opposites attract

for some reason im always feeling rushed when i shoot. i am limited to what light the sun is offering that day, so as i witness the sun creeping down behind the hills, i get panicked a little. but i truly need to relax and calm down. the light just gets better as the sun hides. i am shooting completely on manual now, so i have more control of what kind of image i am getting...also a new lens which allows more light in and also has this beautiful knack of blurring backgrounds. everything is seen through this rosy glass...so to speak, and the subjects before me just get more beautiful as the light changes and the lens does its thing.

but when they dressed in more formal wear, and she walked out onto the dirt path in these great patent leather high heels...that big oak tree called their names. the contrast of the black dressy clothing paired with the rustic, gnarled branches of that oak spoke to me. truly opposites attract, as this beautiful arrangement came together right before my eyes. and as with every other shoot...the last ones are always my favorites. i think their boxer, sebastian may have been the reason...

its not easy being green

green may be the new black. i see so many green bouquets and now succulents are being used in many arrangements. they are a hardy alternative to a perfect blossom. you know, wedding floral has trends. if you look at old wedding photos you can almost tell what era it was just by the flowers. remember the perfectly round bouquets with lots of babys breath? or the huge cascading arrangements chuck full of leatherleaf fern and equally spaced tight roses? not the case anymore...now, green in in, and a more natural, tossed together look is hip. clusters of open blooms in groups look good, and not so much babys breath as a filler...but babys breath maybe all by itself.

so i put together a green (well, i couldnt leave out that dusty blue thistle) arrangement...and even added some sprouting willow to the mix. good stuff.

looking over my shoulder

ive come to realize as i assemble flowers, that i appreciate everything that particular flower has to offer. i love color (especially dusty lavender-my all time favorite), so dont get me wrong...color is my thing, but i have come to find out its texture which really intrigues me. all of the unique ridges and clusters of orbs, irregular petals along with fantastic symmetrical details which give the flower its flavor...all this music to my ears. funny too, when im assembling, im purposefully loving a haphazard, disheveled arrangement. probably the typical florist might strive for uniformity. but no, i call it beautiful chaos. one that looks thrown together. one that is purposefully lopsided. go figure.

so i shared the love over the weekend. i created an arrangement for a great man who passed way too early. as i put together the arrangement i almost felt as though he was looking over my shoulder. my expression of gratitude for him and his fantastic example translated into the bouquet before me. he was all about service. and quite possibly my very small act was serving him. remembering him. i was there assembling Gods beautiful creations in his honor. i had this same experience with another friend who passed years ago. as i quietly arranged her casket spray, i felt her there with me, appreciating what i was doing. my meager contribution to her memory was not in vain. i know she watched and smiled. and it was good.

so with my visit to the flower mart in carlsbad, i picked up a few other pretties which caught my eye and put together some quickie bouquets for fun. i love going to the mart by myself, early morning and not in a hurry. i hate a deadline. but unfortunately weddings have time restraints...what a drag. i have had dreams (or nightmares) where i forget to put together the wedding flowers, and the bride is asking me where her bouquet is and im standing there empty handed, this panicked look on my face. yes, i have awakened in a cold sweat. kinda like the dreams you have where you forget to take the last class to graduate? yup, ive had those too. but fortunately i have never forgotten a wedding.
see, i am a responsible adult.

beach light

i am focusing my photography on natural light. there is something magical about seeking out the right sun, or waiting for the right peek of brightness to stream through the trees. beach light is the best. as the sun sets the light gets warmer and warmer, however, yesterdays light was cool...it was cold and overcast. so the warm color i wanted was waiting for the clouds to vanish. 

but i captured the coolness of the day.

 and it was good.

i am thinking i do not ever want to even purchase some fancy flash. i guess i will have to one of these days, but i am fascinated with the natural light the sun and the clouds or lack of produce. i have gotten amazing images by capturing what comes through my lens...even those round orbs called sun flares and a dreamy real haze one might add on photo shop. all natural stuff which comes floating to my eye. i like it. i like all the natural shots, and the ones where i might capture the moment. 

like these.

we captured avas first steps in the sand.

priceless.

cupcake lust

not sure how to explain it, but i am a cupcake junkie. they say the first step to recovery is to admit you have an problem. i have an issue but its a good issue. i think the teeny tiny ones are my absolute favorite. something about a little, perfect bite of cake, all neatly packaged in some cute liner and some shiny pearls scattered on top. i dont know...cupcakes do it for me. so i am thinking in my bright little head about sharing the cupcake joy...so others fall in love too. emma actually is the cupcake cooker around here, and she's in charge of all things cupcake, and shes good. really good. why not have a cupcake bar at a wedding? i think we might be able to put something together...since emma has been working on the perfect cupcake. fine tuning the recipe and now we are onto finding the perfect liners, so it is exactly wonderfully exquisite.
i think she did it this time...

and were takin orders...

the pink lipstick

made this shot...

just sayin.

white wedding

this poor girl had to come over and be my model again. we filled up two 8GB memory cards with images shot at every angle possible, i think. we tried different lighting, and different settings...different poses. but we had a specific idea in mind...we wanted to get a wedding like, dreamy shot. we had to improvise because we are fresh out of spare wedding dresses. and we know no new brides. (if you know any, will you please send them my way?) so the artist in me awakened...and this was the grand idea...lets use a sheet. yes. a sheet. now this isnt just any regular sheet (im kind of a sheet snob)...its a ralph lauren, 100% cotton, high thread count one...purchased at home goods on clearance (had to throw that in so no one thinks im a big spender). we had this dramatic look in our heads, but we had to get it in front of the camera...which was harder than it seems, but i think in the end, nailed it. and this artist was satisfied.
so thank you liz for being patient with me. youre a trooper.

its a beautiful day

for a celebration of family...and these folks realize the importance of being there through thick and thin. theyve experienced true heartache, and have been there for one another. i love the spirit they have, always smiling and looking for the positive. i love the devotion this family shows. true blue, good people. some just know how to do it, and do it well. i am grateful terry befriended me when i moved in across the street last summer. we soon realized we were fellow dog lovers. both with crazy canines in our homes. and i even get to babysit her funny australian shepherd girls when they are away. im often asking eli if he wants to go over for a playdate with the "pretty sisters across the street"...he always says yes. duh.

so these beautiful twin sisters (shannan 12 minutes older than terry) made my day...and i didnt even have to strain to get a good shot. this all came together beautifully and naturally. yes, some shoots are easier than others...this one was a dream. a really nice one too.

thank you terry for being the epitome of a good neighbor and friend. not too many out there as sweet as you. lucky me.