Photography serving Orange County and Los Angeles, but available for worldwide travel.
i want to float on the breeze
and fly through your hair
i want to open up my soul
and share it with everyone who dares
to take a chance, to take a step
towards the edge, towards positive change
to develop and grow
into a life rearranged
i’d waft through the air
and kiss your cheeks whispering in your ear
of all the truth i know and feel
and everything you’ve always needed to hear
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Amy and Gavin opted out of an engagement session and instead requested that I shoot their rehearsal dinner at Disneyland’s renowned Club 33. I was at first disappointed, because engagement sessions are so fun and give me a solid opportunity to get to know the couple before their wedding. Then after spending a couple hours with Amy and Gavin and their family and closest friends at Club 33 two nights before their wedding, I realized the beauty of the opportunity.
I got to experience not only a little of Amy and Gavin’s relationship together, but I got to know their families and friends and the relationships they share as well. I got to watch Gavin’s sister hug Amy tightly and whisper in her ear, bringing tears to her eyes. I got to talk to Gavin’s friend about their friendship. I got to hear how everyone had been waiting for this marriage for years. I got to pray with them over their union and its future. I got to feel Amy’s excitement as her closest people got to experience the magic of Disneyland in a unique way that’s uniquely close to her heart.
And the Club 33 experience is definitely unique. There is so much history within those walls, so much love and happiness and fantasy made into reality that the energy is deep and enriching. The walls whisper it. The servers smile it. The furniture helps you feel it.
Then add in two fabulous people and their closest friends and family…and you’ve got a dinner experience to remember forever.
pin to tweet on email toWhat fun! I’ve never been there. My wife went once for a work thing and got cut in line by Larry King, so she’s never since been a fan of his, but she liked the restaurant. 🙂
well cutters will get cut back. karma. but ya, restaurant was fab. best steak i’ve had in my entire life!
an interesting conversation with a good friend, worth sharing…
bummed out
Me
why
new series of engagement shots felt too “safe”
felt like the shots were more for them
i dunno…
Me
explain more
i think in my heart of hearts
i like to be edgy
but for these clients i didn’t want to push them so hard
conservative couple
Me
we dont always get to shoot EXACTLY how we want to shoot
because every client is different
i personally struggle
when someone is over my shoulder saying ‘try this angle’ or ‘ooh, this looks cool’
and for some reason i shut down
i step where they’re standing. take the shot they think is cool. and tone down my own creativity to appease them.
it totally slows me down when a client suggests a shot
Me
booger shots always result
haha
Me
so.
the point is…not EVERY shoot is going to be bangin fantabulous omg these images are amaaazing
WE are the professionals
WE know
but sometimes we gotta do what someone else wants or thinks
and the important thing i think….is to make sure we don’t shut ourselves down
and at least try a few of our own ‘edgy’ or unique shots
so that we are stimulated
and happy
but also to make sure the client is happy, yes
i need too push myself more
i’ve been too much in “make client happy” mode
Me
so if this was a conservative couple…then take your conservative shots
yea….make them happy but make sure to nurture your own happiness too
80% for them, 20% for us?
Me
[eff] numbersfeel it out
every time
hahahaha
i love you jackie
**sigh**
ok
thanks for the insight
Me
sure
i’m no super seasoned pro…but i have intuition like you can’t believe
and i think a huge part of what we do…as photographers…as artists…and story tellers…is to feel it out…CREATE…every time
so go to that edge man
feel it out
rock.
thanks jackie
Me
ROCK.
and here’s a quick video of a moment where I tried something new…went out (or down) on my edge…
and ROCKED a cool image I’d never shot before…
pin to tweet on email tothis is one of you’re dopest blog posts yet….you are just full of creative ideas. keepin it og. j.lo
really?! thanks, man!
i love how late my comments are..usually between 12-3 a.m.
and i love how early your comments are…usually between 6-9 a.m.
hahahaha!
you’re late. and i’m early. your view is straight. mine is curly.
yeah my dad will like this
Norell and Severin contacted me a few months ago to schedule an engagement session while they were in town from Switzerland. Norell had lots of ideas about locations and looks and sent me lots of images that she loved. She wanted a certain look…and I think we might have nailed it…
We ended up choosing the Griffith Observatory and Park as the location and I decided to use different lenses than I normally shoot with for engagement sessions. I decided to open my mind and let all of Norell’s ideas flood in, and let all of the love between this couple wrap itself around me and my assistant and take us to where it wanted. As an artist and as a human, I think it’s important to always be open to change and to always keep growing…
And Norell and Severin are in the middle of that. I can see that Severin brings out the calm and relaxed side of Norell, while Norell brings out the joyful and carefree side of Severin. I can see that their relationship has evolved and changed and grown tremendously since they first met, and I can see that it will continue to do so as time goes on.
It was refreshing to let their love take over that morning as we all overlooked downtown Los Angeles. Looking over that musty city, I felt like we all felt a little more open…a little more willing to grow…
pin to tweet on email toLove the park ones!! Fantabulous job girl, beautiful couple!
u nailed this sess. awesome peopleness!
u nailed this sess. awesome peopleness!
Beautiful photos from a beautiful photographer of a beautiful couple!
Thanks, guys!
Great blog! I like how everything is well written. I will be back to check for new posts. Thanks!!
Brandi’s the type of woman who doesn’t back down when she knows she’s right.
Brandi’s the type of woman who’s vision sometimes gets cloudy, but she never stops trying to focus.
Brandi’s the type of woman that constantly seeks.
Brandi’s the type of woman who constantly grows.
Brandi’s the type of woman that looks at herself in the mirror, admits her faults, and still holds her head high as she walks down the street.
Brandi’s the type of woman who knows who she is, even if she doesn’t really know.
Brandi’s the type of woman who gives and gives, even when her own cup is low.
Brandi’s the type of woman who sees life and all of its lights and darks, and paints all the colors of its rainbow onto its every page, even when she’s wearing black.
Brandi’s the type of woman who looks for the good.
Brandi’s the type of woman who reveals herself slowly…and I’m so thankful for all that she’s already shown me…
Thanks for hiring me and trusting me with this shoot, Brandi. It was so fun, obviously, but it’s been even more fun to getting know you before and after… 😉
pin to tweet on email toBeautiful Brandi!! These are amazing pictures, you ladies did great.Thanks for sharing these.
Beautiful. Get it Brandi!
dudemeist - forget like… I “LOVE IT”!