Shana + Travis are just so wonderful! Whenever she sends me an email she calls me Darling Dana and I call her Sweet Shana! Ha! I love it. I’ve had such a great time getting to know them over their engagement, doing their guestbook and Shana’s B Session book (which Travis loved!). And the coolest thing was we got to go to Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara for this wedding to work with some of my favorite people in the world:

Brandie Bedell did makeup
Melody Rachunok did hair
Claressa Jaen of Driftwood Films did the video
Tiffani Michelle was my fabulous 2nd shooter
Lauren Reeves of Prince Events styled everything

We had such a great time!

The groomsmen took a dip before the wedding.

The first look was really sweet.



Shana’s friends were just so happy! Everyone was in tears.






Fun bridal party.





The Spazmatics!

Posted in Weddings 2010 | 4 Comments »

Jaymi + Andy are a great time! She’s in the fashion industry and he is professionally tall. Just kidding. He is 6′5 and I guessed it!  He makes her laugh and they have great banter. We did the session at their house and around town. I always suggest shooting at place the couple feel reflects them. What better than their house and a coffee shop that’s like the one they had their first date?

This is in their amazing lounge. It was on TV!

Love the way he looks at her and she laughs at him!

I really feel like this is so them!

Posted in Engagements | 4 Comments »

I loved this email I got from Catie:

“I am so in love with that wedding…and it’s mine!!! The pictures turned out soooo cute. I didn’t even know half that stuff was there! I heart my pictures! I can’t believe the weird stuff you took pictures of. So perfect! You captured the day beautifully. I hope Ben doesn’t mind driving to California for all of our photography needs:-)”

I also loved what Catie said about photography:
“I spent the most money on the thing that was very most important to me which was photography. That was more than half my budget. The rest was all my friends and family. (You can get anyone but I wanted the best.)”-Wow, thanks Catie!!

And check out Catie + Ben’s feature on Green Wedding Shoes! It’s at the top since it’s so popular. She also answers a lot of questions about how she designed her amazing wedding.

Posted in Nice Words!, Weddings 2010 | 1 Comment »

Taryn and Brandon are so much fun! They brought cool props. They’re naming their baby girl Sawyer, which I love!

Happy soon to be Mother’s Day Taryn! And Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms!

Posted in Maternity | 5 Comments »

Last week, I joined SoCal Photog ShootOut to lead a group.  I highly recommend attending one. I went a few months ago and got so much out of it. So I was really excited when Hanssie asked if I wanted to lead a group. They have several ones all over the country that take place pretty often. Thanks to Hanssie, Matt and Rob for having me! Rob was the main speaker who inspired me with ways I can better my business.

What I talked about was finding the right clients since I seem to attract such fabulous people! It was a good learning experience for me and my type of “leading” which is more like a collaboration. It’s the same principle I apply when I shoot my client-friends; I’m inspired by who they are and the kinds of things they like.

I spent much more time talking to photographers (which I take so much out of) and my model than I did shooting, which I feel is an important thing to do. I’m all about getting to know my clients. It helps everyone feel comfortable and get better pictures. I believe it’s even more important than being technically good.

But here’s few pictures I did take, so this post isn’t boring!

This is my model Kristin, who I just adored! I hope I get to work with her again. If you go to SoCal Photog ShootOut you can see tons of other photographer’s pictures that turned out so good!

Hair: Melody Rachunok
Makeup: Brandie Bedell

Posted in Personal, Photographers, Portraits | 2 Comments »

Disneyland has been a huge theme for Tara + Jorge. They have been going for years and got engaged there. So it was a must for their session. We walked around and just shot all over. It was crazy busy due to Spring Break but we managed to get some super fun pics.

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Okay, here’s the last part of this great wedding! I added some things that Catie had to say about her wedding:

Theme/inspiration for the day- I started out with like a 1940’s theme because I love that music and era and then it sort of ended up just being everything that I love shoved into one backyard. I wanted it to have a backyard kind of cute bed and breakfast feel. It did have a lot of 1940’s themed things but it was subtle and I don’t think people knew the era. So, I guess I could call it a real vintage backyard wedding (most of the stuff really was old)

Any advice for those planning now-I don’t know that I’m the person to give advice on this! My whole engagement was 3 months, with a very small budget in comparison with what the typical wedding costs. I spent the most money on the thing that was very most important to me which was photography. That was more than half my budget. The rest was all my friends and family.

Any vendors- Like I said, I can give you names but everything was family and friends.
Dress-my mom and I designed it and she made it.
The photo booth is mine and was a total hit! I do plan on renting it out. I liked how cute it was and that it is real vintage with real vintage dress up clothes unlike some really cheesy ones I’ve seen.

His advise to the couple: Do not look her in the eyes or you will turn to stone.

Posted in Style & Inspiration, Weddings 2010 | 3 Comments »

There are some really fun reception details you must see so come back soon for the finale!








I’m in love with awkwardness and I love that everyone is in this!

Sassy McSass.

Posted in Style & Inspiration, Weddings 2010 | 3 Comments »

I spoke to Catie on the phone and knew right away our styles were a perfect match! I was giddy over all the details and it did not disappoint. She said it was a photographer’s dream; it was. What was even more precious than all of the amazing, hand picked vintage details was the sweetness of Catie + Ben. They are so cute together! You can really tell how much Ben adores Catie and how much she loves Ben.

There were SO many details, I have to break this blog into a few different parts. Come back! There’s so much more!

What Catie said about the most memorable moment of her wedding day- Ben was soooo cute! When I came around the corner down the aisle I could see Ben standing on his tippy toes peeking over heads trying to see me. When I got to the front his eyes were all teary! Sooo cute! He later whispered in my ear that he about lost it when he saw me come around the corner.

Everyone at this wedding looked so vintage-amazing! They are wearing the hats from the photo booth.

Part 2 coming soon…..

Posted in Style & Inspiration, Weddings 2010 | 13 Comments »

One of my favorite fams! Last time I shot them was for the maternity. So this it the first shoot with the Bos-Man Jack! He’s so cute I can’t stand it. His little personality kills me!

While I was taking pics of the girls, a guy walking by asks me, “Are they models?” Haha! Exactly!

Posted in Fams and Kids being Kids | 6 Comments »