You Need to Fall to Rise

i have been honored to know kevin cronin - REO SPEEDWAGON
a little over ten years now but never knew how deep his soul went until today. i was asked to photograph him and his son, paris, a few weeks back for an article that kevin wrote for the may 5, 2008 issue of NEWSWEEK magazine. the photo was to highlight the relationship of "father and son." in the article kevin described his "turning point" in the relationship with his son that was struggling with addiction. he opened himself up to share with others the decisions that shaped him as an artist and, most importantly, how his decisions shaped him as a father.


kevin found "inspiration" from his son's handling of his addiction, so much so, he titled the new REO SPEEDWAGON cd "find your own way home." finding inspiration with ones own life and sharing it so openly is most endearing to those that surround you.



again, i have been honored to know kevin... more so now than ever.
read the whole inspiring story on NEWSWEEK.com

Christi and Marc

Davis and Jermie - engagement

i met davis and jermie at a local home town beach grill right in the heart of carpentria, ca for their engagement session as well as to participate in their "taste testing". now, right off the bat i knew the day was worth its price in gold. my family and friends all know that where there is good food, great conversations and a whole lot of laughing going on i am either around and or on my way. i really enjoy celebrating family let alone celebrating family surrounded by good food and great spirit. today was just the case. getting to know davis, jermie and their parents was a real pleasure. being in an environment that showcased how they wanted to celebrate their wedding day shed a little light on their day as well as it gave me a little glimpse into who they are and what makes their day special to them. karen and i originally met the brides mother a while back at a bridal showcase in ventura. most cases a venue such as a bridal showcase doesn't allow one to have an intimate conversation but at first introduction karen and i both were "engaged" at how she described her love of her daughter and what photography meant to her and her family. so, when it came time to photograph davis and jermie the session lasted minutes rather than hours. literally.









getting to know them before the session was priceless. they were more themselves and i was merely present capturing their relationship on film as it unfolded. this is what makes them so endearing. you can seeeeeeeeeeeee how much jermie lovesssssssssss davis and why photography is so much a part of their lives...because beauty is everywhere, especially "when a man loves a woman."

Lyman Family Portrait - First Holy Communion

special days come and go and tomorrow brings yet more to cherish and celebrate. often i am overwhelmed with beauty and often i am reminded how very special a gift we all have in our children. the lyman family is a family with an abundance of "special gifts". i really enjoy meeting families through our photography because i learn more about people and their traditions than i could in any other way. the oldest daughter will be celebrating her First Holy Communion and i have been honored to etch her vision of grace forever on film. during the entire session i was reminded how very quickly children grow up and how our children mirror the very things we hold dear to our hearts; love, respect, peace, joy and honor. i say this because as i was leaving i was reminded by a little voice in my ear (my mother's) to say good-bye to all whom i have met. -love, respect and honor- for it is they who have honored me with sharing of themselves to do what i do. -with a whole lot of joy and i am at peace knowing that my talent is an extension of who i am and who i have become. it never seems to amaze me how by photographing a family in their home i can capture a spirit that can never be unveiled any other way. just the comfort and security alone that a home offers a family during, to most, an event that is so monumental really allows me to photograph a true and pure PORTRAITURE of an individual or of a family.

Tonya and Matt - engagement

california has many resources, no finer than the people that make up this great state. i have had the pleasure to really sit down and soak in relationships because of the openness of our brides and grooms. tonya and matt are true californian to the bone.


they welcomed me into their family like they've know them for years. immediately sharing with me what drives them...laughter, family, good friendships and the pursuit of a great life...all in balance.


i have mentioned before that our engagement sessions are allllllllll about the celebration of the engagement of two families but most importantly the engagement of a couples relationship and what makes them unique. tonya and matt are everything a home is; they are comfortable, welcoming, full of stories, GREAT AMOUNTS OF FOOD and down right the place to be after a long days work.


if you know tonya and matt, then you KNOW what i mean. so, it was fitting that matt invited me over to his parents home, where he grew up, to let their pets run around and photograph him and his bride to be. home is definitely where the heart is...in the comfort of each others arms.

Staci and Jim - engagement

jim told me, right to my face, that "i was crazy". my reply to him was "yes, yes i am." how can i not be with such a great gift before me?


jim and staci are one hell of a nice, nice couple. jim loves staci and staci loves that jim loves her. isn't that funny? i had so much fun on their engagement session that i forgot that i was there for them. ha! karen and i met jim at our bridal show in ventura a few weeks back and immediately took a liking to him and what he was looking for his bride to be.


after our initial meeting he wanted us to meet with him and his fiance, staci. after our meeting we all came away excited that the celebration was ON! at first jim and staci hadn't given a second thought to an engagement shoot because...they were already engaged for awhile.


so... i reminded them that this is an especially awesome time in their relationship that they need to celebrate the bringing together of their two families and announce out loud to all to hear that they are ENGAGED. isn't that cool?!


anyway, when i showed up for the engagement session they were ready to celebrate in their own special way...toasting with their favorite wine, making each other laugh, showing me around their beautiful home and..........going for a sunset run in the hills. WOW! how much fun did we have. jim and staci took me up to their favorite site to run and it was SPECTACULAR! during the shoot all i kept hearing was them laughing. laughing at me and how much i was blown away with how beautiful the session was turning out to be just by being PRESENT.


after the photo of jim and staci on the rock (the very rock that jim proposed to staci by the way) we headed off for our 10k run.


two words... FAN .....TASTIC!