Happy New Year everyone! I just barely got back on vacation, otherwise I would’ve have this post ready at midnight Dec 31. I had an amazing week… taking some time off. I don’t do that enough. Just relaxing and enjoying great company. Where was I when the clock struck 12?? I was watching the gorgeous panoramic view of the Las Vegas Strip…. a fireworks show blasting off from several hotels. Really amazing. I also cheated a bit and had a maternity session while I was out there the day before …..and it was lovely! That will be blogged soon.

It’s been an amazing year, and I just want to thank God for blessing me with all my clients, friends, family, colleagues, wedding vendors, and anyone else who contributed to a year that was filled with growth, love, and adventure! It would’ve have been the same! I’m SUPER excited for what 2012 has in store…. a lot of great opportunities are just around the corner. Cheers!

AND…. with a new year.. comes a new look. Check out my main website to see the new changes and updates!

“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of his father David; and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”

I have probably never felt this special in my life…

I’m pretty delayed in sharing this, sorry. But, I had too much work to do before getting around to these images. Here’s what happened in August!

I knew that mine and Omar’s birthday had been fast approaching and I really hadn’t been thinking of my own birthday. August was actually very very busy for me with work and I kept thinking about Omar’s birthday and what he wanted to do. Last year I surprised him with a little trip to Disneyland with some friends that we hadn’t seen in a while and he loved it.  And…to be fair, it is extremely hard for me to keep surprises from him… REALLY hard. So this year… I knew I couldn’t plan ahead… because the sooner I planned ahead, the more likely I’d spill the beans. So, I waited until closer to his birthday and planned a little surprise dinner with a bunch of friends. So… this pretty much helped Omar with the little surprise he was hiding from me. Funny thing is, I actually picked up on some funny business early on and in my head I thought “oooh!!! maybe he’s planning something” and quickly got excited. But, then I wasn’t so sure. His birthday came and I was talking to his sister to make sure my surprise was kept well from him. I had even noticed him being strange when I saw him on his birthday. I ignored it  because I had to hide something to give to his sister for his own birthday dinner and I felt like I looked super suspicious. Which… covered his suspiciousness haha.

He told me he had something special planned for my birthday and that we would go out the Friday before my birthday. Omar knows me so well… and he knows that I am keen on little changes and when he’s acting strange. So, he covered all his bases. ALL of them. I for sure thought that the big surprise was coming on Friday…. and that’s exactly what he wanted me to think. Friday came and we had an amazing evening just the two of us. I felt super special… but not going to lie… I kept expecting some other surprise. Then, by the end of the night he had convinced me my birthday celebration was all over. On Sunday he made me think I had to dress up again, and then after church we hung out and waited to go to lunch… we had to meet Nelson & Annette at their house. Perfectly normal to me. Then…Nelson said, “I want to show you guys something in the backyard..” the doors open and a HUGE group of people yelled “SURPRISE!!”  At first I was so shocked…then I started to cry… and then… it ended with uncontrollable laughter. Omar had planned everything sooo meticulously and had been stressing over it for months earlier. I immediately noticed that my favorite songs were playing over the sound system through out the party… and all sorts of my favorite things were scattered around too. I really couldn’t stop laughing when I saw the MASSIVE Canon 5D mk II piñata that Omar, with the help of his mom made me. Ridiculous. There was no way I was going to hit that. Omar remembered that I had never had a piñata before, so he made me one from scratch. He’s ridiculously good at details… and it’s now my favorite camera So many people helped make this party happen so perfectly. It’s usually hard to keep surprises from me… so this was super amazing. Complete with games like “Erin bingo” by the amazing Veronica Sanchez (the yummiest cupcakes, by the way, were made by Veronica too), and a competition quiz on everything Erin, oh and to top it off, my amazing brother got me John Legend concert tickets tthat night.  I ended the night listening to the wonderful sounds of John Legend and Sade. I really felt so blessed to have all the special people in my life all in one place just to celebrate my birthday.

I’ve never had a party like this in my life… and like I said, I’ve never felt so special… A big Thank you to everyone who was involved and came out!!   and especially the mastermind behind it all <3 Omar

It was a little weird not taking pictures, but thanks to my mom, I have evidence that this day happened. Enjoy!

We forgot to take a big picture of everyone at the beginning, so not everyone was still there to be in this picture :/ But it's still a great picture!

