After working late into the night Wednesday knowing that I would be out of the office all day on Thursday.. I awoke early . . braved the crazy 405 traffic... and had AN AWESOME day in LA!!!

So after meeting with possible new clients... and before my meeting with an awesome couple I will be photographing on Saturday in Malibu (Calamigos Ranch) ... (sidenote: can't wait for Rachael & Jordan's wedding... it is going to be GORGEOUS.. keep an eye out!!!).. I GOT SOOOOOO INSPIRED!!

I had such a blast... my very very dear friend Rob (another sidenote: I photographed he and Nat's wedding in July at Casa del Mar)...  we decided to go check out the new exhibits at this cool little artists/gallery space in Santa Monica called Bergamot Station.. it's an old train station transformed into art galleries (very Jack Kerouac meets...  Warhol's The Factory)... LOVED IT!

And I was sooooooo inspired (have I said that yet).  It was awesome to be surronded by amazing black & white film images ... the texture of the paper... the sturdy feel of everything... I'VE MISSED IT... not to mention the awesome discussions about the balance between concept and skill Rob and I had... and it was so cool to see the two of us were drawn towards our own styles...  I am ready to go back to my film camera...  in fact I am going to make Rob hold me accountable so that I don't get caught behind my computer everyday and I get out there and shoot outside the box more often ... go back to my original photo roots... many of you probably don't know this... but ten years ago all I did was shoot weddings in black & white film!!...  but these little adventures are going to be strictly conceptual...  and funky and fun . .pushing my artistic side. . .and even getting a cool little Holga... maybe even a class through adult-ed to get me in a darkroom... who knows anything could happen.

A few of the exhibits we checked out...

The Face of Fashion and Women by Lillian Bassman at the Peter Fetterman Gallery
Koo, Sung Soo Han-Il HIgh and other Stories  at Sarah Lee Artworks & Projects

May you all get inspired to think outside the box, get creative... and get excited like you want to jump up and down!!

Love,
A

 

Rob (www.robkalmbach.com) is an amazing photographer himself.... check out his work on his website.. .and keep your eye's open... he may be having a show in the near future in the LA area!! WOO HOOO go ROB!!!

 

P.S. I fell in love with 2 gorgeous framed prints ... and they were a mere $20,000 each .. maybe next year for my birthday!!  ;-).. but its free to go visit it!!!  Both of these are by Horst P.Horst...  one in Paris in 1939 and the other in NYC in 1987 (can you tell which is which??)

I just finished the Mackinac wedding Expo weekend yesterday.. and it was soooo much fun!!!

I've been fighting off a bit of a cold... so to be honest was kind of dreading last night... I was a little nervous I would not be able to talk to anyone.. and that I would just sit in the corner and hide...  well NOPE!!  There were soo many cool brides and grooms... and parents... and grandparents... etc.  I swear I never stopped laughing!!  How often does an expo .. talking to strangers... make you laugh. 

Mission Point  (and Zoe!!!) did such an amazing job for the closing night event. It was a lovely dinner party with Dancehall Dj's  (James & Amy) playing the tunes...  Kim & Lisa from Bella e Dolce providing yummy cake... and Jay at Webers doing absolutely gorgeous centerpieces...

And a very special thank you and props to Mary and Chris with the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau for organizing and hosting the whole weekend... it is SUCH an awesome event!! 

I can't stress how much fun it was... I even forgot I had a cold!!!!

To all you brides out there who made it... THANKS!!  You really did MAKE the whole weekend.  I hope to hear from some of you...  feel free to email or call me anytime with any questions...

and by  the way ..LEAVE A COMMENT HERE ... (I was shocked to see how many of you actually follow my blog... thats awesome... thanks!!)

Have a great week!  I'll be MIA for a bit...  my computer is being shipping away tomorrow... and I'll be heading back west to my sunny Cali on Friday!!  yeah ... time to go home .. just before the snow hits!!

Love,
A

SO...  I am not one to do wedding shows... honestly.. in my opinion.. its unnatural...100 brides in a conference room with 200 vendors... can we say overwhelming.. nothing like what a wedding should be like... brides keep their heads down... as not to be dragged into a booth by a pushy vendor when... especially when the bride already has that service...

Now... don't get me wrong... I have many friends who love these expos... its like a reunion for vendors... and if your good at talking to strangers... Which may be where my bias comes in...  this is going to be surprise to most... BUT...  I'm kind of shy... I know most people would never believe it... an expo is like torture to me.. not only a room of strangers... but a room of strangers where I have to talk about myself.

WELL.. now to my point...  THE ONLY EXPO I do... is this one... its AWESOME.. .and completely natural as a wedding should be.  The Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau hosts an annual "DESTINATION DREAM WEDDING WEEKEND" on Mackinac Island.

Let me just tell you...  this weekend takes place all over the island. It introduces every couple to more than a conference room in a hotel but intmately lets each couple visit every venue... and at each venue different vendors (like myself) will be around to chat.  There is even a mock reception. 

I have to say I actually have a blast doing this show.  Not only have I booked a few weddings but more importantly I have met amazing couples who have ultimately become my friends!!

If you happened to go last year... and remember the little extra surprise you got from me... this year... something different and I think even better...  don't worry if your not coming back...you just might get one in the mail anyways ;-)

Sooo.. if your debating about going this to the expo ... I say DO IT... even if you have everything booked already it gives you a much better understanding of the island and a chance to see your vendors!!

Hope to see you all there!!

Love,
A

Mackinac Island Destination Dream Wedding Weekend
October 9-11th
Mackinac Island, MI
You can get more information by contacting Chris West (chris@mackinacisland.org)

OH MY GOODNESS... this was by far the coolest shoot I have ever done...  in the ocean (not just them... Me too!)... in Mexico ... the day after an AMAZING wedding...

Elizabeth & Will were  splashing around... having fun... loving on each other..and not caring about a thing in the world except for having fun and being in the moment... and these pics can definitely show it.

Elizabeth and I had been talking about this shoot for months...  Will, I think, may have been a little hesitant at first (and he wasn't even wearing the dress)... but the minute the volleyball court came into play... he was all about it...  he just kept asking...  "can I throw her in yet... can I throw her in yet ..."

SO MUCH FUN... man I love my job!!!

Take a look...

If you are anywhere near the area stop by Little Luxuries of Mackinac for my exhibition on the Four Seasons of Mackinac.  My work will be there and for sale strarting this weekend... Sept 3rd through Sept 17th.

The Opening Reception is this Saturday September 5th from 4:30-8:00 p.m.  Please stop by and say hi.

Love,
A