Every now and again you feel it coming on.  That tired-don't-want-to-get-out-of-bed, nothing-goes-right, stump-your-toe, what-else-could-happen-today kind of feeling.  That burnt out feeling.  For a creative person, this is probably the worst kind of feelings.  Not being inspired, not being motivated, feeling sluggish and like all your work sucks.  Yep, I've been there.  

Luckily for you, I have discovered this amazing poster:

I have it hung up where my desk is.  So I see it every day.   I make it a point to read it every day.  To keep me from giving up.  To encourage me to have fun and take breaks.  To stay creative.  I hope it helps you too.  

(source)

I'm not sure exactly when my friend Mayra, of Mayra Ariza Photography, and I decided we HAD to shoot a men's fashion styled session.  

You see, as wedding photographers, most of the day's emphasis is on the bride and all of the details that go into the big day.  As portrait photographers, most of the clients we get are women.  Men, not so much.

So we wanted to challenge ourselves.  Take ourselves out of the comfort zone and do something different.  That's when the Burberry/Winter men's fashion styled shoot was born.  All we needed, were models. 

We photographed at the Riverside Historic Court House and in the hallway of another building around the corner.  Mayra and I took turns with each of the guys to flex our skills in posing, positioning, directing, and angles.  It was a challenging shoot to say the least.  I can pose a woman like it's going out of style, but men, that's a whole different game.  It was great practice!  As luck would have it, the foggy weather proved to be helpful in creating some moody photos.  

First up, Derrick!  Who brought a hat and his car to the shoot.  He gave us lots to work with.  I chose to process his photos with a little desaturated contrast.  Make them more grey like his clothes.  

Second up, Joe!  For some reason, I feel that Joe's set is more powerful in black in white.  I don't usually like to use black and white when people have colored eyes, but the lighting I experimented with just pops out more in black and white.  So, black and white it was.    

I wish both the these dudes the best in their modeling and acting career!  They were such an awesome duo and the four of us got along famously.  They worked hard in helping us with posing and really brought their A game.  If you ever need a model, make sure to contact these two!  

You can find Derrick HERE.

You can find Joe HERE.

A friend of mine and I were were having a conversation last week where we shared memories that were triggered by a particular song.  His was of love had and lost and mine was of adventure and new experiences.  

Then, he proceeded to tell me, "You're a very intense person."  

I looked up at him, puzzled.  "Not in a bad way,"  he added.  I thought for a moment and just like that, he was right.  I had no defense.  He was so right.  I am an intense person.  

You see, up until that moment, I had no way of describing the way I see things.  How I remember my life's tiniest fleeting moments.   Perhaps, I watch way too many movies.  Maybe, in another life, I was a cinematographer.  Because that is how I remember fractions of my life.  As if I were the main character in my own movie.  Clips and cuts of fading memories.  Memories I record with intense detail.  Complete with a soundtrack.  

After some time, I agreeably said, "It's the little things... the little things in life."  He nodded.  And I took a bite of my salmon.  

This intensity allows me to be passionate, enthusiastic, and to love with a whole lot of heart.  To learn and grow.  To appreciate.  

Appreciate life.  Appreciate the people in life.  Appreciate small moments in time.

So today, I'm thankful for being able to appreciate so much in my life.  For being able to be intense about life, love, family, and all the little things that make up my life.   You never know when a little thing may just be the biggest thing in your life.  

Be intense... in a good way, of course.

Happy Thanksgiving!

When I switched my major in college, my parents would tell me to keep public relations as my main focus and photography as a back up.  They said it like it was going out of style.  They asked me to weigh the options.  They didn't want me to be another starving artist.  Luckily, they saw potential and supported me when I didn't listen and began my photographic journey.

Oh how I would have slapped my 20 year old self!  I should have switched my major long before 20!  Photography is a craft that I aim to grow and get better with every day that passes.  Since then I have been struggling, I've been the starving artist, and yet, I am fulfilled.  Like I will be after Thanksgiving.  

I continue to push through.  I've had doubts.  After one wedding, I came home devastated thinking that I hadn't done as much as I wanted.  That I didn't get enough.  That what I got was crappy.  And that my client would hate me.  But I have also had fulfilled days.  Days like yesterday.  Days like today.  Where everything seems to fall right back into place.  

So don't worry if you aren't where you want to be, because neither am I.  Don't worry if you're struggling, because there will always be hurdles.  And don't ever be afraid to jump and run after your dreams.  If you haven't got dreams, then what's the point in living?

Dream big.  Aim high.  and live fulfilled.  Even on bad days.

This is Sunny.  She's a beautiful model I had the pleasure of photographing.  

I remember, looking up from sleepy eyes at the bright lights on the Golden Gate bridge.   I was about three years old and it was dark outside.  That was my only memory of San Francisco, even though we have boxes and boxes of family photos at Yosemite and the bay area.  And when my good friend Ruben moved to the bay area to be with his girlfriend, I missed a good friend and dreamed of red trolly's and the red bridge I so faintly remembered. 