Press “FS” to see them bigger

I have been experimenting with my inspirational creativity from within… and just taking more time to remember why I chose the path I took… in photography.  I love to methodically and quietly plan and bounce ideas in my head… it reminds me of when I used to paint often. I’d stare at a blank page, a blank canvas and just think. Think about all the possibilities that I could create and envision. While, yes, I do enjoy pleasing my clients, there are also times when I am asked to photograph set ups and ideas that are not mine. They come out beautifully, but it still doesn’t feel like its from me…and every once in a while I want to be given that artistic license to do whatever it is I want to to..the way I want to photograph it… a blank canvas so to speak. My thoughts always go to… “Will the client like what I envision??” and if I think they won’t, I settle for what they want. So, in case you haven’t noticed, I’ve started to rebrand a little… to show off the styles and feel that I envision. I want people to book me for what my quiet, methodical, creative side reveals, while still satisfying their every need.

And, what I’m slowly learning… is trying to figure out when to say no and when to say yes.

I was sitting there at my friend’s Jeff & Vanessa’s place… with those adorable kids… and as I stared at Ezra, the window light was too beautiful to pass up. I had my camera with me, so I brought it out and snapped some shots. Just for me.   And, really also for Jeff & Vanessa… because they’re so awesome.

I love them… they’re what I wanted to envision…in that moment. And, you know what? They only took me about 5 minutes to take. Goes to show, you don’t need a whole day for a photo session… with the right light, everything falls into place

Enjoy… or don’t enjoy… because I did these just for me (and jeff & vanessa haha). 

But really… how could you not enjoy these…

And of course… here is the big sister wearing her ballerina outfit… she’s too cute. “Take a picture of me” … with that cute voice Omar and I can never resist… OKAY!

It’s with a heavy heart that I share my joys, sorrows, tears, and fears. It’s been a while since I’ve written a personal post, but this one was due… and well deserved. I usually avoid sharing the things that make my heart cringe. But, my heart only cringes when it’s a deep, beautiful love of mine.  There may be some that couldn’t understand, or think I’m quite silly. But, for every one person that thinks that, I know that there will be at least two that empathize. And, I guess I don’t mind sharing because chances are not many people would read this (especially judging by the length of it haha).

From ages 5-16, I was in love with my bestest friend, Bungee. I laughed, I played…and picked up her poop….sometimes. Her life brought amazing joy to my life ever since she entered it (although, I may have at first been terrified at the thought of a dog sleeping in a room just one door down from me…but can you blame a 5 year old for thinking that way?).  And, even though it shattered my heart at the age of 16 when she passed away, she had been a huge reason I had learned to love another selflessly. I would hate to see her put outside in the patio when she wasn’t welcomed inside… and decided to lay outside with her as long as I had to before my parents would let her back inside. She’s the reason, as a little girl, I would cry every time I saw a stray dog in the streets. The thought of a beautiful animal not having a warm and loving home made me sad. She’s the reason, at 14 I took on the task of giving her the insulin shots she needed.   I rarely speak of Bungee (and especially her passing), because I can’t hold back my tears. She’s even more precious to me because she brought the next era of joy into my life… Jedi.

One evening… I think I was in 6th grade… as I was doing laundry…I passed by Bungee’s bed and saw her licking at something. Immediately, I thought…”Great, what did she get into this time.” I felt the need to pry… and as I looked closer, I realized she was licking something furry… something that wasn’t the color of HER fur. That was puppy number one.  At this point in the story, if this were a movie, I’d cut to the flashback of when Bungee accidentally got loose in the yard and had a little rendezvous with the stray weenie dog. I had been leaving a dish of food for him outside my house for the previous month. The scene would quickly cut back with me yelling at him to get off of my dog. I didn’t think she’d actually gotten pregnant.

Jedi was born on February 22. She was the baby of 5 little girl puppies, the last one to come out, and one of the only two that came out spotted. We all took notice of her because she had always enjoyed wedging and snuggling up into narrow spaces when she slept. She always created her own little nook.  And… this is why we named her, Jedi. Okay… no… that’s not why. I actually didn’t name her. My brother and sister were diehard starwars fans and they named her. But I still love her name!

