Christmas Day 2010

Having spent most of the day with my family, just thought I better check in with my blog.  It's  been two months!  Kept thinking I would write when I slowed down, but that didn't even happen, until, tonight.  Realized I have been shooting almost every day since May.  So grateful for the opportunities that come my way, and I hope to write a little about my past 6 months of photographing people.  But for tonight, will leave you with just one image.  If you know me really well, it's an image that has mixed emotions for me attached to it.  But, still a timeless image, which is what I love to do best.

Aloha, Ronnie

Timur and Lauren met through mutual friends.  Timur is running for Harbor Commissioner as well for the City of Port Hueneme.  These two embody laid back, California style living.  Living at the beach, each having found their passion in their professional lives, giving them plenty of time to enjoy outdoor living with simple pleasures.  Riding their bikes to their favorite restaurants in the Channel Islands Harbor or just catching the last moment of sun as it hits the ocean before night.  Next year, they will gather family and friends together, on this same beach, and commit their lives together, cause it's much better when they are together!

Click HERE to view a slide show of their engagement.

Friends

  Lori and Allesandro

Lori is co owner/operator of Vie Spa in Camarillo

I was shooting Lori and Allesandro's wedding in February and met Joy and Justin.  They were dancing, having fun, drinking wine.  Told them if they ever got married, I would love to be their photographer.  Well...they did...and I did and it was amazing!  So glad to be part of their day at McCormick Ranch in Camarillo.  Kelly Segre came along to second shoot with me.  We had fun doing what we love!!  Thanks, Joy and Justin!  Hope married life is as beautiful as it started out!  HERE is there photo slide show.
xo,  Ronnie

Favorite moments

Taking a moment to ponder my summer.  Moments are rare right now.  First year shooting weddings just on my own.  Found lots of really wonderful people and hopefully, more in the future, just like them.  Enclosed are two shots from wedding that I shot this summer.  Santa Barbara.  My hometown.  Canary Hotel and Santa Barbara City College, where  I went to school.  Moments that fall in between.  Santa Barbara light+incredible.  xo, Ronnie

Will have to get up later today and photograph a wedding.  Soo happy!  It's in Santa Barbara.  For real Santa Barbara.  Not just the Biltmore or Bacara which I love to shoot at.  Don't get me wrong.  They are the old Butterfly Lane(swam to old platform) and Haskells Pier (summer afternoons after summer school at Dos Pueblos) in my mind.  Mesa Lane.  Beach. = Beach Boys lived there... Mission=Fiesta and gift store that sells St. Christophers and had live animals at the Christmas mangers.  Courthouse= danced there, walked my dog there at night after library visits with my Dad.  ( Keeps my birth certificate safe there)  Montecito=got married there, partied there.  The real deal.  Can't wait!!  Met up with friends from high school.  Bishop Garcia Diego to be exact and some even as far back as San Roque.  We met at Goleta Beach,(lay out after work, ran to from Fairview) which now has a nice restaurant.  Will have to miss the actual reunion at El Capitan Beach tomorrow,(ooh the surf there in the winter, but the locals not so friendly)  since I'm shooting, but it's okay!   Know that these people will understand!

Endless Summer

The Bishop from Oxnard with Peter and Velia

Bard Mansion, Port Hueneme Base

So glad to have almost caught up with all my weddings, but that means, summer is winding down and this makes me a little sad..Yes, I will have time to clean my studio and walk with my dog, but leaves me wondering about my future...I make my living photographing people and that makes me happy, but for some reason, weddings seem to take place mostly during the summer months.  I will be so glad to share the many things that I have witnessed, but the opportunity to catch up means I will not be shooting as much, or maybe, I headed to a new adventure?

Santa Clara Church, Oxnard, California

Here are some images from a special wedding that I had the honor of photographing in July.  Velia and Peter are  both law students and their passion for life and sense of adventure, along with their subtle sense of humor, tie them together.  xo, Ronnie

Reconnecting

Today was a great day!  It's a summer Saturday and somehow found it wedding-less.  I'm shooting one tomorrow and had one last night, so life is good!
Met up with a former couple that I had photographed their wedding for eight years ago, at the Adamson House in Malibu.  We had reconnected again through Facebook and I found out they were headed through Ventura to camp for the weekend.  We spent some time at the beach, with their 3 year old daughter.  It felt so right to photograph them now, eight years later, with a family.  Life, for one moment, stood still.  As I was there when they became husband and wife, many years ago, once again, we were on a beach honoring their commitment to each other, now as a family.  They are wonderful people.  So honored to once again be a part of their lives as they shared their time with their  daughter.  Kind people. Amazing parents.  And well, quite easy on the eyes.  Will check with them to see if I could post a couple of photos, but even without an image, there is one in my heart.

