Giving Thanks

Some days, you are just thankful. So today, I am thankful- for my friends, for my family.
Special thanks goes out to my amazing boyfriend-- for shooting my video, for spending countless hours for me, for buying soda in san francisco just so that i can use the bathroom at a restaurant!


I am thankful, today. Some day I'll be upset and frustrated, so I want to always remember this. I have so much to give thanks.


<3

Couples Session: Francesca and Tim

I am soooooooooooooo excited! Yesterday I shot my first ever couples session, and I am absolutely ecstatic. I am so thankful to Francesca and Tim for letting me shoot them and hopefully capture some of their love. I hope you both enjoy some of these pictures, and Vlad and I had a great day hanging out with you.
I had a great experience-- it was definitely new to direct a couple rather than just one person. I'm excited because I feel like this could be a big stepping stone-- gaining experience is the most important part. I know my images are not perfect, they can be overexposed, underexposed, out of focus, you name it, but I'm just working to better myself.
:)











I loove this picture. So sweet :)




Working those sunglasses


After being out in the hot sun, we decided to have Francesca and Tim take a quick break in the water, but I couldn't resist getting some cute pictures.




















Awwwww :)

Anytime: Jami

Seriously, this girl loves me. So much that this morning, when she was sitting on the couch in her pajamas indulging in The Real Housewives of New Jersey and I screeched "JAMI! Let me take photos of youuuu!" she just sighed and said "Fine."

So my favoritest sister let me dress her up in clothes from my closet and force her to stand in the hot sun and pose for me. She's the best! Hopefully she likes some of these pictures, but we'll see :)










Love these shoes!!



Now pretend this is an engagement ring. :)


Look at that smize!! Jami, you're gorgeousss






Just playing around with something new...



On another note, I took my first photography class the other night! It was really interesting to hear all the technical reasoning behind all the camera stuff, especially since I've just been playing around. I've gotten much more confident in my photography in the past few months-- at least my knowledge of the camera. It's far from perfect, but I can feel myself improving so I am sooo happy about that! Hopefully in this class I'll be able to learn more about photoshop, lighting, and cameras!

Anytime: Deniz

Dear Internet,
I have been having a great week. I went to haight and north beach today, ate some delicious cheesecake from Mara's Bakery (their cheesecake is seriously my biggest weakness) and had a fabulous time! I love everything about San Francisco. Tomorrow I'll be working, but Tuesday I'm going ATVing in Pismo Beach and am sooo excited! And I'm even more excited to show you a few pictures.. they are very few and an unplanned shoot, but, internet, I am very happy to introduce you to..
MY BEST FRIEND!

This is Deniz-- and I'm going to get a little mushy here. This girl, she's amazing. She's gorgeous inside and out. She's the person whose seen me at my worst and been able to make me laugh through my tears. Even though she's usually far away at Brown being smart and studious and becoming very successful, she's amazing. I was so glad to get cupcakes and dinner with her the other night and take some pictures. Hopefully, some more formal shots will come of her soon!

 

Deniz is at her best when laughing hysterically or making me laugh...

 

 

And another pictures because I melted inside for this amazing light...

 

Someday

Sometimes I just feel discouraged. I know that I'm young, I have so much time, but I just want results. I can make my friends pose for me as much as I want-- drag them in front of the camera. But I just can't wait for the day clients want ME, and it's not just me sitting here, wanting clients more than anything ever before.

It just seems so intimidating. This world of photography that I'm not really a part of yet. This world of photographers who know who their second shooters are. I'm scared, because at this point, I feel like it'll be almost impossible to get that foot in the door. But I have to try. I have to, because it's what I want.

I am so thankful for the people who have helped me to get even to where I am today-- providing support, offering advice, everything. I just can't wait for the day when someone will actually want ME to shoot them.


One day.

Anytime: Shannon

Eeeek! This is my last week of freedom before I go to real work :( I'm still really disappointed about how things turned out with the photographer I was supposed to intern for, but at least he thought about offering my the opportunity. Hopefully, I'll be able to do some senior portraits and get enough experience to where another photographer will let me second shoot something!

I had a great fourth of july weekend-- fireworks, hot dogs, crazy traffic, movies-- you name it!

And I am really excited about this shoot I'm about to share with you. This is Shannon, one of the sweetest people I know. She's beautiful inside and out, and we had a lot of fun around Los Altos looking for fun places to shoot. I hope you love these photos Shannon!

Anytime: Francesca

Francesca's CD came out this past week (yay!) so she came over to talk and celebrate. I was able to take some quick snapshots of here, so here's a treat!


I'm really excited about this new lens. I'm hoping to set up some senior portrait sessions for the upcoming year, but I'm debating between using my Rebel for those shots or renting a nicer camera for the day of the shoots.

Anyways, Francesca is absolutely gorgeous, full of life, and amazing! Frankie, I hope you enjoy these pictures-- you look beautiful as always, with or without makeup. And don't worry, you're good at "smizing" :)














On another note, I've just started my internship with a Finance Professor. My parents really wanted me to do this internship because they saw it had great possibilities, but I've been dragging my feet the whole way. I'll definitely do the work, I'm just overwhelmed. He's in the middle of writing a book, and my job is basically to do research for him and put together so called "mini-cases." I'm currently researching the Chinese Yuan-- while interesting, it's a far cry from what I would love to be doing right now.
Oh, the things we do for money.

I have another shoot that should be coming up on the blog anytime. Realistically, it'll probably be up Monday or Tuesday of next weekend, given the holidays.
Have a great fourth of July weekend. I wish you fireworks, family, and yummy food!