I don’t think anyone, even a client, has ever asked me what my inspiration is for my photography, but I’m going to put it out there anyway. I definitely find my inspiration between the pages of the yellow bound magazine covers of National Geographic. For the aforementioned reasons, the sparkling photography, and the amazingly exotic places featured in them, I can’t help but feeling that we are all so similar, rather than different. Each of us only want the best for ourselves and our families, no matter where we’re from, or what language we speak. Everyone feels love, and pain, and excitement and sorrow, and although not always in the same way, our emotions are the same. If I can just capture a tiny sliver of your happiness, sorrow, excitement, nervousness and contentment in an image that lasts long after we are all gone, I could sincerely call myself the luckiest women alive.

In my November issue of National Geographic, there is an article about the pets of the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, and I can’t wait to read it! As you might have already noticed, I love cats, and have always been curious about the whole mummification of cats thing… I mean, I think it’s a fabulous idea because every time I lose a pet, it just kills me. Literally, a piece of myself goes with them. Sometimes, the reverence I have for animals, especially cats, gets taken to a whole new level. Now don’t laugh, but I believe that it is absolutely fabulous good luck to find kitty footprints on your car. It makes me feel lucky. So, I suppose I’m a nutty, slightly superstitious, nerdy, National Geographic reading, wedding photographer in Fresno, California, watching a sappy Christmas movie, and I couldn’t be more content with myself!

For Family and Friends: To view and order images from this wedding and to be notified when all the images are available for viewing, go to www.pictage.com/702788.

For Family and Friends: To view all the photos from Abigail and Daron’s wedding Click HERE!

For friends and family: To view the complete set of photos from Karen and Michele’s wedding, go to http://www.pictage.com/702783

I can take pictures. So what? I can take gooooood pictures! Now we’re getting somewhere! But how am I (and a camera maybe) going to change the world? Well, to tell you the truth, I don’t know. All 2 of you that read this blog probably already know that I have started a Photography Business with the greatest of intentions. I fully intend to become one of the greatest photographers in the world. I don’t know if I will get there, but I want to be the best. Anything worth doing is worth doing well! Right? Everyone has to start somewhere, so here I am at the beginning. I’ve practiced my skills, I’ve purchased abused and tortured terribly expensive equipment, I’ve adopted professional business practices into my arsenal of skills. My work consumes me. I am utterly drawn to my camera and computer screen with an obsessive flare, staring at my images until my eyes hurt, until I figure out how to make my images good, better, the best. I’m a perfectionist. No seriously, if you look in the dictionary under “perfectionist” you would find a picture of me. I know a lot of people that would consider perfectionist tendencies a weakness, but I consider it a strength. My photos are a reflection of my soul, a reflection of myself, and my clients emotions all at the same time.

I consider myself first and foremost an artist. I’ve always been artistic, although I was never any good at drawing, and I have mad respect for those who can! Secondly, I consider myself a storyteller. I love telling stories, writing stories, creating stories. I’m especially thrilled that I can combine my artistic perfectionist visions with my love of storytelling in the ever amazing art that is Wedding Photography. I think most people truly under value their wedding photography. If you only have someone take a photo of you in your wedding gown, you’re missing out on all the fun stuff! I love weddings the most in those weird awkward nervous moments in between the main events. I am lucky to be a part of one of the most important days of your life! Wow! How cool is that?!?!?! And not only do I get to be there, I get to know you, your family, your dreams, hopes, and most importantly, your love.

I put tremendous value on the reactions of my couples to their photography. I actually get disappointed if I don’t hear anything when the bride and groom look at their photos in their Online Proofing Gallery. Like I have failed. Failed myself, and failed them. I really truly want you to LOVE your photos, and I do what I can to achieve perfection. Come with me on this one, and we’ll se where this goes…

Kitties Love Boxes! Packing update…the cats have chosen their boxes and are ready to go!

Hairstyling provided by Michelle Arellano at the Hairchitechs Salon in Campbell, California.




Kyra the cat watched over Elaina as she got ready to head over to the church!

I’ve never been an outgoing person. My closest friends I’ve had since I was a very awkward freshman in high school could attest to this as well. Of course, they were awkward back then too! He he… Lisa, Jenn, Johanna, I love you guys!

I’ve still got some serious shortcomings. I am my harshest critic, to a point that as soon as I’m done shooting a wedding, I think that I have totally failed! I remember moments that I didn’t capture, wasn’t quick enough, or wasn’t in the right place at the right time. Then I absolutely nitpick through all the photos until I have found all the awful ones. I’m always surprised that after I delete them, I still have at least a couple hundred really good ones. I would like to add a disclaimer that I do NOT think that I am a great photographer. Mom would disagree, but I am my HARSHEST critic. I think a great photo is not necessarily ‘technically’ perfect (although I strive for it to be), but is a photo that makes me feel something. At a wedding two weeks ago, the bride was starting to cry as she walked down the isle, and I captured that and it made me cry when I was editing the photos later on! I KNOW what she was feeling at that moment, and it just reaches in and squeezes your heart until you can’t take it any more and the tension comes out as a tear on your cheek. Now, that’s a great picture in my opinion…

I am NERVOUS before EVERY shoot. I get nervous like a 6th grader before their first oral presentation in front of the whole class! I got really nervous before those too. So much so that I would forget to say everything that I had written down and severely truncate everything so I could sit down as soon as I could, like 30 seconds, which of course felt like an hour… As soon as I stood up I would get this horrible knot in my stomach, and start doubting my competence on whatever subject I was talking about, even if I knew everything I could about it! I feel this same way when I show up to a shoot with a new client. This may not inspire the greatest confidence in my abilities, but I’m really just being honest. Sometimes I feel like if I don’t get this off my chest, I will just… EXPLODE!

I wonder if I will ever gain the “calm assertive energy” that I need to succeed in this seemingly harsh world of the wedding photography business. I’ve had this energy two times in my life that I can remember, but it’s been so long. This is exactly the reason that I AM going to make this business work for me! It’s time for me to succeed and I am sick and tired of failing! Wish me luck, because I’m going to need it!