Then in September, we made it happen.  Ruben and Stephanie let me stay with them during the long Labor Day weekend and we even got to photograph their anytime session!  Which you can view here.

They were the best hospitable people ever!  And when they had plans on Saturday, I told them that I'd explore the city on my own.  They worried about leaving me alone.  Did I mention they're the nicest ever?  Little did they know that exploring on my own is my middle name!  I surprise people when I tell them that I've gone to dinner alone, or that I don't mind going to the movies alone, or sitting somewhere and enjoying God's wondrous world by myself.

So they dropped me off.  

Geared with a camera backpack, my camera, and some walking shoes, I hit the streets.  First the Embarcadero, making a very zigged-zagged line through the empty streets of the financial district, crossing into Chinatown, which was so alive and colorful!  Chinatown was my favorite.  Then I made my way slowly into Little Italy, and as night fell, I moved towards the Ghirardelli Square and Pier 39.  By that time the lights from the square were twinkling and I felt as if I were in an entirely different world.  I worked my legs that day.  And my eyes were overfilled with so much life and so much newness.  If newness is even a word.  If it's not, then I vote to add it to the dictionary. Stat. 

The nights were filled with the most amazing food I have EVER eaten!  San Francisco also stole my stomach.  Hand made noodles in Oakland, authentic Italian food in Little Italy, and the best Peruvian food I've ever had.  Ever.  

Sites, food, and nightlife.  And... Some amazing friends!  Ruben and Steph, you have no idea now much I loved being your hood and I appreciate how awesome you guys were in driving me around and really showing the true San Fran.  So, while I left my heart in San Francisco, take care of it until I go back!

Enough rambling!  On to the photos!

Flying photos.  Random lake in the middle of California.  And of course, Bart Station.

China town!  These men and women were huddled in groups and played games.  It was very intense!  They didn't even notice me taking photos. 

As we were driving into Muir Woods, I saw this little gem from the highway.  Little did I know that it's the same boat that my photo friend, Eddie Yerkish, photographed.  His shot is waaaaay better than mine and has won awards.  This was my attempt to one-up him.  His is still better :)

My wonderful hosts and tour guides! And lots of camera phone shots from the whole weekend.

Flying back home.  The fog really started settling in.

Happy Saturday!

Part II!  Some ceremony and of course, the portraits!  

Can I just say first hand, Analin, you are amazing at choosing locations.  First, your engagement session at the Greystone Mansion and then your wedding portraits at the Pasadena City Hall... you really know how to make a photography smile.  Really big.  Big with teeth showing.  

Part III will be up soon and I hope you are thrilled to see these few of many!

Married!

HELLO GORGEOUS!

and... Javi, you're quite then ham!

Both of these are competing to be my absolute faves of the whole day!

This day started like wedding days usually start... with me running around getting ready, packing the water bag, and loading everything into the car.  Then running back in to the house remembering I forgot the directions.  Or some kind of dirivative of that scenaro.  No matter how much I prep myself with check lists, to-do lists, and reminder lists, I still run around like a crazy person.  It's the nerves, I'm sure!

As soon as I walked into the hotel room where Analin was getting ready, her sister, Vivian passed by me in mermaid dress and it was a beautiful burnt orange.  ORANGE!  I gasped and immediately ran to Analin to let her know that she made my day!  You see, the color orange, happens to be MY FAVORITE COLOR!  Analin and I were meant to be, obviously!

The day kept unwinding very smoothly and ahead of schedule.  Unfolding such wonderful surprises along the way with the bling all the girls wore, the beautiful church, and who doesn't like a candy bar?! This is only Part One...

Church:  St. John Baptist, Baldwin Park

Florals:  The Blooming Branch

Coordinator: Maricela Montenegro

Make Up & Hair: Violeta Gariel of Arcadia Styling Salon

Portrait Location:  Pasadena City Hall

Reception:  Diamond Bar Center

A very special thank you to Regina & Chris of Chris Holt Photography for being my assistants :).  

Hello bling!

How lucky were we?  The hotel room in which Analin and her sisters got ready in had an ORANGE couch! 

The entire time, the girls were laughing and joking around.  My kind of gals :)

Analin:  You're GORGEOUS!

 And because I'm a meanie... I'm leaving you hanging with this one.  

It's called the Day of the Dead.  Not a time for mourning but rather a day of remembering the life the lived and shared with us.  I haven't lost many people in my life, however, the one of the two people I've lost is my grandma Delfina.  

A beautiful woman wrinkled with the lines of her life.  Her triumphs and her undying love her for 8 children in the tiny pueblo of Chihuahua.  With it's dirt roads and city buses.  I remember spending my summer vacations in her little adobe home while she cooked us eggs and beans.  Made flour tortillas from scratch and never failed to make me my favorite buñuelos.  With her hands cupped ever so femininely, she would grab us and hug us.  The only way a grandmother could.  Transcending such a special kind of love.  Her love. 

