A GIRL IN A CHAIR : JASMINE STAR + YWD WORKSHOP | Rancho Las Lomas, California

I set two pretty lofty goals (in my opinion) for my photography business in 2011: 1) Attend a Jasmine Star workshop, and 2) Get published in some type of wedding publication - blog or print. So when I saw Jasmine Star's post about an exclusive, unique workshop she'd be doing, partnered with the fabulous Editor in Chief, Thea Lignos-Hargrove, & Creative Director, Cathryn VanBreene of Your Wedding Day magazine, I couldn't believe my luck.  It was the perfect opportunity, and the very first workshop of its kind: a collaboration of a renowned photographer and a renowned magazine - how could I NOT jump at the chance?  The workshop's focus would be on shooting editorially and submitting work for publication. The venue: the beautiful Rancho Las Lomas in the hills of Silverado, California. My excitement level? Through. The. ROOF.  The experience itself?  Indescribable.  I walked away with a wealth of information and inspiration, and I am SO excited for what the new year will bring.

When I started this photography "venture," it was sort of on a whim, and I was unsure of where the road would take me.  I had a love and passion for photography that I felt I needed to acknowledge at the very least - and whatever would happen next, I'd planned to simply enjoy the ride.  In my very first blog post, I mentioned Jasmine Star, one of my utmost favorite wedding photographers, and I didn't think I'd so quickly get the chance to meet her, let alone shoot alongside her!  Jasmine was just as down-to-earth and awesome as she comes across in her blog, and her husband JD was so friendly and welcoming as well.

STAR-struck! :)  Not the most fabulous picture of me, but I take consolation in the fact that it's still a photo with J*!

I was SO excited to be meeting Thea and Cathryn of YWD too, and I was equally amazed with them!  YWD is a wedding publication I love to read/look at, cover-to-cover.  It was truly a welcomed opportunity to meet, in-person, the creative geniuses behind the scenes!!

The workshop was held on a Thursday and I'd originally planned to just fly in and fly back out. Instead, I ended up taking some vacation time and spending a few days in sunshine (getting to visit my mom again in less than 2 months - double score!).  Sadly, I missed the soiree YWD hosted the evening before, but made it early to the workshop the next morning.  You know you're a serious fan when your 4-year-old can peek out a car window and say, "Look -- there's Jasmine Star!" and be right! lol  My little Eden LOVES watching J*'s CreativeLive videos with me :).

Four BREATHTAKING wedding sets were designed and set up for the next YWD publication, so I'm unable to post images of those until after the next issue of the magazine is released, but I, along with Jasmine and almost 30 other uber-talented photographers, did get to shoot two gorgeous models, and those images, I can post :).

Here are a just a few photos - for now - of the Girl in A Chair workshop.

A HUGE thank you to J* & JD, Thea, Cathryn, Rosalind Bordo of Two Bright Lights, Sofia Singelstad, and everyone else who made the workshop happen!  SO thrilled to meet such amazing photographers who also attended as well!  xox 

The light was A-MA-ZING.






I LOVE a dress in motion...gorgeous!

And here is the awesome group with J*, Thea and Cathryn - photo credit: Jasmine Star Photography.

I ♥ MY MOM

I could quite possibly have one of the best moms in this world. No joke.

Seeing as November's the month we recognize all the things we're especially thankful for, it'd be completely remiss of me not to do this post. I am utterly, totally, head-over-heels, don't-say-it-nearly-as-much-as-I-should, GRATEFUL for my mama. I'm not half the mom she is (and my daughters? they kind of agree..how sad is that!?), but I try. So let it be known, World Wide Web, that I HEART ♥ my mom - to the moon and back! I'm a mama's girl, and I'm not ashamed to say it. She is truly my very best friend, and I don't know what I'd ever do without her. She is a shining example of what a classy woman and doting mother is - and I am BLESSED.

I spent the better part of the week in L.A., enjoying the sunshine, a great photography workshop (more on that soon), relaxing with my 3 babies (and missing the hubs), and my MOM - her great cooking, her impeccably clean house, and just HER. I am always SO sad when it's time to head home, or when she leaves Seattle - suddenly, I'm whisked back in time to the week before I started college, thousands of miles from home, and having to say goodbye to my mom from my dorm room. And being heartbroken and unsure of whether I could be away from my mom that long. I'd call home (all the way to American Samoa) every day to talk to her. Ten years later, I'm STILL having serious mom-withdrawals, and daily phone calls still happen. lol!

So, Mom, THANK YOU for everything you do for me and my little family. And just as I did as a little girl, I still wanna be JUST. LIKE. YOU. when I grow up :). I love you more than there are words in this world to describe!! xoxoxo

Me & My Mom, circa 1982

Us again, circa 2008