If Bungee had been the reason I had learned to love selflessly, Jedi was the reason I had learned to love in full HD and Stereo Surround Sound (also available in Blue Ray).  Bungee and Jedi are the reason I feel the need to pet any and every dog that walks by me and the reason my attention span becomes very limited to human beings. We have always mirrored each others moods. Our joyful spirits have always seemed to be so interconnected. She would play and tickle and make me laugh hysterically. Then, she would lay on her back and wriggle back and forth in such a strange way.  On our walks, she couldn’t wait to zoom out the door…but was so obedient she had learned to wait until I gave her the signal. She was always so antsy and hung onto every last second before I gave the signal… and then as I said, “GO”…I would race her to the end of the block. The only thing that ever changed as she got older was the speed at which she ran. She knew the usual route… and she would stop half way if she noticed I wasn’t right there with her. She refused to go by herself and always wanted to walk together. I never needed to use a leash because she always stood right there by my side as she enjoyed sniffing the breeze, grass, and trees. Sometimes it seemed as if she were a human companion that just couldn’t talk. She had her irritable times,  joyful times,  mischievous times, and affectionate times. When I was sad, she would console me by forcing her face into my arms…funny thing is she only ever did that when I was sad. When I was happy she would jump up and down with me as I squeaked in excitement. And… she would bark every single time any stranger was around me. She had complete trust in me and my family… never once have I ever heard her growl or guard food… or anything else for that matter. She has always had such a unique personality…always so lighthearted and puppy-like no matter how old she got. Her obedience and loyalty amazes me.

When I went off to college, I missed her always. It warmed my heart when she squealed and whined in excitement every time I came through that front door. Most times she knew I was coming even before I stepped out of the car. I knew, because I could hear her at the door. It’s that crazy dog sense. Never knew how she could do that. She’d bark nonstop when it was anyone else but me and my family.

I love making her feel special. I remember the time I took her to the beach for the first time. Her nose hit the sand so inquisitively and quickly she became confused. It was all so new to her, she loved it. Wow, I remember it so well. I took photos and video of it even… and it breaks my heart that the footage is missing. I remember us laying there on a blanket, just me and her enjoying the sun, sand, and ocean breeze. She loves calm winds in her face.

Jedi is about 14 years old now.

When she started getting sick a couple years ago with minor things, I started to dread that day. The day when she wouldn’t be quite the same anymore. In the past six months, she’s been diagnosed with Cushing’s Disease, and her trachea is starting to collapse due to old age (which causes her to cough in a heart breaking way). I’ve been to the doctor with her many times in her lifetime, but the hardest appointments have been the ones in the past 6 months. She isn’t as joyful anymore, and we suspect she is hard of hearing and now pretty blind. Because of this, she doesn’t enjoy going outside much anymore. Just two months ago I was still doing the same walk with her, and she was doing pretty good… slow going, but good. She still wagged her tail and trotted as fast as she could in excitement. Now, too much activity makes her cough and her walks are almost nonexistent. She’s not so puppy-like anymore and now she’s actually starting to reflect that in her behavior. These past 8 months, I’ve noticed she had started to be more clingy. Following me everywhere I went, and sitting at my feet, just wanting to be around me, staring at me waiting for me to give her attention. I didn’t mind at all and sat with her in my lap, walked her, and spent time with her every chance I got. It’s almost as if she was trying to hold on to every last moment with me. Like she was trying to tell me something. Now, she doesn’t react too much unless it’s food or a nice scratch from us. And, I try my best not to show it………but,  it tears me to shreds. Every single time I hear her cough, my heart hurts inside. I’ve done my best to stay strong and not let everything get to me. I’ve stayed pretty positive, and am still hopeful. But, there are times that I miss the youthful spirit Jedi has always had and I wish she had more comfortable health to enjoy all her favorite things. I felt compelled to share all of this because I know I’ve written about her before on this blog and she’s always been such a great model for me And, I wanted to share the joy she brings to my life while she’s still here

I couldn’t shake all of these thoughts as I slept last night. I actually had really great dreams of her last night that made me both happy and sad. They were so vivid that I could almost feel her friendly licks and playful tackles as I slept. Now, I dread the day I won’t have her anymore…because she had no puppies.  It always comforted me that in having Jedi, it was like a part of Bungee lived on in her. So I had Jedi… but I also had Bungee somehow I don’t know what to expect… because, for the first time in my life since the age of 5, when she’s gone…I’ll be without that special companion I’m so used to.  I’m not so sure when that will be… but I’m a little scared for it. I won’t want any other pet for a very long time I’m sure.

I think of  it as God’s way of shaping and molding a good part of who I am today… maybe it sounds funny to most, but learning to love and be loved by the two amazing bonds I created with these two dogs, has been some of the most amazing experiences in my life. As a young girl, I learned compassion, warmth, discipline, responsibility, and how to put another’s needs before mine.

Kind of like the book, “Marley and Me” …. All of the chapters except the last two were the most amazing chapters ever… it was actually those last two chapters that I avoided… and put the book down for a good two months because I couldn’t get through it with clear eyes. When I finally picked it back up, I finished the book as best as I could without crying.

