t's a thing we do. As we watch movie previews before the feature presentation, JD and I will hold up our hands and give it a thumbs up or a thumbs down. It's all very Ebert of us. Most often our thumbs are the inverse of each other (he prefers car chases and buildings that explode) because I--clearly--have better taste (I love subtitles and movies that make me cry). While recently at the theater, just after the Star Trek preview ended, our thumbs opposed each other. You don't want to see THAT, he incredulously asked.
Bless his heart. I wasn't sure which category he fell into at that moment...
Though he'd deny it, JD is the type of guy who'd wear this sweatshirt...
My husband is also the guy that'd pay extra to get a cup of coffee that looked like this...
This probably stems from the fact that he dreamt of sleeping in a bed like this as a kid...
Regardless of how strange my husband is at times, I love his geek streak and hope he'd be the type of dad to do this one day...
Happy Friday!
Featured : Resource Magazine
05.15.13
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've been a fan of Resource Magazine for a while, so you might imagine my surprise when Aurelie Jezequel, the Editor in Chief, emailed to set up an interview. I love the content, but I'm a huge fan of the design and layout of the magazine...so lovely. Aurelie explained her writers were profiling five industry experts regarding wedding photography innovations...and I was more than honored to chat.
Now, I should probably talk about the wonderful experience it was and the things I learned along the way (both true), but let's just focus on one thing right now: THE BAGS UNDER MY EYES.
I've known I need more sleep in my life, but could you just imagine my horror when the article's illustrator took the time to draw in my eye circles?!?! Wow. Excuse me while I go cuddle with my bed.
In all seriousness, it was an honor and I was happy to be a part of this group. Bags and all. You can read the entirety of the article in the magazine sold at large-scale bookstores.
Happy Wednesday!
How I Became a Wedding Photographer
05.14.13
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ne of the most popular questions I'm asked is how I got started in photography, how I built my business. I don't think there's an easy way to answer this question (I mean, I could talk your ears off about it, if you let me), but we made a video explaining how things first began for me.
This portion of my story begins at the beginning and outlines how I started second shooting for other photographers, built my portfolio, and secured my first wedding (which later led to booking 38 wedding my first year in business). Of course, this is the nutshell version (if you'd like to know the entire story, feel free to check out EXPOSED Magazine), but if we've never had the chance to chat face-to-face, I hope this comes a close second.
More than anything, I hope my story expresses the importance of meeting new people, making friends, and practicing your craft. I didn't have prior business or photo experience, but a little of patience, resilience, and lots of hard work can go a long way.
Stay Fabulous,
j*
Vacation Photos : Malaysia
05.09.13
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o there was this one time, as a kid, my parents loaded us kids into the car and made our way to the Garnica's house. After dinner, we wobbled into their living room and watched as Mr. Garnica set up a projector and we sat through a presentation of family photos from a recent vacation. I sat wide-mouthed as pictures of colorful sunsets danced on the screen and a photo of Mrs. Garnica as her hair whipped across her face on a windy day.
My family didn't do that, show our vacations photos to others. It's probably because we didn't go on vacations, use a projector, or even own a camera, but it left a space in my mind. I was intrigued how other people saw and experienced the world...many years later, I'm honored to do the same online.
This blog allows me to share my life, adventures, and photos, so today I'm posting a few pictures from our vacation in case you'd like to see the world through our eyes.
A little over a week ago, we returned from Malaysia. The trip was originally planned as business, but we added a few personal vacation days to ensure to experienced our first trip to Asia. I was going to get into the story of how our flight was cancelled, but there aren't enough exclamation points and $*#&!* I could use to describe my frustration. Let's just say if you ever hear the Legend of the Crazy Screaming Lady at LAX, it was loosely based on my life.
Once we made it out of Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Kuala Lumpur, we finally arrived in Penang, Malaysia...and it was a little piece of paradise...
We spent the first days of our trip exploring the beach and soaking up island life...