Ventura Engagement

My kids attended Pierpont School in Ventura.  We had recently transplanted our family here from Santa Barbara and once I spotted this public school, right on the beach, I knew it was a perfect fit for our beach oriented family.

Josh and Jon attended their entire elementary years, kindergarten through 5th grade, them making lifelong friends as well as myself.  This area will always hold a place in my heart, both good and bad, as some of you may know, but that's been the yin and yang of my life.

Last year, a very pretty bride contacted me to photograph her wedding.  Jeannine and David Shellenberger had fallen in love, and wanted me to photograph their wedding at Eucalyptus Lane.  When I met with Jeannine, a stunning blond, she smiled at me with recognition.  I had no clue as to who she was until she spoke of her mother, Jennifer Loudermilk, who was one of the village of people who helped me raise my boys at Pierpont School.  I was thrilled to be a part of their wedding and my son, Josh assisted me.  I loved seeing Josh's former kindergarten teacher at the wedding.

This year, Jeannine's brother, Jacob, contacted me and asked if I would be interested in photographing his wedding.  Only problem was, it would take place in Arizona.  I was honored to be asked and chosen to be a part of this wonderful family once again.  Jacob and Georgianna have been living in different states.  Georgianna lives in Arizona while Jacob lives here.  That is going to change soon.  In honor of the fact that Ventura was a part of their story, they had their engagement session here, amongst the antique stores and the ability to still walk to the beach in the evening.

HERE is their engagement slide show:  Enjoy!

Montecito

So my sister, Theresa Hayes, just emailed me about her day.  Theresa is a wonderful nurse, although you would much rather run into her in a grocery store,  rather than at her "day" job, which is an intensive care nurse at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara.  Apparently she ran into friend of mine.   At the Montecito Vons, yes, where Oprah is known to shop. I almost said, old friend, but I do consider her a friend for life, as she was one of the first people whom I trusted the care of my oldest son, Josh. 

Theresa had commented on how my parents raised us.  Her, being forcibly put into a Register Nursing program and to me, forced to do, nada.  My Mom passed away shortly after high school and  I graduated being able to do whatever the h*** I wanted to.  And she was grateful.  Sometimes, I wish I had been forced into a profession that is honorable, but generates a nice, steady income, such as nursing, but the reality of what she does on a day to day basis.  Not sure I could do it.  People die in intensive care.  Maybe, not on her watch.  Some do recover and their families bring them home.  But what she has to deal with on a daily/weekly  basis?  Just makes me grateful for the things I get to see.  I get to do something honorable, too.  Document people's lives and somehow,  been able to provide for my family, and now, myself.  And I love it!!  Did my parents know something about us that we didn't quite see in ourselves?

Montecito to Santa Barbara, shot from the sky while flying with Danielle Quinn, Avex Marketing Director, in her cute Cessna.

Santa Barbara.

My hometown.  Born at St. Francis, which is now shut down, youngest of a family of eight, we were a large family of fish in a small town....Everyone knew one another.  Stores closed at 8pm and you played tennis in the street in front of your home,   Tomorrow, I go back to my hometown to shoot a wedding.  The actual ceremony will be at SBCC, where I attended college.  It perches above the Pacific Ocean.  Once, long ago,I remember walking back from an accounting class to where my car was parked.  Wondering in my head, why I was taking business classes when all I wanted to do was be a photographer?  I could see my shadow, falling on the soil ahead of me;  there was no pavement.  Could picture me photographing someone while they were walking and I was documenting.  Tomorrow, that image takes place.  Will be where I'm supposed to be, doing what I was meant to be doing.  Feeling overwhelms  me.  Will have to share this with the couple.  And be grateful that my business administration and marketing classes, that I took on that very soil, have actually taken me to that place where I WANT TO BE!!

