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

Christmas Peace

Okay, so this should be profound, enlightening, since it's Christmas Eve, now after midnight turning Christmas day. Nothing profound, nothing happening here and that is good!! I spent quite a few years in drama and we all know how the holidays bring that out in the best way :( Tonight, no drama. No tears. Just family, a little work, but the GOOD kind of work capturing families being together for just one day in a whole year! And I was there! But no drama. Soo happy and peaceful with my dog lying at my feet and my boys asleep in their beds and a couple of heartfelt presents wrapped under the tree and peace. Beautiful, glorious peace!!

Happy holidays to all of you!! xo

And enjoy the photos of the girls that I was with helping them with their christmas list!

Katie and Bill

I received a call from Stephanie, that she was already booked and would I like to photograph the wedding of Bill and Katie? Oh course! My favorite thing to photograph is two people in love, joining their lives. Enter Bill and Katie. They were planning on a big wedding and then the fire in Santa Barbara changed their paths forever, and they decided to just get on with their lives by being married at a small ceremony, with just a few family and friends, at the Arts and Letters Cafe in Santa Barbara. What a beautiful ceremony on a warm, November day. What a wonderful thing to be a part of! I was so honored to capture that for them. I'm hoping they have lots of GOOD memories for their future lives together!!! Congratulations Katie and Bill for overcoming life's curve balls and joining your futures together!! Much love, Ronnie

For a slide show of their wedding, CLICK HERE.