn Family

 

November 7: Michael and Danielle

 

November 8: Ben and Amanda

 

November 19: Bryan and Nita

 

November 20: Zach and Leah

 

November 22: King Family

 

November 24: Aaron and Stacy

 

December 6: Ward Family

 

This year has been amazing.  Looking through all these faces and remembering the laughs and the stress and the joy and the anxiousness and all of it – it’s all good in retrospect.  There were many couples pictured that will have their weddings in 2010 and I wish I could look into the future and see how it will all turn out.  God has blessed me with amazing clients – people who make it a joy to get out of bed in the morning – faces that I stare at all day, all week, all year.  It’s the best job I could imagine and I am so thankful to everyone pictured here for such an amazing experience.  Thanks to you all and Merry Christmas!

love - AJ