Okay, so remember The Day I Lost My 20 Year Old Vegetarianism? Well, here is a sneak at the meal that did me in. It's the dish on the right. I took a single bite and didn't know the noodle shaped thing wasn't really a noodle...it was meat. Looking at it now, I should have guessed it was carnivore-friendly, but I blame the language barrier, my instinct to devour anything in front of me, and jet lag...
We visited a butterfly farm in Penang...I couldn't decide if I thought it was gorgeous or creepy to be surrounded by thousands of butterflies, but it made for good memories. And a cool post card.
We toured the island on our own for a day and whenever we stopped to take pictures, people wondered why. I explained daily life in Malaysia was just too darn beautiful not to.
JD and I didn't get too many photos together, but this one makes me laugh. I mean, if this doesn't scream TOURIST I don't know what does. When I spoke at the World Photography Fest, the organizers arranged for everyone to attend a Malaysian dance performance. At the end of the show, the asked us to take a photo with the group...when in Rome, Internet, when in Rome...
There are moments when I look back at life and realize how beautiful it has been. Sitting on the beach with my best friend, toes deep in the warm sand, and watching the watercolored sunset along the Malaysian coast was one such moment. It's something I never want to forget.
Happy Thursday!
Good Reads : Who Needs Reviews Anyway?
05.08.13
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finished the book and let out an audible AUGH when I let it fall closed onto my lap. I did it again in case JD didn't hear me the first time. Wanna know what bothers me, I asked him as he read Economist Magazine. Books I don't get really bother me...I feel like I wasted my life on something I didn't understand in the end...AUGH.
Later that night--still bothered from not understanding the book--I read reviews from other readers. This only made things worse because people just raved about every last word. Brilliant! Evocative! A Tour De Force! And then I worried I was dumber than I thought.
Note to self: who needs reviews anyway?!
I actually left the book at the hotel I was staying. On the shelves rested lots of orphaned books, so I imagined a tired traveler picking up the book I left and loving it far more than I ever could. Here's our last photo together...
I've been reading quite a bit these days, but today I'll only highlight the books I've enjoyed because why waste your time with the Brilliant! Evocative! Tour De Force! stuff anyway?
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell - Totally adorable and a light read. The story focuses on high school, first love, and the lengths we take to stay true to oneself. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Truth In Advertising by John Kenney - This book got knocked in reviews (people kept comparing it to Jonathan Tropper's work), but I really, really liked it. It takes place in an advertising agency, so I imagined it like a present day Mad Men episode, so I was smitten from the start. I loved Kenney's voice, wry humor and even laughed out loud at some points. Definitely thumbs up.
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Book Store by Robin Sloan - Any time a writer mixes books, Google, and mysteries, I'm sold. I was particularly fond of the geeky tech references and the fact that the story takes place in San Francisco (one of my all-time favorite cities), but the end was a little lackluster. I still recommend it, but it's not too high on the list.
After Visiting Friends by Michael Hainey - Good grief...this book. THIS BOOK. The way Hainey uses words is the way a surgeon uses a scalpel. Artfully, confidentially, and so effortlessly you might not realize you're aching. The story of a boy trying to uncover the mystery shrouding his father's early death might not sound compelling, but it was beautiful and raw. Loved it.
Schroeder by Amity Gaige - The craziest thing about this book is how weird it makes you feel. Gaige writes so masterfully you find yourself cheering for a mentally unstable protagonist and empathize with his kidnapping plot. The story itself might not be the strongest, but the way the story is told definitely made it worth the read.
The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moynes - I recently blogged about Me Before You, so I decided to delve into another one of Moynes' books. I love her writing and her ability to make characters stick with you after you close the last page. I enjoyed TGYLB and though the ending was just okay for me, I'd still recommend it...especially if you're into chick flicks and love stories.
Happy Wednesday!
Edited to Add I don't like posting negative things about other works of art (photos, books, music, etc), but a few commenters left a logical reason as to why I should list the book I didn't like. There are a few books I felt were a waste of time, but Life After Life by Kate Atkinson takes the cake. The book is 500+ pages and I kept on thinking the story would turn around and I'd see why the main character kept reincarnating, but it didn't. Just hundreds of reincarnations and though it was very well written, I felt it was a hundred stories with not a single end. Blegh.