I know that there is so much joy, laughter, love, and good memories to comfort me…but it’s just the thought of losing her that hurts…and the day when she isn’t just 2 feet away from me waiting for a hug will be hard.

Jedi: Until then, I will do my best to stay positive, and give you all the love, comfort, affection, and prayers of healing  you could ever want (and that I enjoy giving so much). Anything to keep you happy for as long as you’re around

<3   You’ve always had my heart on a silver platter.

(and always will)

In case you don't notice... we always had an epic battle with the growth of her hair. But her groomer loves her

She loves getting into stuff and burrowing a little spot for herself

I felt like I was going 100 miles and hour for a week straight. I got used to it too. I think a part of me loves it….craves it. I like to stay productive, and busy with all sorts of things. Call me crazy, but I like launching my ical and browsing through my schedule heavy with all the colors of the spectrum…the colors that indicate the category of event. Green = Business, Turquoise = Family, Purple = Friends, Pink (more like magenta but who’s keeping record) = working out.. .and so on and so forth. I like that. I mean, I’ve said it before…I love colors. Anything that I can color coordinate…you better believe I WILL. I mean, my closet used to be arranged by color. Not because I was anal, but because I loved the way the tint changed from left to right. My paints in my art bin are even coordinated. I pretty much gave up color coordinating my closet though…because there’s just no time to enjoy that weird quirk of craziness in my schedule. Oh wait…maybe that’s a yellow tag in my calendar? Hmm…yellow = personal errands.

OKAY, you get it. I’m a nerd.

Anyway, I like seeing those squares filled up with different colors and events. I guess maybe what I really love is efficiency. Approaching WPPI, my head was spinning. I had so much to get done before I could leave with a clear vision of what I was about to embark on. To ready myself for the constant influx of knowledge and resources. For at least two weeks straight I had no room in those squares to fit any more colors.

I enjoyed every second of it. Sure, by the end of it all, I was so tired that I would fall asleep sitting straight up…only to wake up and not realize that I had just knocked out for an hour. I’d laugh to myself…”Really?”

As the high from WPPI wears off, I find myself funneling through a calmness. There are still plenty of colors floating around my calendar, but not quite as many as in those two weeks. I’m just taking time to enjoy the calm while it lasts, and excited for when it’s over. What else can I do?

Here are some fun photos from WPPI. Good times with great people!

pictagerazzi you rock

I have always been told, I’ve lived a sheltered life. All because by the age of 18 I had never to gone to the principal’s office for being in trouble (okay maybe once, but not really), I hadn’t mastered the art of swimming, hadn’t learned to rollerskate or rollerblade (not really anyway…at least not without falling on my bum. really. hard.), had never been outside of the United States, or gone to Medieval Times, and the big kicker….I had never seen falling snow.

Sure, you say…”You live in California, that’s quite common!” Okay…well, how bout this… by the age of 18…I had never even been in the presence of snow. I had always had this longing to see it. Despite my mother’s insistent arguments that I indeed had already been to the snow…I just didn’t remember. Sure mom…did you recall, that you have 3…count them…three…. other children. I’m pretty sure you’ve mixed us up in the childhood stories, as always. Yeah…and my name is Erin, mom…not Lerin.  “Oh, but you must’ve been too young to remember…” Nope…I looked through all the photo albums, mom. There’s isn’t even any faint whisper of a photo from a snow trip.

The summer after my 18th birthday, I finally visited the snow. It was just a short day trip, but it was amazing. I giggled my heart’s delight all the way down the slippery slopey snow in a sort of saucer like plastic thing (heck, I don’t know…it was the first time I had seen one). I guess it’s what you people call…a sled? Sure. Why not.

So…now…falling snow. It must be the much coveted experience by Californians. I know it is for me. When I talk about it to people…sometimes I hear…”Snow! I hate snow! Try having to shovel loads and loads of it out of the driveway just to get to school or work in the morning…try living in it when the chill factor is beyond bearable and no matter how many layers you have on, you feel as if your boogers have already frozen up inside your nostrils.” Ew…yes I said it. Boogers. Ala dumb and dumber style.

Oh, yes…I’m aware. But, I’m not saying I want to live in the snow. I just want to SEE falling snow. In my head, I have this idea that when it happens…it will be this gloriously magical moment. A moment where I will tilt my head back with my face up ward to the sky, long flowing hair in the cold wind (maybe wave it around glamor shot style), and spiral myself in a tornado with my arms out wide in excitement. Soft, flaky, almost like pixie dust (who doesn’t like pixie dust) when I brush it off of everything. Then, there’s the snow angels…I mean…who can forget those? Oh! and snowball fights! Well, suffice it to say that if I get anywhere near snow and expect it, I will have my trusty camera by my side, to capture that magical moment.

