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Jill and Jack : Engagement
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S he worked in marketing at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. Jill liked her job, loved the opportunities it presented, and enjoyed the travel perks that accompanied her position. Life was good... except when her boss asked her take over a meeting with an advertising firm on a nightmarishly cold day. No, no Jill did NOT want to walk across the street fighting the freezing temperature. Especially in her cute shoes.
Bundled in her jacket (and, yes, her cute shoes too), Jill made her way to Ra Sushi for the lunch meeting by herself. She looked around the restaurant for what might have looked like a group of advertisers, but saw none. Jill gazed about the room only to see a handsome man wave at her. No. No way THAT handsome man was her lunch date. Suddenly, the cute shoes in freezing weather was worth it all. So worth it.
Jack and Jill spent the afternoon talking about life, sports, hobbies...oh, and advertising too. What started as a business meeting lead to creating a bet to garnish a follow-up date. Jack spoke about football and Jill politely nodded and Uhm-hmm-ed her way through his athletic talk, but perked when he said there was no way the Seattle Seahawks could beat the Chicago Bears in Saturday's upcoming game. Seeing her chance, she bet the Seahawks would win and Jack would take her out. Jack--knowing the odds were in his favor--took the bet.
A few days later, they went out again. The Bears won. Jill paid. But, in the end, they both walked away happy knowing they won each other's hearts.
I'm SO excited to shoot Jack and Jill's wedding next year in San Diego at L'Auberge Del Mar. They have an awesome day planned and I'm stoked to hang out with such an awesome couple again! I especially want to thank Joey Bowles of Cosa Bella Foto for sending Jill my way...Joey will be a bridesmaid at Jill's wedding, and sent Jill my way because she thought we'd be a good fit...thanks, Joey! :)
I met Jack and Jill at Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach for their engagement session, and later made our way to the ocean for more fun. Here are a few of my favorites... |
    
| So. I'm just getting home from the longest 48 hours of my life. Literally. I've had just a few hours of sleep and I'm guessing the dark circles under my eyes ain't lying...this girl needs sleep. In a may-jah way. The raccoon look does nothing for my freckles. The good news is that two competing groups of photographers from around the nation gathered in Hollywood to produce a short film for WPPI Conference 2009, and the winner of the competition will have a considerable donation made to the charity of their choice. So while there were a couple moments throughout the course of the day when I was all, Okay, Jasmine, you're just proving to the world how UNCOOL you are, I'm glad we rallied as a team and worked together to support a worthy cause. Plenty of video will surface on my blog in the weeks to come, but I'll end this post with a picture taken of me by the ever sweet, Ann Hamilton. |
| How? How has my ever-present force of sauveness and coolness remained hidden until now? I have no idea. |
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Laughter
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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A couple of days ago, I sifted through the thousands of wedding photos I’ve shot and I flagged my favorites. Once I narrowed the photos to 95, I burned them on a CD and sent it to my friend for a project we’re working on. Once finished, I took a step back and looked at the photos as an entire body to discover what I disliked/liked, to determine if there were reoccurring themes, and to figure out ways to get better. The first thing that immediately popped out was my inclination to laughter. Most of the photos I was drawn to were images of my couples laughing…and it made me fall more in love with what I do.
I can’t think of anything better than being in love with your best friend, looking completely fabulous on your wedding day, and being captured mid-laugh alongside your soul mate.
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Joyful Weddings : Anytime
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I shot my very first wedding in October 2006. I was a nervous wreck and anxiously paced the length of my living and dining room 2,946 times every day leading to the morning of the wedding. By the time JD and I arrived to the ceremony location, I had gone over every possible situation in my mind and talked JD through a myriad of scenarios as if we were on a CIA co-op. All we needed was the Grassy Knoll.
