it's like a game you play with blogs, apparently. Jennifer Longaway tagged me so now I have to write 8 interesting things you may not know about me and see if I can get 8 other people to do it too...reminds me of chain letters (the pre-email version of spam).
So here goes:
1. In elementary school I was addicted to Sweet Valley High books. So much so that, when we were given an assignment to write a novel in 4th grade, I basically totally copied the plot of one of them (the one where Jessica gets kidnapped) almost verbatim, changing the names and details around a little bit. The teacher had no idea but all the girls in the class called me out on it. I didn't really get why they were so upset...Since then I've become slightly more respective of copyright.
2. Also in elementary school (kindergarten), most of my friends had allergies to something, asthma, lactose intolerance, etc...but I was perfectly healthy and terribly jealous of them. So I made up that I was allergic to wax.
3. My favorite food right now is Palapa Azul coconut sorbet pops.
4. My childhood pet cat's name was Paul. He was named after my best friend's dad. He lived to be 17 and I took a trip out to Long Island, New York to scatter his ashes after he died at our old house there.
5. I was terrified of the little finger stick blood test machine at the doctor's when I was a kid, so my mom used to bribe me with promises of a hot fudge sundae at this gourmet ice cream place after the Dr.'s appointment.
6. When I was 17 I shaved my head, except for two long thin pieces in the front that were kind of like bangs. Those I dyed various colors. They hung in my face and people constantly used to ask me if I could see properly (they weren't THAT big).
7. When I was 5, my favorite movie was Annie. My favorite record was the Annie soundtrack. I used to play it and sign along, and my favorite song on it was "Maybe"...but I couldn't get through the song without crying (it's a sad song).
8. My first paid job was as a waitress in a restaurant two blocks from my house. I got $2/hr plus tips. My first paid photo gig was photographing a painting student's canvases with slide film, for her art school portfolio. I got $50.
Okay, your turn to embarass yourselves. I'm tagging James Sanders, Angela Banchi, Nathan Smith, Juliet Nicole,
Tiffany Fosnight, Rose Hyc, Millie Holloman, and Jen Manuele.
PS Nice work Jen and thanks for the shout out! Now can I make you come over to my home office and do all the work I should have been doing while I was doing this? :)
I got tagged...
Tenaya Lodge, Yosemite CA
Elizabeth and Robert
September 22, 2007
This was the first time I'd ever been to Yosemite, although if I'd had any idea what I was missing I would have gone ages ago. The cool mountain air, the enormous Sequoias (some people think Redwood trees have a special kind of energy, since they are so ancient), the quiet and peace...it was uplifting and incredible just being there.
Elizabeth was a destination bride, coming from Texas, and since I live more than 3 hours from Yosemite we didn't actually get to meet until the day before the wedding--but we talked over email a lot in the months before the wedding and we read each others blogs to get to know each other. Elizabeth's blog is called Clutching Boxes. She is a great writer, with a sharp wit and a masterful way of putting words together--I love her blog. She is also a photographer, and one of her recurring themes is to create composite photographs of herself playing different characters in the same image, like this:
image (c) Elizabeth Stewart
Her work reminds me a lot of Cindy Sherman's. It has the same pseudo-serious feel, like it has something important to say but at the same time is making fun of itself. She also has some beautiful landscape and texture shots on her blog.
I love working with other photographers, not only because it is flattering to be appreciated by someone who knows photography but also because most photographers are really familiar with both the strengths and limitations of photography. They know that the more they put into their pictures, the more they will get out of them, and this was definitely the case with Elizabeth and Robert--I barely had to give them any direction during our E session, and they had a lot of fun with both that shoot and the portrait part of the wedding shoot the next day. They had great ideas and it was really fun collaborating with them. And during the documentary parts of the wedding day Elizabeth gave me the kind of physical and emotional access that makes it possible to get to the heart of what the wedding is about. It was a bit of a crazy day, with rain, wind, and eventually hail forcing us to move the ceremony into the large lobby of the Tenaya Lodge (moose antler lamps and all), and a mixup with the officiant that I'm sure will seem funny to the couple in...oh... about 10 years or so. ;)
When all is said and done, though, Elizabeth and Robert really made this day their own. It was one of the most laid back weddings I've shot, and by the end of the day I felt more like I was hanging out with friends than working. I plan to bring the dogs and Brian up to Yosemite this winter (since I found out it snows there) and let all of us enjoy the slow pace and relaxing atmosphere of the place.
Local vendor shout outs: Flowers were done by Sweet Pickin's Floral, who did a gorgeous job on the bride's bouquet, melding little curly twigs, miniature pinecones, and white and green flowers into something that reflected the natural colors of the park around us. The yummy little 10-person cake was by Sweet Dreams Bakery. Elizabeth's makeup and hair was done by the awesome owner of Revive Day Spa & Salon. Finally, the event staff at the Tenaya Lodge were great to work with and very accomodating. It's a great place to stay in the Yosemite area--I just wish I would have had time to take advantage of their spa while I was there!
Here's some faves...
Engagement session:
Wedding:
Slideshow
Proofs
PS: on the way up to my hotel room after the E session, I noticed something fluffy waddling around behind the front desk. I leaned over to have a better look, and saw what may be the cutest, fattest, pomeranien in the Sierra Nevadas. While petting her I had to take a few pics, although she was a bit afraid of the camera at first (I don't blame her, it was bigger than her).
Hiddenbrook Golf Club, Vallejo CA
Caitlin and Kevin
September 15, 2007
It took until about halfway through the first dance for me to realize how much I identified with Caitlin and Kevin. We spent more time than usual together shooting their E session at the Vacaville Fair, which meant more time to get to know them. And some aspects of their relationship do mirror mine; like how long they've been together and the sometimes rocky road they've traveled to get to a place of stability. Also many of the details of their wedding were how I would want mine to be--the personal vows, the music, the candy bar... (who needs dinner anyway when you've got a vase full of grape taffy and tootsie rolls?) ;)
As a result of this I found myself imagining my own wedding in some parts of theirs; such as when I stood, trying to hide my tears behind the camera, while the couple danced their first dance together (it didn't help either that the song was Five for Fighting's super sentimental "100 Years"). Or again near the end of the night, when Kevin surprised Caitlin by pulling out his guitar and serenading her with the "I Want to Grow Old With You" song from The Wedding Singer movie. Just two of many perfect moments that had a great impact on me.
I turn 30 in December, and I'm in that transitional period...still nostalgic about the excitement of my early twenties, an intensity born of naivete that can't be recaptured. Everything seemed much easier then. Values are changing too: where I once wanted to change the world, it can be hard not to feel somewhat pathetic now for being more interested in a nice comfy couch to sit on and a healthy savings account.
Yet what I saw at Caitlin and Kevin's wedding touched me deeply, reminding me that love and contentment are valid, and have their own purpose. As I drove home at the end of the night I felt happy to be alive, and grateful for the comfort and love that awaited me there.
A few shout outs: The incredibly gorgeous flowers were by Atalanta Jackson, Flowers by Atalanta. Seriously guys, I see a lot of flowers, and I was REALLY impressed by hers. Ceremony music was played beautifully on classical guitar by Jay Alvarez who, ironically, also played the ceremony music at Gabriela and Ron's wedding at the Martinelli center in Livermore last fall, although I didn't have a chance to say hi to him this time. And Caitlin's dress was from Gesinee's Bridal in Walnut Creek. Finally, Shannon, the event manager at Hiddenbrooke, was lovely to work with and very helpful to me throughout the day.
Some highlights:
Slideshow
Proofs