Alright…if after all of that, the only thing you zeroed in on was the fact that I can’t swim…you just wait and see. Why?! You may ask. Well, that’s a whole pandora’s box of goodies I’ll save for another time.

I was driving very early in the morning on my way to Vegas for WPPI, and I was taken back by the breathtaking view of the mountains. It had rained the night before, which made for an amazingingly clear sky of the horizon ahead of me. I kept telling myself that I should take a picture of it, but that’s always the thing that makes me late…”Oh sorry, I’m late…the sunset was just so purdy…”  Finally, as I drove along the 15, I got the closest I probably could in that situation, and decided to pull over on the shoulder. I got out my camera nervously as the cars whizzed by me at enormous rates. I bit my lip, when my car fettered from side to side with vibrations from the speed of the freeway.

I love how you can tell where the altitude is no longer fitting for snow to form…the line where the snow stops.

Snowday.

A lot has changed since I was 18…I should hope so right? I can tell ya’ll about it later though. But, for sure I haven’t seen falling snow yet.

I try to take my camera to as many performances as I can. This time, the atmosphere was lovely at El Cid (the food looked good too!)….later in the evening I was so happy that we stumbled upon this hidden room. Arthur and I were just waiting around until Omar came back when we turned a small dark corner disguised with a curtain. This burnt reddish orange curtain from what seemed like the 70s. He peeked in and flipped the switch. It was some sort of dressing room, but we called it a green room and explored while we waited. It had such a cool feel to it because it was aged. Plus, Arthur standing inside of it just added to the style of the room. I got excited and started snapping away. Eventually Omar came back, and it was the perfect opportunity to get some band portraits. It was the perfect setting because it fit their style of music. I hope this gets featured one day in an episode of “Before they were Stars” on VH1.

You guys will get there…

I put some toning into this one because I couldn’t help it. It looked like a film photograph (As did most of the rest)…Love it.

“Have you seen them?! They’ve blossomed!” my sister asked one day. I wasn’t quite sure what she was referring to, but then she mentioned that she had planted some Almond Blossoms a little while back. NOT to be mixed up with Cherry Blossoms…although they do look quite similar. My schedule always seems to get so hectic, so I had never stopped to look at them. Boy, I really wish I had though. One day, in the rush of walking by, I noticed some gorgeous flowers…a ton of them, all beautiful and in bloom. I remembered what my sister had said and realized that’s what she was talking about. I took some time to appreciate them, smell them, and just stop wherever I was in my day for a few moments. Then, later that week, I brought my camera out to photograph them. In case you didn’t know, I love flowers. LOVE them.

Later in the week, I had been tidying up my desk area, trying to get everything organized so that my mind wouldn’t spin (When my working space is cluttered, my mind feels cluttered). While doing that, I came across a little fortune…Oh, you know…those tiny slips of paper with pink words on them that sometimes seal your fate (or at least they feel like they do). I remembered a different fortune mentioned in a previous post and realized…Wait a second…I’ve never seen this one before.  This fortune somehow was just chillin’ near my mouse and had been hidden on my desk for who knows how long. Someone else must have gave it to me? I didn’t ponder about that too much, I just enjoyed it and smiled.

Sometimes I get so caught up in my busy schedule that I don’t “stop to smell the roses”. If I’m looking for something to cheer me up, or just something to make me smile on a tough day, maybe it’s because I’m just not looking in the right place.  I’ve learned to just let go and breathe in the past month or so. It’s very liberating.

All this time I’ve been working toward building my business…fearing the worst, anticipating all the steps I need to take…I overlooked the moment I began to blossom…the moment my business began to blossom.

My heart is joyful.

After a cold, long winter… Spring is approaching (I think it’s pretty much here)…and this makes me happy.

I can always count on Jedi to give me a warm welcome when I get home. She delightfully wags her tail and barks/squeals with excitement at my arrival and there’s nothing quite like it. I mean, yes, she’s pretty much just buttering me up so that I’ll scratch her tummy…but that’s beside the point. Her affection is so sweet…so, who cares if she’s using me to get some tummy action.

Jedi usually has quite the shaggy fashionable look, but since spring and summer are approaching, I thought she’d be much more comfortable with a new do. Short is the new trend ya know? In doggy fashion world that is. I mean…come on, get with the program everyone. It’s all the rave. Unfortunately, her poncho (courtesy of my brother, Matt) doesn’t quite seem to fit her. Maybe Matt just wanted to humiliate you Jedi….and make you feel fatter than you really are.  Or maybe you just put on a few pounds. It’s okay, I still love you.

