She said Yes!

Earlier this week, my buddy Eddie called me to tell me he was about to pop the question to his girlfriend June. Ecstatic, I told him I always wanted to document a *real* engagement, meaning as it was happening. So I made plans last night to be at the restaurant where he was planning to propose.

When I arrived at the restaurant, I felt the pressure that I dreaded... I hate having only 1 chance to get the shot (reason why I do not shoot weddings). I had about 45 seconds to adjust my white balance, bump up my ISO to as high as it would go, and set my camera to shoot with almost no light. I grabbed the waitress and asked her if she could put some candles on their table (acting as smooth as she could). So she grabbed an outdoor lantern from behind the bar, ran to the table and dropped it randomly in front of them as fast as she could. By then, June knew something fishy was going on.

Eddie took this as his cue to begin kneeling down on his knees. I quickly made my way to the table, bumping into servers and hiding behind patrons, and before I knew it, I grabbed this beautiful series:

The restaurant went crazy. Emotions flying all over the place. June was sooooo happy.



I loved the fact that Eddie chose a spot that was incredibly special to them....where he took her for their first date, El Localino.
I loved the feeling of the place. Incredibly fun, yet romantic.



In the end, I had a blast. I witnessed all of the joy, disbelief, tears and excitement that reminded me of my own proposal from Kyu.

Congratulations again, June & Eddie! Welcome to the club!

Coming home from the Dentist

This video is hilarious. It was forwarded to me from a friend who asked, "Do you ever work with kids like this?" Haha. Um, no...my kids are usually not drugged, at least I don't think so... =) Enjoy!

Andrew

Kyu and I have been extremely busy (and excited) about the launch of a project coming very soon! I'm on the edge of my seat, trying to hold back my enthusiasm from all of my blog readers (especially photographers), but alas, we will release more info soon. =D

Meanwhile, just wanted to share a recent blue-eyed cutie, Andrew. Photographed at 4 months old. Loveliest red hair.

Miss Julia Brynn

Such a sweet name for such a sweet lady. I absolutely adore this little girl and her fun-loving parents who love her more than anything in the world.

WPPI 2009

Although the air was unbreathable, the casinos took all of my cash, and I was sleep-deprived & exhausted everyday.... I had an AMAZING time at WPPI in Las Vegas this past week.

WOW. I'm still soaking in all of the inspiring classes, new trade show products...



...and FABULOUS old friends & new I hung out with!



Can't wait until next year!!

Happy Love Day!

I love Valentine's Day. I love hand-made cards more. Received this special Valentine's Day card from my nephew Gabriel this morning, and my heart melted. He is going to be such a heartbreaker when he grows up!

Also, just FYI that I will be out of the office and away from phone, email & client work until Thursday, 2/19. I'll be attending the annual WPPI (Wedding Portrait Photographers International) Convention in Las Vegas and rooming with my fabulous Learnfest buddies, Sara & Amy. Hope we don't get into any trouble!

Henry and his big bro.

Oh, how I wanted to take Henry home today. He was so hopelessly adorable....

Happy, healthy, giggly. And big beautiful blue eyes like mom...



He had this big brother though... He was such a stinker.



He would sit on Henry, put his feet on Henry, pat Henry's head as hard as he could....



And when you think poor Henry's had enough, you see a beautiful moment like this unfold. Completely without prompt.



Big bro Tucker isn't such a stinker afterall :)

Fletcher

...was an absolute trooper for me during our session! Can't even tell it was in the high 20's that morning.

Oh Joy Joy!

I received a package this afternoon that I'm SO overjoyed about! I have been working with the fabulous Zida Borcich of Studio Z in what I thought would be a simple and lovely new business card. What I received was SO much more....

Zida patiently held my hand through this entire process. I knew Alice Park Photography had changed over the last year.
Zida recognized this and quickly designed a card that was more Alice Park Photography than I could ever describe.



I'm still wowed by the quality of these beautiful letterpressed cards. 600 gsm of the richest, purest card stock available.



The entire design is clean, elegant, and so very us. I love, love, love it.

I can not say enough about how much I've enjoyed working with Zida and her wonderful team. My sincerest apology to all those in the future who receive one of these beautiful cards from me. I will probably talk your ear off about Zida :)

Ford, 4 Months Old.

Client FAQ: Digital Cameras 101

I receive a lot of client inquiries regarding how to purchase a digital camera, so I thought I'd post this topic here.

I believe one of the best investments you can make on your children, besides their education of course, is documenting their childhood. I am a little biased, no doubt... :) When I'm not there to capture their first step, their first smiles, their first tooth or their first day of school, I want my clients to be well-equipped - both in knowledge and equipment - to capture it in the best way possible. I have, therefore, put together a few notes I've shared with clients who've emailed me asking various questions on digital cameras and equipment. I hope this can shed some light on those who read my blog, meaning moms, not photographers. :)

It is tough for me to stay current with the regular all-in-one point-and-shoot digital cameras since they honestly come and go every six months. I purchased mine a while ago:

The above is the Canon PowerShot SD750 Digital Elph. Not the best camera out there, but when I'm not lugging around all of my SLR bodies & gear, it works quite well for me. The camera fits perfectly in my pocket and has a LCD screen on the back that will allow even my grandmother to frame the subjects correctly.

All of the mumbo jumbo terminology above - Optical Zoom, Digital Zoom, ISO, Megapixel, etc. explained here.

Everybody's needs in a camera differs. Consider the following:

1. Match megapixels to your use: Most point-and-shoot cameras offer at least 5 megapixels, which is plenty for producing 11-by-14-inch prints. Cameras with more megapixels will yield even larger prints and allow you to blow up a part of an image with less likelihood that the print will be blurry. If you plan to make only 4-by-6-inch prints, you don't have to shoot at the camera's highest resolution--and as a result, you can fit more shots on your memory card.

2. Look for rechargeable batteries and a charger: The cost of disposable batteries adds up over the long run. Some cameras can use AA batteries of any type--disposable or rechargeable. That capability can be helpful if your rechargeable batteries run out of juice and you don't want to wait while they replenish.

3. Disregard digital zoom: Most cameras offer at least 3X optical zoom--and some boast an optical zoom as high as 20X. But sometimes vendors tout a high total zoom that includes digital zoom, which you should disregard: Digital zoom produces photos that are inferior to those produced with an optical zoom.

4. Look for a low-light focusing aid: Some cameras have auxiliary lights that help them focus in dim settings. That's important for many indoor shots.

5. Try the camera before you buy: Some cameras have commands and menus that are easier to use than others, a comparison you can make only with a hands-on trial. Also evaluate the lag time between when you press the shutter button and when the camera actually takes the picture. Try the zoom lens--does it operate quickly and smoothly? Find out how long you must wait between taking pictures. And try the LCD viewfinder--in the sun if possible--to determine how easy it is to read.

6. Give extra consideration to a camera with a good selection of software: Look for useful packages such as Adobe Photoshop and Elements, as well as applications for organizing and sharing them.

* There are a lot retailers out hoping to sell whatever camera is in stock, so be sure to do your research. Some of my favorite review sites are DPreview.com and cnet.com.

Lastly, remember that your ability to get good images out of them does not depend on price. Photo quality has much more to do with who is using the camera than the camera itself. We will discuss the elements of capturing that perfect shot at a later time, AS WELL as discussing all of the amazing digital SLR's and lenses available:

Excuse me if I'm a Canon User!

Hope this info helps my blog readers a tad bit. Happy Monday, everyone!