Lauren called me on a Thursday and said her first wedding anniversary was next Sunday and is there any way we can shoot and get some prints done by then? I immediately called my fabulous lab, scheduled a location and called her back to confirm: we can get it done.

So we got together a few days later, the Sunday before her anniversary…and had way too much fun picking out lingerie and lipstick and refilling our glasses of champagne. If I didn’t have another commitment that afternoon, I could have stayed and shot with her all day.

Lauren was fun, full of energy and radiating with the type of breathtaking beauty that comes only from the inside. Her piercing blue eyes looked straight through my lens and into my own and stunning photographs were inevitable.

She picked the images and I designed the book the following day, and my fabulous lab had it printed and ready for us on Friday…two days before her special day. Awesome.

And naturally, her husband loved his present! Happy Anniversary, you two! Here’s to many, many more…

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dusky sky

coral glow

silhouetted window

the night bestows…

understanding

confusion

reconciliation

disillusion

my life is simple

my life is complex

my life is orange

my life is a rolodex

of colors

patterns

blacks and whites

and always grey

standing out on a grey street

looking out on this orange city

wondering

how did life ever get this good?

PINME

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  • August 19, 2010 - 11:12 am

    Dudecicle - You are a daily inspiration. With your words, with your images, with your laughter and smile and especially with your heart. I can feel it beat all the way from here.

My awesome second shooter and I were on our way to meet Lindsay at her make-up appointment before her wedding. I got a weird text message from her on the freeway so I called to inquire. ‘Don’t come,’ she said immediately. ‘I’ve lost the rings, I’m freaking out, I don’t want pictures right now.’ I got off the freeway and went back home to take the poodle on a longer walk. And pray.

Not just the rings…but her diamond tennis bracelet and her grandmother’s antique jade ring were in this little bag that Lindsay had not misplaced, but straight up LOST. They were gone.

She tore apart her condo, and then her mothers house, and on her way out of the subdivision, she saw a sign. ‘RING – 714.555.555’ it said (but with the 5’s replaced with real digits, obvs). Frantic, wet faced, and heart pounding, she called the number.

‘Do you have my rings?!’ she begged when a man answered the phone.

‘What rings?’ he asked.

‘My wedding rings,’ she cried.

‘What else?’ he responded.

Her heart stopped.

‘My grandmother’s ring and my bracelet and my engagement ring and wedding band and my fiance’s wedding band,’ she explained.

‘What else?’ he responded again.

‘Um…they were in a Swarovski bag and there was an ivory jewelry pouch and…um…’ she described as much as she could.

‘Yea, I have them. Where are you? I’ll bring them to you.’

Ten minutes later, lost rings and jewelry were delivered, and the rest of the day went according to awesome plan.

And that, my friends, is not only a modern day miracle, but proof that there really is GOOD in this world.

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Lindsay's Lost Wedding Rings

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  • August 17, 2010 - 11:35 pm

    Bsky - Truly remarkable! Makes my skin tingle in delight to know that there are good honest and wonderfully caring people in the world still. Sounds like this marriage was meant to be!

  • August 18, 2010 - 3:17 pm

    Joe+Kathrina - So I’m really curious–who was this guy and how did he have them? Either way, awesome miracle!! Can’t wait to see the rest 🙂

Mornings of a wedding go something like this:

• snooze alarm for 20 minutes (usually it’s 40-60, so you can tell I’m motivated today)

• brew fresh coffee + fresh cup with soy milk

• water plants

• review gear that I prepped the night before, charge another battery or two

• sit at computer, monitor happenings of the last night/morning, review, respond, surf, consume

• refill on the coffee (indeed, happening right now, brb)

• more computerage, review itinerary for day

• bomb diggity breakfast

• walk with poodle puff

• shower, dress

• zip up gear, load to car

• go time

So sometimes another cup of coffee is involved…sometimes lunch depending on my start time…sometimes a titch of editing or extra hour at the computer I need to put in. But usually…it’s all about getting ready for their big day.

So I’ll be shooting about 11 hours today. Plus the prep time this morning and last night. So when I take a Thursday afternoon off and lay at the beach while I make my phone calls and strategize new marketing efforts…I don’t ever feel bad. I feel balanced. I feel relaxed. And slightly tan.

Happy Saturday, folks!

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PINME

It’s five o’clock in the evening. The sun is still up, but lower, creating long shadows that contrast the warm light on my patio furniture that sits outside my office door. I hear my neighbors laughing, chatting, connecting as they grill their dinner in the backyard. It’s summer. And they grill almost every day during the summer. One day I might hand an empty plate over the fence and maybe they’ll fill it up.

It’s five o’clock in the evening. Many people are shutting down their computers and grabbing their things and heading to their cars after a too long yet too short day at work. They’re stepping outside for the first time since lunch and are anticipating drinks or dinner or taking off their shoes and lounging on their couches while they decompress. One day I might have a regular office job and a regular paycheck and maybe a regular longing for 5pm each day.

It’s five o’clock in the evening. I’m sitting at my desk excited about a full evening of work. I have some organization to do, some emailing, some marketing, and a ton of editing. I’m excited to get some things done before a big weekend which will include little office time. I’m excited to shoot a big fat wedding on Saturday with 400 guests with my friggin fave Chicago shooter who’ll be in town to shoot with me. I’m excited that I’ve been booked every weekend so far this summer. I’m excited that I’m excited about work. One day I might be excited about getting off work and having daily backyard barbecue’s and relaxing at 5pm each day.

But today…at 5pm…I’m excited to be exactly where I am.

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  • August 11, 2010 - 5:21 pm

    Garrett - Now I want BBQ for some reason.

  • August 11, 2010 - 6:47 pm

    Kan - I’m in love with your new blog!!! 🙂 You should write a book, Jackie, with your gift of words.. photography, cooking and pretty much everything humanly possible. 🙂

  • August 11, 2010 - 9:23 pm

    Bryan Crowe - The new Bligity ROCKS ! I have to say that I love the opportunity to follow your progress through all social media. Not much about my life I would change except for my timing in relation to the discovery of photography. I envy your ability and decision to amerce yourself so fully in your passion. You go girl ! I’ll be watching. Why does that feel dirty ? LOL

  • August 23, 2010 - 2:21 pm

    Form Generator - I am just making a blog related to this. If you agree, I would like to use some of your content. And with full refernce of course. Thanks in advance.

    – Andre

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