But, I think you should tell Matt the next chance you get….to maybe pick up a little sexy, ultra fab number for you (you know for all that late night clubbing). Although, this will go great for Cinco de Mayo!

I miss her fuzzy chag of a coat. I’m sure it’ll be back soon. Then, it’ll probably get on my nerves again when it becomes unmanageable and I will have it chopped off…

Sorry, Jedi….it’s just the inevitable cycle

I’ve gotta face it…it’s great to get away and have some fun when you travel. But, at the end of it all, it’s even nicer to go back home.  Back to my comfy, cozy couch, my overwhelming desk and those other wonderful things that make home…home.  Time to take everything that I’ve learned and apply it in every way possible. I’m excited. Yet, exhausted at the same time. It’s been a long week, and I find myself falling asleep standing up…or sitting down in this case even while I write this. Yes. That’s just how tired I am. My mind is fatigued from all the images I’ve seen and my heart has been pumping at an alarming rate as I absorbed every bit of information I could from everywhere possible. I met some pretty amazing people that I hope to stay in touch with, and finally got to meet the real versions of the avatars I’ve chatted with on forums/emails. It’s nice to finally put a name to a face. If I’ve come away with just a few solid friendships, I’m completely satisfied… No…scratch that. I’m completely enthralled. I love forming new bonds with people!

Thank You to everyone I’ve met and have learned from at WPPI. I wish you guys all the best, and hope to see you soon!

And now, back to my home………..where a big chunk of my heart remains. I look foward to Jedi’s snuggly wet disgusting nose digging into my legs (I’m not so anxious to cleaning of after her poo though). I’m ready to get back to the warmth of my tea ritual every morning…sipping it cautiously at my desk while responding to emails (I’ve never quite gotten over being terrified of the first sip. I mean, geez…it could burn my taste buds away if I’m not careful).

This was my last cup of tea in Vegas…

Here’s to another great year in photography!

Cheers!

I’ve made some. SOME…capital S-O-M-E.

As I walked into this whole WPPI experience, I felt like a nobody. Hmm…hold on, I should have rephrased that last statement. Here at WPPI, in a sea of so many talented photographers, I AM a “nobody”. Sometimes I really wish I didn’t look so young. Maybe it just feels like sometimes people brush me off and underestimate my abilities in so many different aspects of life. My size throws people off…I know that. It used to bother me. OKAY, I guess sometimes it still does a little. But, I know that what I lack in size, I more than make up with the measure of my heart.

As I continue on here at WPPI, I’ve realized that…Yes, maybe I have come a long way since the beginning of the journey, but there is always a constant progession that I strive for.  I like to learn a new thing everyday and discover hidden treasures within my photographic strategies. More than anything, I want to stay my true self, and continue increasing the quality of my work. There are so many talented photographers to learn from, and so many tips to learn that sometimes my head spins with all this overwhelming information.

I’ve definitely taken some great phrases away from WPPI that will help strengthen my photographic philosophy.

“Humility over ability” …I’m not in it to win big awards and all that (don’t get me wrong they’re still nice to get…but it’s just not my goal). I’m in it to be in love with my work and make my clients happy. It means more to me to be able to give a quality product and have my clients to be in love with the images I provide them.  No, really…it does mean the world to me. I may be a “nobody” in the photography industry, but as long as I become somebody to my clients, that’s alright with me. I really just want to work my butt off to produce work I’m not only proud of but work that my clients are proud of as well.

I’m not one of the hot shot photographers that have a whole entourage and groupies to match…and I’m okay with that. I’m just Erin. But, being Erin is what I do best, so I’m going to keep at it.

I guess I’ve just taken the time to reflect on these thoughts for the past few days.

WPPI has been an amazing resource. I mean, where else would some 12,000 photographers come together for the sake of educating the industry professionals?

Only two days left…

So, my day is no where near over. But, I thought I’d take some time to update some blog love with a few photos from last night.  I had fun partying with the Pictage crew and enjoyed meeting tons of new folks.

My day has been spectacular to say the least. So many wonderful speakers, and the trade show….my goodness.  I hadn’t even finished browsing the first tradeshow floor when someone mentioned there was a SECOND ballroom. AH.

Anywhoo….here are some pics! Of course it was lots of fun being ridiculous in the GO BEE photobooth

Enjoy!

I fell in LOVE with these sunglasses. Took some with Heather and Shawn Reeder with them too…I can show you those later haha

I love Emily in that bottom right frame!

