So now that the year is winding down a bit and the holidays bring us onto a slower pace, I thought it'd be a good idea to make this Inside Scoop more specific. Specifically for portraits. 

When I began developing my technical skills in photography, I was set on photographing still life. I was afraid of having people in front of my camera because, well, because of a myriad of reasons. Mainly one reason. That they would notice that I had no idea what I was doing. And quite frankly, I didn't know what I was doing. This did not mean that I couldn't learn. Being that my major was geared more towards photojournalism, people became an important element in creating compelling photos. A story with in a story. This forced me to flex my skills and now, portraits are one of my favorite type of session.

 There is still a story with a story. My client's story. So this leads to this installment of Inside Scoop: The Portrait Series.

1. Ask questions and don't stop asking questions. 

 This is possibly the best advice I've ever received. It is what made me less nervous. And in turn also relaxes my subjects. It helps alleviate the silence and awkwardness of the session. I ask them how the drive was, if they have ever been to that location before, how their day was and if they feel nervous. Yes, you read right. I ask this question because it helps me pinpoint why they are nervous. This in turn, allows me to make the experience less stressful and more fun. I learned early on that talking and asking questions keeps the sessions light and fun. Plus, when you are first starting out and all wrecked with nerves talking helps to relax yourself. Try it. I bet you'll see a difference in how fun your sessions can be.

2. Keep moving. Keep the energy positive. 

 This is also something that I've learned to keep the nerves in check. Clients don't know angles or if something is just not working. All they know is that they're trusting you to know. So, when you keep moving on, with out making it apparent that somethings not jiving, be it the light or location, they just experience a fluid session. The client will feel like you really worked it. And in conjunction to keeping the fluidity of the session, keeping the energy positive will give your client a positive experience. Because lets face it, getting photographed professionally is intimate. And when your client walks away with a positive and excited energy, then it's a win-win. 

 3. SMILE 

 Photography is one of those things that if you do not love it, then seriously, why do it? When you show up to a portrait session, and any interaction with a client for that matter, it is so important that you keep smiling. No matter what. On the phone, smile. When you meet for a consultation, smile. When you are behind the camera, smile. Trust me, your client can see you. A smile goes a long way. It's the energy you create that your clients walk away with. And you want the, smiling after a session, right? Right.

 4. Be a big kid. It's fun! 

 A couple years a go, I had the privilege to attend Sandy Puc's seminar on photographing children. The biggest piece of information I walked away with was to be a big kid. To not worry about being silly and getting kids to really trust and respond to you. To tap into your inner child and play hi-five. To say "weeeee". To jump and play. Parents will thank you and appreciate that you were fun and made their family portraits such a great experience, rather than a stressful-the-kids-are-crying-what-a-mess experience. 

 5. Prep yourself. 

 This really applies to anything you're about to shoot. Prepare yourself. Go to a location and scope it out if you have to. Send clients wardrobe recommendations. Give yourself enough travel time. Prep yourself with poses. Preparation will allow you to show up with your A game and rock the session. 

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 So that's all for this installment. Next month will be the Wedding Series! And if you'd like to sub,it questions, leave a comment and I'll add it to future Inside Scoops! 

 Happy Monday!

Oh blog, please forgive me!  I went through the whole month of November and completely spaced on getting an Inside Scoop up.   So, to make it up to you, I will be doing two installments this month! Hooray!

1.  Keep your self inspired!

Recently, I went through a creative block.  Think of it like writer's block but for the creative person.  Yes, I made up the term, but its fitting for what I'm going to talk about.  I went through a slump and was feeling completely uninspired.  Before I could sulk in my non creativeness, I realized that inspiration was all around me.  In the form of books, in my sketchbook that I post clippings in, movies, the world outside, and other creative people.  And the flickering light bulb finally turned on.  Like it's little 100 watt life depended on it.  

When you feel like you're in a slump creatively, just take a second to stop focusing on the slump part and get back to the creative part.  Get online, Google is your friend.  Watch your favorite movie.  Look through old magazines.  And when nothing seems to work, go out and get yourself a coffee and people watch.  Yeah, I went there.  You never know when someone, something will spark your imagination. 

