Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Happy Birthday, Cat!

Today a bunch of girl photogs met at Il Cugini in Santa Monica to celebrate Cathryn Krantz' birthday! Cat and her husband, Adi, make up the very hip Next Exit Photography.

Presents!!



The lovely luncheon ladies...

First Row: Christine Marie, Carrie Phillips, Cat Krantz, Jennifer Wilson, Britney Alves, Tiffany Stern, Cheri Steinberg,

Second Row: Trista Lerit, Mae Van Vooren, Tammy Smith, Jenifer Greer, & Jules Bianchi

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Monday, January 29, 2007

Pump Cups

No, its not a new kind of bra.... its a cool little tool I learned about when I shot the New Year's Eve wedding with David Jay in Santa Barbara. The Pump Cup will allow me to position my flash on a wall so that I can use my Pocket Wizard to fire it off-camera. It is much smaller and easier to bring to weddings than a lightstand. I can ALSO put another camera on it and either fire it simultaneously with the camera I'm shooting or fire it separately by pressing a button on the Pocket Wizard.

And who do you suppose got to play test subject? I love this shot of Ms. Olive - we did it with the 580EX on the Pump Cup behind her to create some lovely rim lighting, and a gold reflector pointed directly at her to fill in her cute face.



Here's the set up with my Canon 580 EX...I plan to also use this for my Q-flash and 20D. Its gonna be a fun year!!

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Friday, January 26, 2007

Los Angeles Weddings Magazine launch party

I love the parties that Los Angeles Weddings Magazine throws for its vendors! Last night's party for the launch of the Spring issue did NOT disappoint!



Some of the players...

Los Angeles Weddings Magazine editor, Kathy Nenneker & Jules Bianchi



Photographer Brian Kramer, Bridal Bar owner, Harmony Walton, and photographer Robert Evans



a little love for Jules from Rob & Brian....



Creative Blu's Michelle Arnett and photographer Alice G Patterson



Rene of R Jack Balthazar and Occasion's Mary Sushinski.



Photographer Todd Johnson and Red Loft Studio owner, Jenny Stafford.



Jules Bianchi and floral designer Linnae Asiel of Asiel Design.



Jenny Stafford, Jules Bianchi and Wedding coordinator Stephanie Lairson.



I want to thank Dana Grant who photographed the event on my behalf - She will be shooting with me at a lot of my Los Angeles weddings this year, and I was grateful she could cover this event for me! She is the best!



Dana Grant and me.



My new favorite party activity - the Red Cheese Photo Booth!



Jules & Dana hamming it up....



me and my new friend, Chris Jaros of Progressive Marketing & Media.



Last but NOT least... LA Weddings Magazine gave out kick-ass gift bags with all kinds of goodies for everyone!

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Thursday, January 25, 2007

Engagement Portraits are FUN

I really love shooting Engagement Portraits. I give my clients a questionnaire to get them thinking about who they are as a couple and what they like to do together that really defines them. From their answers we work together on finding a place to go and shoot that will be unique to them. I've done Engagement Portraits at Disneyland, Alma Maters, 3rd Street Promenade, a local pub, their house/apartment, downtown... we can do them just about anywhere! Its a really fun way to get great relaxed shots of my couples together just having fun.

SO! Its been a long time coming, but I finally finished the Engagement Portrait Gallery on my website! I have SO many pics that I love love love, that I will more than likely be adding a second Engagement Gallery and another wedding or two soon. But for now... click here (or on the image below) to check it out!!

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Tuesday, January 23, 2007

my beautiful mom

Recently my sister and mom came to visit. The first day we spent having fun and going to the spa... the second day they worked in my office to help me get organized for the new year. My family rocks. Mom needed a new headshot for the Bear Valley Music Camp that she runs every summer, so we shot one in my living room against my favorite blue couches!

isn't she pretty??

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Saturday, January 20, 2007

The J. Paul Getty Museum

Yesterday I went to the "Where We Live, Photographs of America" exhibit at the Getty. While I love being at the Getty, and its great to be inspired by other photographers, I have to say that I felt this exhibit's depiction of America was too depressing, sarcastic and drab for my taste.