2am on Sunday

Really is 2am on a Sunday.  Just shot wedding for Christine and Mark at The Secret Garden.  Soo beautiful!  Forgot to ask them if I could share their images or not, so, guess that will have to wait.  Also shot this week for Native Daughters of the Golden West.  Brought back memories from my growing up in Santa Barbara and Fiesta.   Started shooting seniors for 2011 at Visual Photography this week as well.  Went really well.  Glad people come to have that moment captured.  So much changes after high school!  For me, it was a good thing.  My mom got really sick and passed away, right after I graduated.  She wasn't able to attend my graduation from Bishop High in Santa Barbara, but I have recently discovered people on Facebook that went there and now we can just be ourselves and support each other, even if just over the internet.  Even, at 2am!!!

Saturday Mornings.

Usually my Saturdays involve lots of preparation for my event later in the day.  Charging batteries, organizing my camera gear and making sure that everything is in order for my wedding that day.  Today is a little different.  Needed it to be.  Don't want to take any aspect of my life for granted.  Even the little things like being able to walk my dog, run in the park and have a talk with one of my sons.  Was a little busy these past few weeks.  Very grateful for all who have trusted me with their lives and their business.  Always forget to ask if I'm allowed to share, so some of the images and memories will have to wait to be shared.  Quite diverse.
Will be shooting downtown this afternoon for a brother of a former bride who is getting married next year in Arizona.  Have the honor of being their photographer as well.  Can't wait to get to know them better and to create beautiful images for them as memories.  And make some of my own as well.

Photo of Scarlett Belle Billboard that is on the side of the 101 freeway north, in Oxnard.  Photo of boat was taken by me.

Photo of me on the roof of Avex, Inc.  hanger while shooting for them in Camarillo.

My youngest son, Jon, getting ready for a fight at Hollywood Casino.

Huber and Maribel celebrating their one year wedding anniversay with a photo shoot in Malibu.

Respect for Relationships.

It's been a week since I posted and been shooting a lot, so I got a lot to share!!  But one thing I don't do is share something that my clients haven't yet seen or don't want me to share, so don't worry!!!  Those nude shots of you will never see the light of internet if you don't want them to!  My work is for my clients.  If they have given me permission to share, then I might.  If I forget to ask them or they prefer that the images remain private, then, I always respect their wishes, no matter how I would love to show them!!...Now, off to edit, and hopefully get permission to share some of the amazing people that have crossed my path these past few weeks!

My life through the lens.

Been so busy and have neglected updating this blog.  Do go on Facebook alot, so become my friend if you haven't already done so. 
Last month was amazing.  Met so many and photographed soo much.  Honored to be a part of so many lives.  Leaves me with editing, which has taken so much of my time, therefore, no blog.  I'm posting an image now.  It was shot with an under water housing, with film, a flash back to my previous life in the surfing industry.  Decided to combine them both and will be offering underwater sessions for those of those who wish to do so!

This one was taken on my last morning in the Virgin Islands.  I had traveled there to photograph a wedding.  It was a referral from a friend and amazing photographer, Kelly Segre!

My week photographing people....

I will post soon.  I have been so busy shooting and enjoying life....One wedding with 4 photographers and 2 video people.  I set the bar a little higher for myself by shooting FILM for some of the shots.  Karissa and I finally got together to give her her boudoir photos...An engagement session at Reagan Library....Engagement session at Garden of Hope at Pepperding=surreal location.  Family session with friends at the beach.  Husband got deployed just short of retirement!  Bryan and Danica engagement in Vegas...

Take me with you. I love adventure.

