Mammothmen invade Monterey!

yesterday I had the great pleasure of having lunch with some of the greatest "manly" photographers. We downed some delicious clam chowder here in Monterey at the Fisherman's Wharf. Known as the "www.mammothmen.com", the group consists of 10 wedding photographers from Texas to Orange County: Justin Lyon, Fred Egan, Michael Norwood, Kyle Barnes , Gabriel Ryan, Jeff Newsom, Nate Kaiser, Matt Sloan, Jory Cordy, Jeremy Parsons. What coolness to be found... Thanks guys for the lunch! Hope to see you all again sometime soon! Check out there adventures at www.mammothmen.com

Favorite song

How about a new weekly post? As we all know, our "favorite" things in
life change sometimes, & sometimes often. I have many "best of life"
favorite songs, but also have ones that speak more to me at times. So...

This week's favorite song is by Sanctus Real, called "Whatever you're
doing (Something Heavenly)". Check it out!

What song MOVES you? Physically, emotionally, spiritually?? Hope your
day is great!

(iPhone post)

Ranchified...

Hey everyone, I've been crazy busy in a great way and am eager to post some recent wedding and bridal images to share...and will do so in the very near future. But first, a flooding of "a day on the ranch" family pics taken a few weeks back!It all starts with the family puggle who loves to eat grass...

Why not throw in a leaky faucet...
An absolutely beautiful, wonderful & curious 2 year old...Add some dirt on a different day...mixed with the infamous bubble making lion...The magic behind it all...the cheese...and a "goodnight sun!" end of day wish...

...and you got yourself a quick and memorable blog post! :) I hope you are enjoying your Monday & making the most of it!

Fire's out, thank God!

New fire in watsonville - drive careful!

iPhone pic of my neice Adria & me

Loving my family...

nesting...

You know me, with my "deep, but not really deep" thinking. Years ago, even before I got married, I was touched by a man's testimony, based on Matthew 6:25-34. Verse 26 says "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" This guy was beaten down, tore up, had gone through the thick of it, was going to commit suicide, and ran across this verse. He simply asked God for a bird...that he "needed" a bird. Of course, this was symbolic, but God is so great! He remembered that prayer, and one afternoon during it all this bird came and landed right next to this man on his porch railing. To further push the experience, he put his hand out next to it, and yep, the bird stepped on his hand. Cool story. There was much more to it, but that's the jist of it. This whole passage (verses 25-34) is about worrying, and how we shouldn't. Instead we should trust God to provide and seek to know him more. Invest in the things that last! This is one of the "life verses" for me. So, 8 years ago (I remember it like it was yesterday), my new bride and I were on our honeymoon in Kauai having breakfast, and I randomly remembered that story. So I uttered a similar prayer, not hurting or in super need yet, but knowing that Gina and I both didn't have a whole lot to fall back on (but our love!:). During one of my favorite breakfasts with open dining (warm tropical breeze and what not), a bird perched right next to our booth and I was totally encouraged. Not realizing it, but over the course of the next 8 years I found myself being reminded many many times about the faithfulness of God, and I've never looked at birds the same. Sidebar: Funny thing is I used to love shooting them with my BB gun as a kid, but life has its twists! So, summing this up, I revisited that verse a few weeks back and was extremely refreshed one early morning at my home when I opened my front door to literally see this nest, with baby eggs and all! I couldn't find any words, but only found a freaking huge smile on my face. I don't want to preach, but God is extremely faithful, and no matter what He is always there for you! Have a terrific day!

Free to Succeed Tour

Hey all, if you're a photographer, I just wanted to share a really cool one day workshop hosted by my awesome photographer friends David Jay and Jasmine Star. They'll cover everything from marketing to pricing and share a killer album company. If nothing else, it'll be a great time to hang with some really cool peeps! It coming to a city near you, and is very reasonably priced, especially considering the knowledge and time spent with two of the industry's leading wedding photographers. Click HERE to visit the list of cities and registration info. See you there!

New iPhone Announced (finally)

Apple finally announced the release date of the new version of iPhone, called the iPhone 3G. It's a little thinner than before, faster in data transmission, now has GPS & other optional applications, is available all black or white, and is a lot cheaper than for what I bought mine for! It will be available July 11 - sure to be a popular day at the Apple store! It kinda sounds like I'm a salesman for Apple, doesn't it? :) In all seriousness, those of you who have seen me share my iPhone and Macs know how excited I get about the coolest technology - they just work great! I am almost ALL Mac, and hopefully will be transitioned by the end of the summer with a whole new office system that is way beyond fluid, and works the way that I need it to. If you have yet to play with a Mac, swing by the store while shopping one day and have a blast. It doesn't take much to learn something new, just a little time and willingness. Shoot, swing by my office (if I'm here) and I'll let you play a little with my stuff! Another reason to drop in and say hi. :) I hope you're Monday is going wonderful! (p.s. photo courtesy of Apple, Inc!)

More than Potatoes...

Hey everyone, I've got enough time for a quickie post. I just returned from a fabulous but quick trip up to Idaho for Rachel and Ryan's wedding. I am humbled by the sheer beauty of the day and how it turned out. It started raining and continued for most of the day, only to stop, clear up wonderfully before the ceremony, and finish off with a glorious display of God's handiwork! And of course, the sky was pretty too! :) Marriage is so freaking cool, I absolutely love my job. I'll tell you more about their wedding once we've sorted through the images and release them to the clients. Thanks so much for the opportunity to share in your very special day Rachel and Ryan! Congratulations again.

Lots to do this week, but I'm still determined to post more frequently...so stay tuned!