Turns out, I could have just stayed home for a REALLY awesome look at America! Talk about inspiring... check out the blogs of two of my friends, Jessica Claire and Becker, who are currently taking a "photo safari" of Southwest America. I think their images rock and I'm hoping they get published or at the very least put on a real exhibit somewhere other than the internet.

Jessica's take on the Southwest

Becker's take on the Southwest

I'm sooo jealous!!

Taken with my Razr phone:



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Thursday, January 18, 2007

Cut Frame TV

I don't understand how Dane Sanders sleeps - he is on fire with all of his amazing ideas! Cut Frame TV is just another example of how he's leading the industry into the future!! Its basically a "YouTube" for photographers and an expansion on the Simple Photo Minute idea. Photographers can participate as often as they want uploading videos to share their experience and tips with others.

I have uploaded a few including the following which is the sample slideshow I send out to all potential clients. Its so great that it can exists here on the internet now!!

Click on the pic below to check it out!

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Monday, January 15, 2007

Sephardic Temple

When Sterling Franken-Steffen, asked me to shoot a bar mitzvah with him, I readily agreed. Not only because I like shooting with Sterling, but because it is the type of event I don't normally shoot, and I thought it would be a great experience for me.

I was in charge of getting great portraits of all the kids.









I just loved the Bar Mitzvah boy... he was so serious and listened to all the speeches very attentively.





He said his own speech perfectly.



on to the party...



I think Sterling likes his job... such a cutie...



...and I just love this shot he got of me!!

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Friday, January 12, 2007

Docuvitae

Docuvitae is a collective of photographers, filmmakers, designers and bookmakers founded by the award-winning photojournalist, Laura Kleinhenz.

Today the team threw a post-holiday open house at their über cool office/studio space downtown complete with hot apple cider and delicious ginger snaps! Thanks for the fun time, guys!

Here is the Docuvitae collective of artists:



Of course I love that Laura's dog, Dory, is a regular member of the staff...





Like me, Laura has a cool collection of vintage cameras. I like how you can see my face in the shiny flash...



Jules Bianchi and the lovely Laura Kleinhenz.

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Sunday, January 07, 2007

Montage Resort & Spa

Yesterday I drove down to the Montage in Laguna Beach to shoot Emily & Howard's engagement portraits. It was a gorgeous day, and they are a gorgeous couple... I can't ask for much more than that! I'm really looking forward to shooting their wedding in September!

A few of my favs:

























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Thursday, January 04, 2007

Year in Review

2006 was an incredible year. I had the privilege to shoot some amazing weddings with the most gorgeous details, beautiful people, delicious food, wonderful flowers... I really can't believe how fortunate I am. I can honestly say that I love my job.

Also, I'm very lucky to have talented friends who are also wedding photographers, and this year I had the honor of shooting with a few of them. Thank you to Tiffany Stern, Dina Douglass, Sara France, Sterling Franken-Steffen, Anna Kuperberg & David Jay for inviting me to shoot with you this year.

Although I shot some really cool engagement portraits and beautiful family sittings, I have decided only to include the weddings in this slideshow.

Click on my logo to check out the Wedding Year in Review!!

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Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Way to go, DJ!!

Today, People released the first official photograph from the New Year's Eve wedding I shot with David Jay. Check out his sweet credit!!

Read about it here!

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Monday, January 01, 2007

New Year's Eve with David Jay, Dane & Brett!!

David Jay is a friend of mine and a photographer I have admired for some time. I was thrilled when he asked me back in August to shoot his New Year's Eve wedding with him, Dane Sanders, and Brett Austin.

Last night's wedding was hands down the most unbelievable thing I have seen in a long time. It was a looong day (11am - 2am) but it was such a pleasure to be shooting along side such talented photographers, and we all had a rockin' good time! Unfortunately, we are not at liberty to post any of the actual photographs from the wedding because it is going to be published and must be kept under wraps until then. However, at the end of the night we all jumped into the photobooth and did these fun self-portraits.

Click on the links to DJ and Dane's blogs to see the other versions of our photobooth self-portrait as well as a few other fun pics from the night.



There was a whole team producing this wedding and we all communicated with headsets, as if we were on a movie set. It was a Christmas theme, and it felt like we were working in Narnia!!

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