The day flowed beautifully and I was extremely thankful to have worked with such an awesome bride and groom. One thing I didn’t take into consideration was the chance of working with a wonderful wedding coordinator, Courtney Toney of Joyful Weddings and Events. I created a slideshow during the wedding reception and after she saw it, we struck up a conversation, which led to a lovely friendship two years later. Courtney really helped me out in the beginning of my business and sent me some fabulous clients during my first year, for which I was extremely thankful!
I was stoked when Courtney contacted me to photograph her for updated photos of her and her associate, Darcie. We met and wandered the streets of Orange together and had a blast…and just reaffirmed how thankful I am to have met such a wonderful industry peer.
The lovely Courtney Toney... |
| Courtney--being the crafty person she is--made these letter cutouts and brought them along to the shoot... |
| Courtney's one request: A jumping shot... |
T his past week my inbox was greeted with plenty of email...some of which I can personally respond to, some I just can't due to time restraints. I'm so sorry! I, however, post FAQ Entries to bridge the gap between my personal and mass responses to frequently asked questions. This week, I pulled a few emails and answered the questions here. I hope there are a couple of my blog readers who can take something from this entry as well... :)
Jessie asked:
What is your favourite time of day to shoot?
The exact time of day changes during different parts of the year, but my favorite light is the warm and golden light just before sunset. I refer to this light as God’s Light because everyone, everything, looks so beautiful and amazing. Love it!
Your DOF is so precise and perfect. How do you ensure this with every shot? I am so impressed with the crisp perfection of your shots and your DOF perfection is my new goal.
Thanks, Jessie, but precise and perfect are VERY generous words to use! :) To be honest, I shoot a lot. And fast. I keep the focal point on the subject’s eye and shoot quickly. For example, if I have a subject in a certain position, I may fire off 5-7 shots, then another 5-7 shots in a slightly different position to ensure I’ve garnished the most flattering light, complimentary angle, and sharp focal point.
Why are you hiding in the Santa Ana College photograph?:)
Contrary to popular belief, I wasn’t hiding! I set up the group shot and the only spot open was in the back…and I’m short! ;)
How do you find your locations?
To be honest, my clients choose their locations! Aren’t they the best?! I couldn’t be happier with the ownership my clients take in their photography locations. Most my brides follow my blog and know how important a fabulous environment is, so they take their jobs quite seriously! ;) Once I arrive at a location, I scope out the site and get ideas. When the couple arrives for the shoot, we work together in choosing spots and finding the best light!
How much control do you take over wardrobe and posing?
I don’t take any control over wardrobe. My clients are in charge of their clothing choices, but—again—most my brides follow my blog and see how important a dress, shoes, hats, flowers, scarves, or accessories can be.
I do, however, take a larger role when posing. I try to let the session naturally unfold, and not put too much of myself in their shoot. I’d say I pose about 30% of the shoot, and the remainder 70% is how the client acts/interacts from my direction.
Jennifer asked:
What s your favorite lens?
I adore the 50mm, 1.2!
How do you get your images to be so sharp? They look crispy or 3D. Do I sound weird for saying that?
No, not at all! I get asked this question quite a bit. A few weeks ago, I blogged about Kubota Photoshop actions I use and I mentioned that the single action I use on every picture is: Magic Sharp. I adore it! That’s the little extra umph my photos need to have more pop. You can find the action here:
Jeramy asked:
What does it mean when you write "... : anytime" next to some of the names on your blog posts? I’m sure I'm totally missing something very obvious.....but it's bugged me for awhile and I haven't figured it out on my own....so.....there you go.
This email made me laugh! I photograph “Anytime” sessions…well…anytime. A client doesn’t necessarily need a reason to be photographed, it just a time in a person’s life when pictures would be a fabulous addition to their home walls, Christmas cards, or Facebook page.
JD asked:
How am I so incredibly LUCKY to be married to someone SO MUCH MORE amazing, nice, kind, pleasant, brilliant, and giving than me?
I don't know, JD. I just don't know! ;) |
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