RSS me

I am in a constant struggle to minimize the amount of time I spend in front of my computer. In doing so, I find tools to increase productivity without sacrificing efficiency. One of my recent favorite things is Net News Wire. I tell every person I talk to about it so might as well blog about it.

For a bit I was utilizing Mac Mail's RSS reader. Updates from my favorite blogs were delivered directly to my mailbox without crowding the Inbox. There are various RSS readers out there and now you can even use Facebook too. My friend, Nick Onken, turned me into Net News Wire. It's pretty awesome! I started using it about two months ago and I'm lovin' it. The interface is just like your email program... lets your organize your subscriptions to folders (we all know how I feel about organization), open web pages within the window, synchronize your feeds if you're accessing from different computers, add events to iCal and contacts to Address Book, etc. With the amount of information made available to us on a daily basis, this is a great tool to filter and customize what we feed our brains from the WWW. Only works with Macs though.

A few less clicks & loading time means more time to update my own blog perhaps? :D Be sure to add me to your RSS reader. And yes, I subscribe to the purse blog.

On the cover of Ceremony Magazine

I made cover! It's always very exciting to see our work published, and even better - on the cover of a magazine. Ceremony is one of Southern California's top wedding magazines and I'm very thrilled to have my image on the cover of the April/May issue. This beautiful bouquet was done by one of my favorite florists, Dodie Sy of Brassavolas.

Vegas!

Just got back from Vegas for this year's WPPI. We had the most fantastic time learning, meeting photographers from all over, finding new products to further improve our workflow and all that good stuff.

Kicked it off by watching the The Beatles LOVE. Thought this image from my point & shoot was pretty cool...
This was exactly how it felt like watching the show... with my very good friend Maureen Ford

At the Young Guns, Pictage party, BluDomain party, etc.
With Jim Garner, Jesh De Rox, Julie Weaver, Tammie Kim, Marco, Joe Cogliandro, Roberto Valenzuela

with Jay Goldman, Roberto Falck, Trung Huynh, Mike Steelman, Diana Montoya, Maureen Ford, Krista Guenin, Amanda Harris, Meghan Thomas
Highest concentration of iPhone owners you can imagine. I'd have to go blog hunting to find who kept that fun photo booth shot with all our iPhones...

The highlight of my trip was getting in the International Print Competition. It was my first time to join and my prints earned accolades. Yay! (Mom & Dad, I'll just email the pictures with me standing right next to them :D)



Can't wait for next year... It's always SO much fun finding new friends and getting back really inspired.

Fall 2008

Fashion is one of the things that I've always loved. Since my sister and I graduated from matching outfits at age 3, this is one subject that has dominated a lot of our conversations.

Last night, I was at the LA Fashion Week to check out some 2008 fall collections. I'm feeling like a sponge these days, seems like everywhere I go, I take home a little bit of "inspiration in a bag." Although my style isn't exactly avant-garde - as most runway, hair, make up & designs are - I do admire how designers define their distinct styles and make such bold statements. Got me excited for an upcoming project...

My iPhone froze just as the show started and my point & shoot was all out of juice.
Here's an image i grabbed from MSNBC.

You, Inc.

I love Sundays.  It's a great day to catch up with friends over brunch,  spend quali-tee time with the family, go for a hike, read a book,  plan your week, re-assess your goals, etc.

Part of my goals for this year was to read a book a week.  Quite ambitious considering these aren't ones with big pictures my eyes are accustomed to :)   Today I just finished on You, Inc.  It's a fantastic read and I'd highly recommend it.  Each page has a valuable and inspiring lesson on one of the best things you can invest in - yourself!   Pushing for success by going out of your comfort zone... growing your box instead of thinking outside of it... giving... I can go on.  Seriously, pick up a copy!

Fun Night Shoot

Kim & Roberto are troopers. We braved the rush hour traffic and headed downtown for a fun night shoot. No flash, no tripod. It's like defying gravity! Just good ol' available light with a little kick from a video light.

I truly enjoy conversations with people who are passionate about their work, life and learning. With these two, most of which over a lovely meal or with a Pinkberry on hand :) See what a good looking couple they are! ..and it doesn't stop there.

A few favorites...



Lovin' the attitude...



Isn't Kim just gorgeous?!

PUG

This month's PUG meeting was at the Pictage headquarters. It was graced by Denis Reggie and Joe Buissink for an ala Inside the Actor's Studio Q&A. Sharing their insights on wedding photography - then, now & where it could be - and some key ingredients that have been instrumental for their successes.

I love how fun & friendly our wedding photography community here is . A whole bunch of us went out for sushi afterwards...

Tic Tock Couture Florals

As earlier mentioned, I'll be posting about more wedding vendors... Here are images from my last shoot with florist extraordinaire Eddie Zarastian of Tic Tock Couture Florals. I love being around people with such positive creative energy! These were shot at the historic Park Plaza Hotel in LA for Ceremony Magazine.

I love how grand & elegant these feel....