WHAT I LEARNED ON THE WAY TO PARIS...

I left for Paris on Sunday.. on my way I learned three things...  I know this may be random...  but it's what I learned...

1)...  Wearing all white to a wedding doesn't have to be a faux pas...  I sat next to a lovely lady from Amsterdam who was recently married.. (I only wish I would have grabbed a couple of her pics)... she had the most beautiful Ibiza wedding.  She asked all of her 50 guests to wear all white... and it gave the whole event not only an incredibly beautiful aesthetic but also such a sense of softness, love, and tenderness...  it is hard to explain ... but if you are looking to do something different... think about it.   I was especially interested in seeing her pictures because I will be flying back across the Atlantic in May to photograph my own Ibiza wedding...

2)...   Pictures truly are memory keepers.. obviously I believe this and knew this... but it wasn't until I experience it first hand (yet again) that I remember how amazing the feeling can be.  I was in a taxi heading to my hotel in Paris when we drove through a plaza... I instantly remembered it... not only did I remember it.. I remembered the EXACT photo I had taken of this plaza 12 years ago... and not only did I remember the photo... but I remembered what I thinking, what I was doing.. and where I was in life (ironically enough photography was the farthest thing from  a career  for me... funny what 12 years can do)... I wish I had the photograph to show you.

3)...  Rescue Remedy Sleep, Calms Forte, A Glass of Wine, and Airborne Sleep .DOES NOT equal sleeping on the plane

So, that was my trip there... day 1... 4 of us girls converge upon Paris from four different flights all leaving LAX and Arriving Charles De Galle... don't ask why we didn;t fly together... we haven't quite figured that out yet.

After trying to sleep off the jetlag.. it was off to Muse D'Orsay...  (to see my favortie Toulous Latrec)...  and dinner with a French friend... 

Day 2.. TODAY...  we awoke had a lovely lunch ... checked out Pere Lachaise.. where I saw Oscar Wilde's tomb... this cemetary was amazing and Oscar is ALWAYS inspiring. And then... I was soo happy to meet up with my dear dear dear Parisian friend Diana...  (you look amazing... and always make my day... so happy to have had the time with you my sweet).

AND TONIGHT... the BIG EVENT... watching the Sparkling Eiffel Tower at exactly midnight as my amazing, inspiring and beautiful friend Britainy turned 30.. (I truly feel honored to be a part of your celebration and to be a part of your life)

SO...  One more day in Paris... till its off to London... tomorrow's agenda  a portrait shoot of an opera singer at the Bastille Opera house... then off to the George V to cheers Brits official birthday.

Here are a few pics... enjoy...  drop me a note...

May you all have adventures and find a few friends along the way... it sure does make the world small.

Love,
A

Oh and along the way... TONS of croissants, pain au chocolates, and cappuccinos!!



 

Okay... this is going to seem like a random post... but.. such is my life sometimes. I've been a little behind with blogging and I completely skipped chatting about my trip to the island back in February...  and then last week I was in Hawaiii...  so hence the title within one month I went from snow covered below zero weather of Mackinac Island... to 85 degree palm tree covered island of Hawaii.... (obviously I have an island thing.. I love them whether hot or cold) .. there is just something about the island life... 

So... My Presidents Day-Valentines Day-Chili Cookoff weekend on Mackinac....  It was an island first for me... flying into the island in the dead of winter... granted I was hoping to experience the infamous ice-bridge...  but to no luck ...this winter the lake never froze... needless to say even without the usual freedom TRUE islanders look forward to year round...  most were still in high spirits  ... and ready for the annual Chili Cookoff  (granted the three bars (Sinclairs, Mustang, & Village Inn)  open helped with the dispersion of such "spirits")...   but all was not lost, beautiful sunsets, great friends, and awesome chili was still to be found in abundance.  As always, Mackinac never ceases to amaze and surprise me... even after ten years I constantly discover new joys on the is Magical place.

(You'll notice the last pic is a collage of people.. these are just a few islanders that always make me smile and keep the island going year round when the rest of us are scared of the winter  ... a few are missing (you, for example Mary... how were you not in any of my pics :-)... but I just wanted to pay props to these awesome people who always welcome me anytime of year. also...  Heather & Chris...  you'll be soooo missed!!!)

 

What a way to kick off the 2010 wedding season... jetting off to Kona tomorrow morning.

I'm especially excited about Rachel & Elie's wedding... obviously because it is in Hawaii... but ALSO because I met this  awesome couple last year on  Mackinac while photographing one of Rachel's best friends' wedding (Michelle & John).  I just love being a part of a circle of friends... I get to really know the friends and family in the group that much more.  So I was completely stoked when Rachel contacted me last fall about HER wedding. 

As always, I'll still be reachable... just not AS tied to the computer as usual...  this girl might pull herself away  from her laptop long enough to dip in the ocean and get a little tan... (but always use my sunscreen...  :-)

I wouldn't want to leave you with nothing to look at... so here are a few pics from my last time to Hawaii (when I photographed Candice & Micheal's beach side nuptials)...  is it sad it's been over a 1 1/2 years and I'm just now posting my fun "travel" pics from that trip!!

OH... and on a side night... speaking of fun travel pics... my little trip to Samy's today lead to me purchasing a new holga film camera... SOOO excited to play with that on this little adventure!

It's finally sunny and warm here in Santa Barbara... sun is setting later ....  summer is just around the corner!!

Sending you all a ray of sunshine... whether your basking on the beach right now or anxiously awaiting June... may you find a little "sun" somewhere in your day today and bask in it... even if its the simple smile of the loved one sitting next to you!!

Love,
A

It is that time of  year again.. time for the annual WPPI conference in Vegas...

.. and here I am again...  almost midnight... the night before I leave... unpacked... and of course what am I doing...  PROCRASTINATING... I've been on facebook .. twitter... and now  blogging... and I think its all because I don't want to face the fact that I HAVE to fit 4 pairs of boots, a pair of heels, tennis shoes, and flip flops (along with my clothes) into my small suitcase...  but come on... doesn't everyone take all of these shoes for 4 days in Vegas!!  You never know... it is Vegas baby!!

I'm starting to get excited... seeing old friends... meeting new ones... and hopefully learning A TON from all of the amazing speakers... and of course maybe a little equipment shopping (granted there may not be room in my suitcase for more camera gear... but a girl can always make it fit)!!

Have a fun week... 

Love
A

I know I have been off the radar a bit... but its pretty hard to keep up with the blog when I am hopping from family to friend to family to friend all over the northeastern part of the US...

But I have a quick break from my niece and nephew (who are tired from ice skating... actually I think I'M more tired then they are) to hop on the computer and upload a few pics from New Years on the island... and this past week with my adorable niece and nephew...

I'll be hopping on a plane late tonight ... and finally back to my routine in my office Monday morning... in sunny California... (finally my feet with defrost)!!

Hope you are all enjoying the first week of 2010...

Love,
A

Here's some of a Wintry Mackinac....



And here a few of my favorite 4 and 8 year olds...