This week was a sensory overloaded one, but for those of you that know me, that's what I thrive on.  So I'm thriving.  Started the week out meeting up with my son, Jon, the Muy Thai fighter, for lunch in North Hollywood, his new home.  He drove me to the airport to go to Vegas.  My car's tire went flat, so I left him in a parking lot and left.  Sorry to do that to you, Jon!  I got on the plane.  Jet Blue.  Nice, but someone was in my seat.  No problem.  Flight attendant informed me that they would pay me $1000 if I got bumped off of the flight!  I thought I hit the jackpot before I even reached Vegas:)  No such luck.  They found me a seat, but then decided EVERYONE had to exit the plane.  What?? I had things to do when I got to Vegas.  Few hours later, we landed and I got ready for party at the Mandalay with Pictage.  I have to tell you that I jumped on the bed, in a pent house suite, overlooking the strip.  I'm just saying if you can't do it in Vegas, where else would I ever do that?  (Mexico :).  I recruited a couple of other victims in my jumping.  Next day was WPPI.  I had engagement session with a couple who are getting married in Newbury Park, but live there.  Danica and Bryan, you were both such good sports...!  And soo cute together.  Can''t wait to shoot your wedding.  Two days of shooting for Pictage.  I got to see Jasmine Star's platform, which apparently 2 thousand people got turned away.  Kind of Rolling Stoneish...people were fighting.  Not pretty.  Flew back to Burbank to yet another flat tire, so I took the tow truck express all the way to Ventura, where I got a ride to work at  6:30 in the morning.  Not a pretty site, I'm sure.  Last two days were a blur.  Today, I shot an engagement session at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley.  Uri and Bethany were such good sports, and well, can I say I didn't see a single book at the library, but we have some amazing and unique images for them..and they are soo sweet.  They will be getting married in August.  Then I sped back to the beach, where I shot the easiest family shoot, ever.  Sorry about the bracelets, Jacqueline.  Soo nice to catch up with long ago friend and her growing up fast family before her cute, Navy husband leaves for a year :(  But  what a nice evening I had!!  Then yesterday, I shot John and Julia's engagement session at El Matador beach in Malibu and then at the Gardens' of Hope at Pepperdine.  If you have never been there, it's a must see.  It was so peaceful there that I could feel angels.  It was built as a memorial to one of the passengers of flight 93 that went down on September 11.  So amazing.  And John was such a good sport climbing all of the hills that they don't have in Texas, where he's from.  I will post photos as I get them done and get permission...

Let's start with Danica and Bryan.  HERE is their slide show.

And Julie's family.  How do they all look so good?? 

And then, Uri and Bethany at the Reagan Library.  I will post their slide show soon!

Wedding Slide Shows

Here are a some links for several weddings that I have shot over the past year.  Thank you for visiting my blog and interest in my work.  I'm headed to WPPI for a few days of shooting, exploring, networking and most importantly, learning.  And because every post is not quite so interesting without a photo,  here's one from last weekend at the wedding show in Santa Barbara.

Wedding slide shows:

Santa Barbara:  Courthouse and Arts and Letters Cafe

Somis:  Rancho de las Flores

Westlake:  Westlake Village Inn

Simi Valley:  The Vineyards

Oxnard:  The Embassy Suites at Mandalay Bay

Valentine's Day 2010

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of photographing 18, yes, eighteen beautiful women at a private suite at the Pierpont Inn in Ventura along with Jeanne Tanner .  We were also treated by fantastic makeup/hair artistry by Ja'nice Estrada , who if you are getting married, is amazing at transforming your image in minutes!  The days and nights photographing these women, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, was an experience that I will never forget.  It was fun learning and laughing with these women.  Bringing out the best in them as a woman and me as a female artist.  Here are a couple of images that I'm allowed to share.  Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Climbing out of my comfort zone

As my was leaving for his trip to Thailand and subsequent move to Hollywood, I find my mind searching for those things that I gave up on in my life as a mom.  His move is geographic, while mine is internal.  I can switch gears now.  Focusing on things that gave me pleasure before he and his brother were born.  Some things that I loved to do couldn't share the time with me being the best mom that I could be and balancing having to support us all, for a good 1/2 of their lives.  The one thing that was there before and the one thing that dragged me through and the one thing that still remains the same is my love of photography.  It's still there and is now sharpened and more focused, as I had plenty of time to plan it in my head, dreaming of how it would take it's shape in my life.  Now, as a bittersweet feeling wells behind my eyes as I dwell on my son's departure from our household, that one thing that gives me joy can now be mothered as well.

Under wraps

I've been behind my camera alot.  Shooting a lot!  It's what I love to do.  Sometimes, I can't share it, because it was for some TV show that hasn't aired yet.  Other times it's because sometimes photos are personal and don't lend themselves to be shared.

