Thomas, with a side of Stella

during one of my most recent shoots, I couldn't help but notice a member of the family begging for attention. so while I had an awesome time taking pictures of my friend from grade school's newborn baby, I took some minutes to entertain her little friend Stella too.

I give you... Thomas.

...with a hint of Stella.

Boardwalk . Brisk . Bologne

there's something about the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk when it's empty that feels oddly... stunning. sort of like that feeling of being Josh Baskin and finding a magic wish machine at the fairground. it's hard to describe...

but I was lucky enough to have my 2nd shoot there a couple of weeks ago. despite the threatening weather, everything worked out. sure, we may have had to rainy run back to our cars but we only had to fight off wind and chill for the gig itself for a short while before happily surrendering and rushing back to our heated vehicles.

in other news...

...bologne. tastes gross. looks gross. and WHY is it spelled that way? makes no sense. balowney.

lil' Crissy

today was one of those brisk November Northern California days that you just don't want your baby outside for very long. which is why we made this session short and sweet with a touch of sassy.

sneak peek of the Ong family!

cheeky family of 3 please!

do you ever have one of those days where, you just have so many different directions to go that you end up not going anywhere?
it started off that way for me. until the indecisiveness got annoying and I had to get started somewhere. too much work, too many hobbies, too many goals. when happiness depends on an overwhelming list accomplishments, it's time to open a bottle of Gulden Draak and procrastinate.

tonight, after putting my dues in at two different gyms, I met with some new friends of mine. I decided to add a hobby to my ever-growing list.. it's something involving a hook, a skein, and patience. free hug to whoever gets it right.

while everyone's mulling over that puzzle, please enjoy the following snaps. I met with some coworkers and their cheeky daughter a couple of weeks ago... and wow. what a fun play date. I mean really, I think I gave myself 10 new face wrinkles with all the faces I was making at this little ham - I just love her!
more snaps coming soon...

in other news...
...shots of jaegermeister aren't as easy to take as they were 4 years ago.
...an 800 number called me on my work line this morning and after I answered, she asked me if she could speak with my mom or dad. CLICK!
...who out there went to their 10 year high school reunion? ok now, who out there went to the alumni BBQ and football game the night before the reunion that cost $65 less?

lots of lots

my nerves are as frayed at the ends as the hairs on my head.
summer has officially exploded. the next time I have available to breathe isn't until... Saturday August 22nd. if my lungs were larger this might be a little easier.
while I am really excited about all the opportunities that have presented themselves to me, the weather is very overwhelming with a slight chance of panic attack and sudden weight loss. good thing I have spent the past couple months beefing up my beef.

inhale, exhale. and repeat.

on top of that, my husband is turning 30 in October and we are going to Vegas baby! I am looking forward to winning another $5 on slots so I can buy myself half of a margarita.

until then, I will be spending my time mulling over past shoots and areas that need improvement... feel free to offer me your thoughts!

in other news...

...my house is a mess and is scheduled to remain that way until November 2009

..."cumulative" should not be abbreviated to "cum."

...if this photography thing doesn't work out, my next dream is to be in a rap video.

easy does it

my EASY button has been overworked recently.

it isn't a real EASY button... but rather a homemade one - which makes it more special - made from a push button light. as much as I keep turning it on and off, on and off, on and off, nothing gets easier. in fact, I get a little thumb cramp so I guess that makes things harder.

the screening in San Francisco last night for my crew's film Discmen was optimistic! people laughed evenly throughout the entire 6 minutes of which I found myself slightly sweaty with heart racing. but at least they enjoyed themselves.

my photo shoots for the month of June are coming to an end... I have one more next week that involves a long drive, delicious food and some wine. but the two I had deadlines for are now complete and done! the new investment in the 85mm lens is treating me well thus far. I couldn't be happier with the clarity and the blur it provided me for the family shots I took this past weekend. it was a great location accompanied by a happy baby!

in other news...
...I am still overdue for a shower. please keep your distance.
...San Francisco smells of urine. ew.
...why is it so hard to just say no to coffee???

Sur Big

a new day a new plan.

Nick and I have scheduled a trip down to Big Sur at the end of the month... we are going on marriage year #2! who else could put up with my psychotic rants, mis-pronounced words, constant need for glasses of random liquids from the kitchen, and super woman strength? no one. he is special.

other than hiking and enjoying the amazingness of Big Sur, we plan on eating at the Big Sur Bakery & Restaurant which I cannot wait for! their somewhat disorganized and homey-feeling website has my expectations raised for a down-to-earth fancy feast.
and check out this hike... how can you say no to that??
with the weather improving weekend after weekend, Big Sur should be peaking by the time we get there!

speaking of weather, it allowed me to do another photo shoot this past weekend. I visited the Rose Garden with family in tow... the sun was sunny, breeze breezey, and roses rosey. we could not have asked for a better day OR better company!

in other news....
..one should not reward oneself from refraining from dairy successfully by eating everything non-dairy in site
...roses shouldn't be given foodie names unless we are allowed to eat them
...don't chew gum if you are getting your picture taken