Well…it’s been a busy day for me! The first day of my WPPI experience has been anything but calm. I definitely did not expect the huge capacity of the MGM…and all of the crowds.  Let’s just say…I got lost…multiple times. I walked in circles…I walked in squares…heck, I even walked in loop-de-loops.  The rain made things a little more complicated, BUT I discovered that I could drive everywhere and park for free. (hey, don’t make fun of me for just barely figuring that out…I don’t go to Vegas much!) Rain problem solved.

Although the first day has been a little chaotic, I’ve got high expectations for the next few days. I’ll update as I go, and here are a little sneak peaks into wppi. Shot with my phone as you can tell…

The view from my amazing hotel

I enjoyed Gregory Heisler’s Keynote reception! Wonderful speaker

Okay, so I already had a post ready to show you all the other photos from the baby shower. The fun and games portion. But, then…I came across a photo that I just LOVED…but knew that I would love it even more if I could get creative with it.  I haven’t done this in forever.  Right after I took the picture I knew that it was going to be special, I just didn’t know to what degree. It was in the beauty of Stephanie and the candid moment.  I love taking photos of people when they’re not looking.

So, let’s back track a little bit.  Before I settled on photography, I was all wrapped up in art…every kind of art you could think of. I wanted it ALL. To do it ALL.  I started out in a more design area. Graphic Design, magazine layouts…I was always creating things. Once my brother, Matt showed me how to use masks, I took it and ran! . I mixed my love for photography with design, lettering…and I would create these layered art forms. I call them art forms because well, I don’t see them as photography. Not that either is better than the other…just that I recognize them as different systems.  Back in the day, I was somewhat of a photoshop queen (I used “Photo Deluxe” before I had ever heard of photoshop)…I mastered it early because I had always had images, designs, colors and everything in my head.  All I had to do was make it come alive.  So, I punched out composite after composite of sometimes 10-15+ images/text, you name it into one photoshop canvas.  It was amazingly fun and I would get so caught up in it.  After I discovered my next love of painting…I realized that I had soooo many saved up and created that WHY not PAINT them?  I had an extreme fascination with color and flowers. Every color. Every flower. I also had a fixation in creating movement in my paintings with these elements. Which you can notice if you see some of my oldpaintings/ink drawings.

Anyway…as I progressed in my artistic journey (just as any artist goes through phases), I began to recognize that mesing with photoshop using photographic images and graphic elements wasn’t quite the same as straight up “out of the can” photography.  Photography is an art form in itself. Getting the lighting, focal length, sharpness, drama took time to perfect.  So, I continued down that road.  I wanted to master that to strengthen my creativity and quality of images. Then, becoming a photojournalist spiraled me down another hole toward capturing real moments, and that was a trick to master as well.   I kept telling myself to stay true to keeping the photography real.  But, I have two sides battling each other. I love to paint. Painting is the opposite of photography to me.  It’s working backwards…or vice versa depending on how you look at things. You start with a blank canvas and just go to work. The image isn’t always there in your head instantaneously. It’s certainly takes me more time to do studies, mess with mediums, play with colors, brushes and the whole nine yards. I don’t ever have time to sit and paint. I’ve got tons of ideas stored up to paint (most of which stem from the images I photograph..usually a complete layered composite). I guess I just never make the time.  Maybe that’s the real heart of it. Sometimes I feel more overwhelmed with the ideas I have stored up, that instead of making them tangible, I just don’t do anything, Kind of like when you get super busy coming and going, your room gets messier, and then when it’s finally hit the limit and you have to clean….you just don’t know where to start. I’m also super focused on my business as well, so that takes some time out of the game.  But, in this instance of editing photos I rolled with the punches. I got out of my set schedule of things…and welcomed the thought of being side tracked.  The flowers, the color, the pretty image of Stephanie,  the idea of a newborn baby and the beauty in carrying that life within…I just went with it.  I plan on painting it.  I hope it just doesn’t get lost in the list of painting ideas, so I’m going to aim to make it a priority.  I usually don’t show my painting ideas, but maybe this time it will keep me accountable…so that I actually set out to paint it.  I think I would appreciate it so much more if I painted it. Really, the challenge is making time.

I saw it from a mile away. I hadn’t been nourishing the artistic side in me enough. It’s time to change it up a little.

And because I couldn’t choose between the two, maybe you all can tell me which one is your favorite 

This is an old painting from college. There’s actually two more small square canvases but then wouldn’t fit in the picture. Oil & Acrylic on Canvas. This was during my deep red and warm tones color phase.

I don’t like looking at old artwork, but  I thought I’d share.