My next project will be boudoir photography.  Tasteful photographs of women, being themselves at their best.  Sometimes, just because and a lot of times to gift someone special in their life.  Either way, public or private, I get to do what I do and love best!  Photographing people, making them feel great and capturing them in a moment in time that they and those that they love will remember.

Relationships

As the day goes by, I find myself checking my email several times a day as well as my Facebook.  I've been amazed at the amount of people that are coming my way to document their relationship.  Because of my relationships.  One thing that I find as a common thread in my life is that I like to build them as well as photograph them.  In this weird economy that we live in, there are lots of people who can offer you advice and services.   And photography.  Some do it quite well, but the reason that I continue something is because of my relationship with that person or that place.  I found it interesting this week, that I worked alot, but not only because of the photos that I take, but because of the relationships that I have built.   It was not an overnight process.  I have been building relationships for years and now, suddenly, I'm finding myself surrounded by people who I want to be around.  Whom I want to work with.  Who want to work with me.  Someone who I have been building a relationship with, just because I enjoy their company, is now sending work my way.  They feel confident in referring me to document another's relationship and this, I understand.

Two Trees in Ventura, California

Moved to Ventura in the late part of 1989. Like a lot of Santa Barbara natives, had the goal of home ownership in mind. I thought, how different could it be to live 30 minutes south, still by the sea and pay $100,000 less? Okay, so things turned out a lot different than planned. This community that I moved to, was more like me than I could have guessed. I had been raised in private schools in Santa Barbara, but I was not one of the elite's. I was the youngest of eight, yes, EIGHT!, kids so money was kind of tight as we grew up. I did not have a college fund or even a plan as I graduated from one of SB's best college prep schools. Ventura became my new home. I made friends readily and steadily. The friends I have now, 20 years later, where the same ones that I met while my kids attended pre school, then elementary school (Love you Pierpont!), middle school and then the various high schools.
I have always been a photographer, well, since I was 16. I remember when me and my then husband moved here and I told him that I wanted to photograph the pretty things in Ventura as I had in Santa Barbara, and he responded with " who would want those?" I stuck with my ideas and have since photographed quite a few weddings in Ventura as well as documenting the 1995 destruction of the Ventura Pier with the photo of "Big Wednesday" which hangs on the wall of Eric Ericcson's restaurant, at the base of the Ventura Pier,to this day.
But one location has eluded me. The two little eucalyptus trees that perch high on top of the hill like two little angels guarding over the city of Ventura. They are a symbol, a touchstone, for many of us that call or have called Ventura our home. They have been there, begging me to go up and photograph them. I had done so from the ground, but these two little trees that can be seen from the 101 freeway as you drive through this town ( and many have driven through on their way from Los Angeles to their destination, Santa Barbara) taunted me for years. Begged me to climb up and see them. See what they see. Every day. So finally, I did!
New years' day came and along it came the energy for me to go. When I finally made it to the top, I turned around and felt 100's of years of what people felt when they were there. Looking out towards the Channel Islands, seeing the green path at my feet, I could imagine what it felt like to be new to this land. And I was..

New Year 2010

A few images from the last day.



As a full moon presided over the many palm trees in the beautiful, winter sky, I welcomed in this new year in. Looking back as the person whom I was a decade ago tonight, I would never have recognized the person that now hugged my friends and breathed deeply in the night air. Such a long journey ago that when I started, I didn't know my destination. Only knew that things would be changing. That never feels right, but then the situation that I was in, felt even worse. So I started that journey and all I can remember of the start was that it felt like I was crawling out of a pit into a world that I had no clue how to walk in. I remember going to work on 12,31,1999 and I had rubbed a glitter stick on my face, even though I wore a uniform and had on my Father's military ring, one that he'd gave to my Mother, both deceased on my finger, as if to say "take me with you."
I had no idea of the people or the manner of how my life was going to change.
Most of you who will read this, will come across my blog as you are planning your wedding. I am so honored that you looked! You might not know all of the details of my life, you only need to know that I am qualified and capable of creating the most kick a** photos of your incredible journey and marriage. However some know me in a different way and know that my ability to capture images comes not only in my experience in photography, but with my experiences in life. And these last ten held lots and thus, my photography has deepened beyond recognition, from that girl who stood with glitter on her face in 1999. Aloha and Happy New Year! All of my best and then some, Ronnie