She gave me the best memories of my summers in Mexico.  Letting us run wild, sleeping in late, and helping her wash clothes by hand.   I can still hear her laugh and see her smile.  And I will never forget how she would always say, "mis ninas! quales ninas, mis ninotas!"  as we grew and grew.   

The distance never mattered.  She was 2000 miles from me and yet would ask how my music was coming along.  She'd send us love through telephone lines when we'd call her on her birthday, which coincidentally, according to her, was on Christmas eve.  

But my favorite memory of her is when she'd sit outside on her stoop and watch the street awaken with the life of it's inhabitants.  Her life wasn't easy, but she's a constant reminder that life is worth living for and making it the most with what you have.  

Today, I remember her.  The same way I remember her when we would rush through her front door at midnight unexpectedly and she would smile happy to see us.  Then we'd all gather around the dining table and catch up in the dim morning light.  

Happy Dia de los Muertos!  

This year, I've taken a back seat to the festivities.  I've been busy editing and trying to relax. But tonight, I will enjoy some popcorn, candy, and scary movies.  By scary, I mean Hocus Pocus.  :)

Be safe out there!  

Today's tips are a bit random.  Simply, they are just here to help inspire and keep you working on your photography business :).  Hope they help!  Make sure you comment any additional tips and share with your friends!

1.  Shoot for yourself

In our industry it is very easy to get burnt out and not touch our cameras for a few days.  Because of this it is important to pick up a camera and shoot for yourself.  Do some photographic therapy :).  I shoot film for myself and it keeps my photo juices going.  It's an automatic point and shoot 35mm film camera and I admit, it's fun to not have to worry about exposure, or settings, or lenses.  I just point it and shoot it.  Then the fun part is next:  developing the film! 

Shooting for yourself will help you reconnect with why you love photography. It will give you a new perspective and help you tune into your creative side.  I know it works for me 

2.  Blog It!

 I'm sure I'm not the first one to say this but blogging is imperative to a photographer's business!  It showcases your work, your clients, and most importantly, yourself.  Rather than just picking the cream of the crop for your website, your clients (and future clients) will have somewhere to go to view more photos from a particular session.  

I know that at first it seems silly and a bit invasive, to put yourself out there for all to read about... but why wouldn't you?  Don't you want your clients to know that you love your life and love doing photography?  Don't you want them to know that you have a Starbucks addiction and can't put the Caramel Mocha down?!  Okay, maybe that's a little extreme but I am a little dramatic sometimes.  And that is exactly what I want my clients to know, that I can joke and have fun.  That I love my doggie and sometimes he's way to raggedy to photograph.  I write birthday posts for each of my parents because I want my clients to know how I feel about each of them.

Allowing your clients to see who you are can better your chances in getting their business.  People do business with people they like.  It's really that simple.  And many a times I have made friends out of my clients.  Gone on coffee dates, dinners, and even drank a beer with them.  This makes the level at which you take care of your clients that much higher.  And they will feel it and see it.

3.  Be Yourself!

This goes hand in hand with the blogging.  BE YOURSELF!  Don't try and be like anyone else.  You are unique, special, and different and people like that.  I'll be the first to admit that I'm a little weird and I'm not afraid to embrace it.  I talk in circles and ramble, can't tell a joke to save my life, and until recently, thought I never made any sense when I wrote blog posts.  I was told by my sister and a couple of friends that I am indeed a good writer and that they like to read my blog... and all this time I was just being myself, talking in circles, and making every grammatical error in the world thinking people were here for the photos.  

Because I am myself, people have gotten to know me on a deeper level. They know how to connect with me. On the blog and off the blog, don't be afraid to be you.  And if someone doesn't like you, they can keep on walking! 

4.  Carve your own path.

In this industry, it is easy to get inundated with how everyone else is doing business.  Kinda like, I seriously want to be Jose Villa in another life.  But this doesn't mean that I will start shooting all film.  I love film but don't get me wrong, digital is something I know.  This also goes ties into the two points made above.  It's okay to take advice from the greats.  It's okay to use their techniques but make them your own.  Make them YOU.  Absorb the information and advice but use what works for you and tweak what needs to be improved.  

This will also help you separate yourself from everyone else out there.  

5.  Bad is bad no matter what.

Even if you're a Photoshop guru, a bad photo is a bad photo.  I have seen many people show their clients all photos from a session, no matter if they're bad or not.  Culling your photos for the top notch ones is important.  Photoshop will not make bad photos great.  Great photos will be great photos.  

And please, don't get me wrong, I've taken bad photos.  It takes time to get it right and even then not every image will absolutely perfect.  But practicing and getting it as close to perfect will help you be better.  And then you can use Photoshop to make a good photo even better.  

That's it!  I hope this helps someone learn from my experiences.  

Happy Friday!