2.  Take a break.

This is crucial in any life situation.  Taking a break can help you recharge your batteries, get your mind off a stressful situation, and allow you to breath easier.  Too often, people do too much and they end up feeling stressed, unrested, and then they get crabby.  Don't allow yourself to get crabby.  

Breaks for me usually consist of prying myself away from the computer and going downstairs.  Far away from the "ping" of my inbox.  I also make sure to go outside at least once.  Working from home can mean long hours in front of the monitor, hours of music humming, and going cross eyed.  It is easy to not walk outside.  But do it.  The fresh air will help you relax and enjoy the day.  Even if you're at the office all day.  Talk a walk outside.  Away from the noise, the reminders, the to-do list, and maybe your co-workers.

3.  Write down your goals.

I like lists.  I make lists for everything.  Packing, groceries, wedding prep lists, I even have a list for this segment on my blog.  It's called:  Inside Scoop Blog Series Topics.  Along with check marks to make sure I don't repeat myself.  Your goals shouldn't get any less attention.  In fact, they should get seen everyday.  

Goals are a great way to keep your self on track.  To keep you motivated to achieve something you really want.  To help you get to a bigger goal.  Make sure to make them specific and reasonable.  Sure, you can have a goal to shoot for Vogue.  But is that really attainable and reasonable?  Instead make a goal that get's you closer to that goal.  Like, take a studio lighting class.  Or take a fashion photography course by June of 2012.  Those are specific, reasonable, and attainable.  And maybe, they'll lead you to your goal of shooting for Vogue :).

4.  Value yourself (and your work)

When I started out, it was really hard for me to accept the notion of valuing my work.  I just wanted to shoot and someday be able to be a good photographer.  However, if you do not value yourself, your skills, what you've learned and ultimately your work, people will take advantage of you.  They will set the limits for you and will box you where they see fit.  

Break the box and set value for yourself.  This goes hand in hand with confidence.  The more you shoot the more confidence you'll have and in turn the more value you'll give yourself.  But don't think you have to be the best to be valued.  Don't allow for other's to limit your value, even if right now you shoot flowers and your dog.  You just might be the best floral and pet photographer ever.  Only you can limit value.  

5.  Criticism.  Learn to take it.

I remember I got an email about a year ago from an anonymous person telling me that I needed to go back to school and learn photography because everything on my website looked like it was a snapshot. I read the email and sat there with my mouth wide open in shock.  The first thing I did was go over to my website and scrutinize my work.  I looked closely for anything resembling a snapshot.  I tried to find reason as to why they had to be so mean.  And then it hit me, this guy didn't even leave a real phone number or email.  I didn't even have a chance to ask him which photos he was talking about.

Criticism is like that.  You can either sit there and cry, overlook it, or get angry.  Or, you can take it into consideration and make sure that you do the best job you can.  Learn from it. Why did this person email this hurtful email?  He was giving me a reason to prove him wrong.  

Now, not all criticism is like this.  In college, we would submit our assignments without names and the class would critique it.  I'd cringe every time critiques came around.  Never the less, valid points were made, both positive and constructive. 

 And all have made me a better photographer.  Even the guy I aim to prove wrong every day.

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And that's all for this installment!  Hope you learn something from my personal experiences!  

My sister and I are 3 years and 9 months apart.  When I was learning to crawl, she was playing with Barbies.  When I started playing with Barbies, she was experimenting with make up.  When I started making up my face, she was kissing boys.  And, well, when I started thinking about boyfriends, she moved out.  We kept a notebook of letters and would give it to each other when we'd visit.  And I spent that summer at her apartment.  

We didn't play together and because of the age difference, we were in different stages in life.  Now that we're older, and now in the same age bracket, we get each other.  Often we say to each other with deep conviction, "we're all we've got."  Many times we fancied the idea of the infamous what-ifs.  What if we had a brother, what would he be like?  What if he were older?  What if we were the only child?  And right then, together, we declare, that it would just be way too lonely.

For the Moran family, they know the meaning of family, love, and most of all fun.  And they do it with style! 

Here's a sneak preview of this beautiful family!
More coming soon!  

Happy Wednesday!

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.