I can't believe that it's May already!  I've finally gotten around to writing 2015 instead of 2014 and time just flew by!

It's been an insane couple of months and so many sessions to post!  From California to Namiquipa to Mazatlan and another wedding this month... My heart is full!  

Anywhoo... who's dreaming of being in a place like this one? I know I can't wait until I'm at the beach everyday!!! 

Happy Friday!

Click on the image to download your wallpaper :)

My husband is witness to the fact that I love Pinterest.  He secretly does too though, hanging over my shoulder when I take a look at all the amazingness.  I can literally kill some serious time scouring through all of the images.  That's what I love about it, no extra stuff, just images.  It's the mecca of inspiration.  And without much introduction, these are my favorite pins lately!  Don't forget to check out my Pinterest boards and follow me :).

Click on the images for their link!

Happy Monday!

Introducing my new address!  As in new website address.  I bought my website back in 2010 and back then the whole vintage style was in.  It was a template and at the time, perfect for my growing business.  For the last year or so, I've wanted something different.  Never knew exactly what I wanted but I needed a change.  I saw other websites go up and for some reason, they were all the same.  Another template with blog integration, cool home site, and lots of bells and whistles.  Blah... another template meant to "wow" that costs a fortune.

I'm not sure how I can across SquareSpace.  I think I ended up on someone's website and saw that it was from SquareSpace... to be honest I'm not sure how I stumbled across it.  But I have to say, I'm sure glad I did.  They have beautiful templates, fully customizable with a clean design.  That is what I was looking for.  A website that let me change the font if I wanted, change templates, and give me good hosting.

So I made the switch.  I also made the decision to drop the "photography" at the end of the link.  Why?  To be frank, the name was too long.  I started my business thinking that I had to put "photography" so that people would know what I did.  Clearly, it's been a long road since then and I had no idea what I was doing business-wise.  Also, in gong with a cleaner, easy to navigate website, the name too had to be simple and easy to remember.  My name is short and those looking at my website will have a clear idea that I am a photographer.

So after 4 years, here is to my new website!  Make sure to click the photo to be taken to the website.  You'll love the new design, I promise!

Here is the newsletter that I sent out to my email list :).

For my clients in California that I photograph, get ready to be blown away....

Pinhole Press

is a company that offers clients who have digital images to upload and create stunning albums, prints, greeting cards, calendars, etc. and all at great pricing.  All of their products are pre-made templates where you simply drag and drop your images and you can create something out of those stored away images on your computer.

Many times, myself included, we want something easy, quick and simple to do with our photos.  Maybe we are too busy at work to learn photoshop to design an album, or you just don't know where to begin.  

Pinhole Press

is your answer!  To all of my clients that I deliver digital images to, this is a great website to design away and even have your prints custom framed.  They have so many options, of which I have highlighted some in the photo below.  

So just click on the following link and get started on creating something beautiful with your images!

www.pinholepress.com/?prc=JACKIELAMASPHOTO

If you're asked to put in a photographers code, just use Jackie Lamas Photo :) 

Here is a screen shot of the website itself...

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I just recently, as in this week, came across this amazing app!  I have heard of Blogstomp before and didn't really feel like diving into something new that I'd have to learn how to use and blah blah blah, insert useless excuse here.  Finally, this week, I re-discovered this amazing app and played with their free trial version.  The trial version was easy to use and after reading many reviews, I made the business decision to purchase this amazing little app.

What is Blogstomp, you ask?  It's a simple blogging app that allows you to drag and drop the files you wish to use and create beautiful blogging collages.  The app does all the placing and creating for you.  You can reorder the photos to change them from positions in the collages and even set the border width and spacing between the photos.  Add your own logo and even use one of their backgrounds. The app also gives you more collage options on the right side so you can pick which template is best for the photos you've selected.  You can do one, two, even 20 photos at once if you want.  It's cut my blogging time in literally half.  

The reason I would take forever to blog a session or wedding was because I would open the four templates I had in Photoshop and place each photo, then resize, then save for web and then upload. See all those really time consuming steps?  Yeah, I'm so glad that I've come to my senses and got the full version of this app.  Now, I simply drag and drop and the app does all the hard work for me.  Even sharpens the image and I can set the width of the files. 

Easy and simple.

I am in no way obligated to say these things about Blogstomp.  This is simply my own review of the app and I have to say, as a wedding photographer that usually blogs anywhere between 30 and 40 images per wedding, this is a time saver.  If you are a heavy photo blogger, I highly recommend you use Blogstomp and stop spending all of those hours in front of the computer.

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*Updated that my then boyfriend is now my husband :)* 

I have a crooked nose.  Big hips.  Short legs.  Really skinny hands.  One eye is bigger than the other.  Both eyes are pretty big as it is.  I have a crooked tooth.  Big gums and a big mouth.  Small ears.  Jiggly upper arms.  

