Photo Teacher Goes to WPPI

Hey folks! I am so excited to leave for WPPI tomorrow! I have been actively doing photography since I was in high school and on through to today, but this past year I have learned more about photography than I ever could of imagined! From all the shoot outs with friends, the Dane Sanders Workshop, online communities like [B] School and to the extensive library of books I have read, I keep learning how to become a better photographer. And WPPI is going to be the mother-load of learning. So many of my friends tell me that it takes a year to process everything I learn. So excited!!!

Yesterday I was talking to one of my TA’s and he couldn’t believe my commitment to read two photo or business books a month. He couldn’t fathom being that passionate about something that he would want to read stacks of books on the subject from cover to cover. At first I thought it was sad that this kid doesn’t like to read, but I think it points to how so much of our youth has no idea what they are passionate about. They just are going with the flow of high school and haven’t really discovered what makes them unique and what they can individually offer to the world. Hopefully he can figure it out and become a life time learner of his greatest passions.

As a photo teacher, I have the huge benefit of sharing my greatest passion with my students and waking up a passion in them. I truly have the best job in the world! I give students tangible skills that they will actually use for the rest of their life, and ones that are freaking fun, cool and express who they are. I actually ran into a former student in downtown Fullerton last night, (which made me feel really old), and I was so excited when he told me that he was still taking photo classes and walked away saying that  my class was one of his favorite classes in high school.

So as I head off to WPPI, I hope I can offer something to the photo community as well as learn tons to help me with my photography business and learn great stuff to give back to my students.

Every post is always better when it includes a photo, so here is an example I made of a project my kids just finished yesterday. 

Los Angeles Senior Portraits: Jerrica Class of 2010

Stylish, eccentric and a true fashionista, Jerrica is a character. Scouring the Internet for the latest fashion trends and ideas, this girl puts together outfits that make her style all her own. Her smile, constant joy and infectious laugh is contagious. She is one of those people you notice when she isn’t there; the room is a bit dimmer.

We had so much fun in the hills of Whittier taking Jerrica’s senior portraits. Whittier has so many nooks and crannies that are so stinking beautiful that it’s actually hard to narrow down a place to shoot. But it becomes easy when I get to photograph such a beautiful young lady who is filled with personality and smiles. As she graduates from La Serna’s Class of 2010, I wish her luck and that she keeps expressing herself through art and style.

Little Vacation: Napa

A couple of weeks ago, my hubby and I took a trip up North for a family wedding. While we were up there, we stayed with my dear friend Treacy Mize who I met at the Dane Sanders Workshop back in October. It is so funny, how with some people you just meet, you instantly click with. Treacy is one of those people who opens up her heart and soul to you, so you can’t but help to fall in love with her. We had such a blast hanging out with her and her darling family for the short time we were up there, that we didn’t want to leave. But Napa was calling.

Not too far away from their home is Napa Valley, which is AMAZING! If I lived that close to some of the best wine in the world, I would seriously never have to take a trip down the wine aisle at Trader Joe’s again.

When we first got into Napa Valley, we hit up three vineyards, Hagafen, Luna & Van Der Hayden, buying a collection of scrumptious white wines. Our evening was perfect with some great Thai food and reruns of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Before we made our long trip home we ventured onto the other side of Highway 29 to buy fancy cheeses at Dean & Deluca and have lunch. But since we were practically next door, we had to go to Robert Mondavi & Grgich Hills, where we also bought bottles of fabulous wine, but this time reds.

Back in my twenties, when Two Buck Chuck came out, my mom insisted that we buy boxes of it and stash it in the garage for when I got married one day. She was scared it was going to sell out and we would miss out on a great bargain. Good thing we didn’t do that, because number one, I didn’t even have a boyfriend at the time and number two, we had so much better wine  at our wedding.

So cheers to a beautiful state and to great wine!

Los Angeles Senior Portraits: Kristen Class of 2010

Welcome to my new blog! I am SO EXCITED about the redesign and I hope you like it as much as I do. I give big props to Candace at Simple Wish Designs who designed my logo and blog site, because really, I couldn’t have done it without her. So look around, peruse the galleries to see some of my favorite photos and PLEASE leave a comment and let me know what you think.

And with the start of the new blog, I am also concentrating on Senior Portrait Photography. I love all sorts of subject matter, but I really see that my strengths rest in capturing the youthful spirits of High School Seniors. So with that I introduce to you, Kristen, Class of 2010.

Kristen originally went to the studio that all the other kids go to get her yearbook photo taken, but she thought those photos were boring and generic. A plain backdrop, harsh lights, and some old guy telling her to sit straight. So we went out to the streets of Uptown Whittier and took photos that really captured her personality and how she wants to be remembered.

Kristen has the whole world ahead of her. She is about to graduate from La Serna High School and hopes to venture off to the San Diego State University to study journalism.  This girl is full of giggles and is so dang beautiful, and we had so much fun taking photos and being silly.

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