You Need Only Ask

I've always been the shy type. No, really.

Quit laughing.

I'm s-e-r-i-o-u-s. I just have a big mouth but every time I want to learn more, my mouth shuts up, my cheeks turn red and I sit in my bedroom doing all my own research. I'm not going to ask a question. People might think I'm an idiot and ppphhsss there's no way I'm going to let anyone think that. Besides I don't want you to think I'm prying. It's a huge weakness of mine. I don't want to ask you what camera you're using, I'll just slyly look at your self portrait that you took in the mirror or look at your EXIF data. I absorb information if you speak it to me but feel like I somehow need to pay you to ask for a little help. Why is this? My process of thinking trips me out. Really. If someone came to me asking how I composed a certain shot, what lens I used, what was my thinking process in posing, what books do I recommend or could I help with setting up a shoot I don't feel like I'm being taken advantage of. So why do I feel like I'm taking advantage. Sigh. Another weakness.

So I've decided to strengthen my weakness. Ask more questions. If I don't ask questions I'll never learn. If I don't use my mouth I'll never meet people or be the help to anybody that I know I can be and they can be to me. So I open up my Facebook page and blog for questions. If you have any kind of question related to photography, whether its composition, how to get a great picture of your kid playing, lighting, reflectors etc, please feel free to ask. I'm no expert but I can answer the best I can and if I help at least one person with one small item I will have considered the interaction a success.

So ask away. I look forward to your questions. :)

Happy Wednesday!

Mark::Los Altos Photographer

When you meet him you can't help but feel like you just met a great friend. Mat and I were privileged to meet Mark and his wonderful wife at a local Financial Peace University class (Dave Ramsey, yo!)last winter. **side note sale because I know Mark won't mind--if you have never taken an FPU class, TAKE ONE, TAKE ONE TAKE ONE. Ignorance is sooo not bliss and its absolutely the best thing you could do for yourself and if you're married, for your marriage. Okay, side sale over. :)

Mark owns an IT company called PacketSplash and asked me to take photos of him for his new site and marketing materials coming soon. Honored, I accepted and spent a wonderful hour and a half with him and his son. While there, I named my camera Bubba (since that seems to be our family name), tripped over benches while taking photos and hoped to God they couldn't smell the garlic on my breath from a bagel sandwich I had for lunch.

Mark is so genuine and loves what he does. Not only that, he goes above and beyond for his company and his clients. I learned a lot in that small time I spent taking photos and think his smile truly reflects his soul. Mark, it was great to see you again and it was a privilege to work with you! Enjoy!













The following two photos are my favorite--this is Mark's son. The reason for Mark's smile.






Happy Monday!

Happy Valentine's

I love the pink. I love the hearts. I love the cards. I love spending 20 minutes just reading all the cards wishing I could buy 6 or 7 of them. I have been W-A-I-T-I-N-G for this love day because I had decided late last year that I was going to share the love and take some goodness to a few of the local vendors that I want to build a relationship with. So I went out and bought the stuff for brownies, the ccckkkkuuutest Valentine's stuff at Michael's and assembled. Are these not adorable?!? I'm in like. Brownies are a total weakness so I was pretty proud that I didn't touch anything except the scraps. 1 point for me!

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend spent with their loved ones and if you end up with a little sparkly on your finger...call me--I do weddings. :) xoxoxo









I am proud to say this finally instead of botching up a post.
HAPPY FRIDAY!

Full of Fabulous

I met her when I was a junior in High School. We shared a class and got along too well for our own good. We soon shared jobs (at the Outlets of course), friends and in college, an apartment. We would drive down Monterey St. and yell out "AMELIO!!" to any guy standing on the street--we still to this day have no idea why we chose to name every male Amelio. We ditched school together, made frequent lunch trips to Jack's (many apologies Mother for the forged notes) and shopped discount video stores like the broke college students we were.

We have too many stories to tell, more inside jokes than even we can remember and all the memories of friends.

And I was stoked when she said she wanted to do a shoot just for her. I LOVE this idea and think every woman needs to do this. Everyone deserves a shoot by themselves to celebrate who they are and their beauty. If you don't have any of these kinds of photos, do them! You won't regret it. Mari was GOOOORRRRGEOUS! Stefanie says she has such a happy smile and I think she worded it so perfectly. She's one HOT lady! Here you are Beautiful, congratulations on everything going on in your life right now, you are so full of fabulous. Love you!

























Okay I couldn't resist. What else is one to do with a blank warning sign? :)


Happy Friday!--EDIT: Ahem...Happy Wednesday. Oh Lord, oh me. :)

Setting Goals

I'm hearing it everywhere and this whole time I thought I had them written down and while I know I've written them down before I know I haven't done them for this year. This could kill me and Lord knows I don't want to die now. Note to self: WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!?

John Wooden said, It's not so important who starts to game but who finishes it. I will never finish the game if I don't write down my goals for 2010. Yes, I'm late and I have kicked myself plenty. Guess what I'm doing this weekend? I know that if I don't sit down and write my goals I'll be aiming at nothing...and if I aim at nothing, I'll hit it every time.

This weekend I'm setting my personal goals in regards to my marriage, finances and my little family. Goals in relation to my business and where I want to be by the end of this quarter, half year and year. Goals in relation to my spiritual life--I love Jesus and I want my small world to know it.

If you've ended up in the same boat as I have and are going through life "one day at a time hoping it all works out" I encourage you, take the time to write out a plan for your life. Make your life happen rather than sitting around hoping life will happen to you. First thing on my list? I've got me some vendors to make friends with. :)

As Seth Godin said, Think big. Bigger than that.



Happy Friday, have a fabulous and encouraged weekend!

Monday Musings

Apparently laundry has some sort of effect on the mind. Maybe it's because I go into zombie mode while I fold endless amounts of white socks and t-shirts or maybe it's the fresh smell of clean. I don't even notice that my dog has decided to make herself comfortable in the warmth. What the heck?! I was folding that!

So as I folded laundry and as Mat showered and practiced his baritone in the shower my mind wandered aimlessly to thoughts of the day:

-I can't say enough how amazing my mom is. She's just an incredible woman and there aren't enough fabulous adjectives to describe her. So she's amazing. And fabulous. She's fabulously amazing. 'Nuff said.

-Why does Mat always lose 3 pairs of socks every single time the whites get done? Mat's socks quickly make friends with holes.

-Speaking of socks and t-shirts, why do my in-laws wrap socks and undershirts for Mat for Christmas and then present them as presents? Weird.

-The name Bubba has replaced all our first names. It was supposed to be meant for the dog but out the clear blue Mat and I now call each other Bubba. Thanks Bubba!

-Mat is still practicing his baritone.

-Heard a little girl say yesterday that when she grew up she wanted to be an animal taker carer of.

-Writing on the mirrors with dry erase markers is more fun than it should be.

-I should probably eat breakfast before I eat lunch today.

-Mat's baritone just became very soprano like.



Happy Monday!