As a photographer, I have been in front of the camera a few times.  Very few times.  Because I know how it feels to be on the other side.  Being nervous.  Feeling insecure.  Feeling awkward.  Will the angles favor my huge child bearing hips?  Is my smile too big and show my gums?  And the list goes on.  So I know how it must feel for you.

This past week, I asked my boyfriend to take my photo.  I needed new head shots for my website, blog, and Facebook and I thought the practice would be good for him.  I had never before been excited to have someone photograph me.  And this made me think, it's not the insecurities that keep you from having a professional session, it's the photographer.  

The photographer makes all the difference.

 I am comfortable being myself in front of my boyfriend.  I'm not afraid to make silly faces or laugh really hard.  I'm not afraid that he'll make me look awkward or weird.  And the occasional, "you are beautiful" definitely helps boost the confidence, ya know!

We all have insecurities That one particular thing that is the bane of our existence.  That thing that keeps us from having our photo taken.  We fear the camera for showing us our worst.  But sometimes, the camera shows you that all of your insecurities were solely in your mind.  In your warped mind that you need to look like someone else.  That you are not enough.

You are beautiful.  You are interesting.  

Finding that photographer that you can trust to make you see the best version of you is key.  When I photograph my clients I know they're nervous.  I know that they're thinking of their insecurities.  Their flaws.  I talk and get to know them.  Before the session and during the session and usually we end up becoming friends.  After 20 minutes, those flaws fade away and what comes out is pure and honest. It's their personality.  Who they really are: beautiful inside and out.

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This year has been full of great surprises and I can't believe that I've been published again!  Earlier this year, in July, I photographed my cousin's destination wedding in Cancun.  Aside from the fact that this particular wedding was close to my heart, seeing it published makes it all that more special!  I am a mixture of emotions but mostly I want to jump up and down holding the magazine in my hands and play it back in slow motion. 

At the beginning of this year, I wrote down my goals for 2012.  Both my personal and business.  Among them, I wrote down "Get Published".  It was more of a dream than an actual goal.  Until my client, Jessica, submitted a photo into a contest that was being held by a local paper.  The grand prize: Front cover of the Bridal Guide at the biggest bridal show in her town.  Voting commenced and I voted every day, as did her family and friends.  I saw the numbers climb and sure enough, she won!  

I couldn't believe my eyes when I read her email letting her family and friends know that she had won with their support.  

"Shut. Up.  I'm going to be published?!"  That was my initial reaction, of course.  She later mailed me a copy of the bridal guide and I was in awe of it.  I still couldn't believe it, even though it was in my hands.

I can't thank her enough for submitting the photo and her family and friends for voting as much as they did.  It was incredible to be able to that dream off my goals list.   2012 is proving to be a remarkable year, thank you God! 

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Facebook is a fantastic machine.  It has allowed us to connect on such an incredible level.  Connect with family and friends.  Connect with collegues and past classmates.  Connect with complete strangers we admire and those who we'd love to get to know.  It's these connections that sometimes lead to great discoveries and relationships.  And I absotelutely love it.

Over a year ago, I created a photography group.  The main reason was because I wanted to find more photographer friends.  People who would never tire talking about aperture and lighting.  Connect with people who just get me.  On a photography level.  And we could learn, grow, and connect.  That was the sole reason.  

This year, I made it my goal to begin organizing group shoots.  So we could connect face to face.  Learn and really be a community.  

Each and every Group Shoot we've had I have met so many great people.  Have been able to connect with new members, members who I've only seen through FB, and members I personally know.   However, what is greater is that all those who attend connect with each other as well!  It feels all pay-it-forward-ish.   And I love it.  

So if you're interested in being a part of the group, please go to the

GROUP PAGE

and ask to join.  It's a public group and everyone is welcome.  From novice to advanced to professional, everyone is welcome.  

Here are some photos from May Group Shoot we had in LA.  I never got around to posting them :).  

Models: Elahyna, Rosey, Desmon, & Cynthia

Senior session have to be one of my favorite kind of sessions.  Being ready to leave all the childish things behind and move on to bigger steps, larger buildings, and a whole new life.  When I graduated high school, I stayed home for a couple of years before moving out, I commuted and made little connections with Cal State.  However, those little connections have grown into life changing ones.

From meeting the girls that would be my best friends for life to the invaluable experiences of having to grow up and learning just how the real world really is.  All of it while studying before exams, working a full time job, and learning that sometimes, the 91 freeway hates everyone.  If you live in Riverside, then you know what I'm talking about.  

Wide eyed and ready for the newness of what was to come.  Ready to throw my cap in the air and leave it where it fell.  What I didn't realize was that being a senior is a pivotal moment in one's life.  A right of passage that shouldn't be over looked and left so quickly.  Instead, it should

preserved

.  Because as it stands, it's the last time you get to feel like a senior.  And the first time you take that step towards the unknown.   

This should be a time to preserve you, just as you are, right now.