Okay first of all…let’s rewind.  Back to 6th grade to be exact. Back to my awkward years of looking like a boy (Its questionable whether I’m still in this awkward stage).

That’s when I met Erik. I don’t really recall how I met these guys. Maybe it was having classes with Ruben…or maybe it was having Mrs. Newcomer with Gabriel (you remember that Gabriel?…when you hole punched your ear…) Either way, the point is I met them in 6th grade. Erik’s dad was my basketball coach at one time and down the road, we all graduated high school together…and even though Ruben moved away, he made a surprise visit as my prom date senior year. I could go on because it’s been a heck of a long time. As much as I cringe at the thought of showing you these photos, I thought it was necessary to get that point across.

I had to dig down deep just to find these. Since, I had a camera ever since I was in 4th grade it was very much possible to find some old photos. I actually had a whole lot of photos with these guys, so it was hard to choose. I ended up laughing hysterically at all the photos I found because it hit me just how LONG ago they were taken.

Fast forward back to the present.  Erik told me he was getting married about oh…two weeks before his Wedding day and I was super excited for them.  Of course it was only fitting that Gabriel and Ruben be the best men.

He found himself a beautiful wife, and I was glad to be there to document their union. Congratulations Andrea & Erik!

Here’s to decade long friendships and a long lasting, loving marriage.

See the whole Slideshow below

Alright everyone…there’s no hiding that it will be my very first WPPI experience this March. It’s fast approaching my time to drive into Las Vegas for WPPI 2010. I posted on the Pictage forums to get some advice as to what expect. And, Pictage certainly delivered some answers! (Part of the reason why I love them so much!)

So, here are my questions featured on the Pictage Blog, that Skip Cohen was so gracious enough to answer for me and all the other WPPI newbie attendees! Thank Skip!

I’m pretty sure I’m going to be like a little kid in a candy store…who has a habit of getting way too many cavities..

Leave a comment, if you read something you like!

As I scrounged for a quick work snack and scanned the dining room table for something (anything!), I quickly spotted a fortune cookie.  Without hesitation, I grabbed it…and like a starving savage, ripped open the plastic, crushed it in the mighty palm of my hand (humor me okay.) and started chomping away on the cookie.  I must admit, I was surprisingly satisfied with that crispy delight.

As I chewed the last of my bite, I had unknowingly snatched the fortune inside, glanced at it for all of .000009 seconds, and proceeded to toss it in the garbage.  BUT, in that .0000009 seconds, the fortune caught my eye.  I guess I was too caught up in my tasty treat that the little paper seemed worthless to me.  So…like the trash digger that I became…I reached in ever so carefully and picked that fortune back up in my hand and out of the garbage.  Lucky for me it was still on the very top and not yet consumed by nasty-ooey-gooey-old-stanky-trash.  I did a double take, and read it again. Let’s just say, even though fortunes are quite general and entirely false (yet lucky guesses)…this one brought a smile to my face.  Not because the words on that little strip of paper predicted my fortune, but because I realized that those words were actually true for me. I’ve just been so caught up (I admit I am sort of a workaholic) and hadn’t given myself any time to pause to appreciate my state of being. Forget the star. I’ve got some wonderful blessings shining on me….from the One who created the stars.  And with that last thought, I closed the mighty palm of my hand around the little strip of meaningless paper and chose to assign meaning to it and keep it on my desk as a reminder.

But, first I snapped a photo of it of course.

And whatdaya know? I am happy.

I don’t normally use any cross processing, but I was in the mood for it…so there.

I discovered an awesome thing called Showit which is a website designing/publishing product.  It works soooo perfectly for me because I know what I want my website to look like, but I can’t stand doing coding. This was a wonderful solution and I would love to refer anyone else to use this amazing product!! So, here is a snapshot of what you can expect. Explore a little. I’m probably going to do some changes in the next week (minor things).

Hope you like it, and if you do, I’d love to hear your comments (or I guess in this case read them). View the website here.

The blog is still getting a face lift (well not really… more like an address change) I had to switch everything over from the old url to this url you are now at (erinjsaldana-blog.com)

So, the wordpress theme is still needing to get tweaked in order to flow naturally the way it used to. The banner still needs to come back…so thanks for understanding in advance! Happy Sunday! Thank You Lord!

Ciao!

In case you’ve noticed over the past couple of days, my main website isn’t up right now. It’ll take you to a generic hosting page. That’s because I am currently in transition of getting my newly designed website up! I’m very excited to share it with you! I hope you enjoy it, and I’d love for you all to leave me some feedback about it. Until then, you can explore around the blog

Here’s a little hint as to what is in store with the new website: