susan sabo photography

MOVED!

2008-09-09T13:53:00.001-07:00

my blog has moved to Typepad!

please take a minute to bookmark the new location!

welcome, Arlo!

2008-08-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

We've added a new, not-so-small dog to the pack, and he's just terrific. This is Arlo. He was rescued from a shelter on the day he was to be euthanized, and we adopted him from the rescue. He's definitely a handful, but I know he will be worth the training and the patience. You'll be seeing more of Arlo (named after Guthrie, of course) on these pages in the future.

aging so gracefully

2008-08-13T08:38:00.000-07:00

I recently shot a wonderful girl named FiFi. She's over 17 years old, and although frail and delicate, was such a love that I wanted to share her.

rest easy, Phil

2008-08-08T08:02:00.000-07:00

One of my clients' dogs, the fabulous Phil, passed away on saturday a couple of weeks ago, the same day that Lola left us. I'm so glad I had the chance to photograph her family. Wishing Phil rests easy, and peaceful, happy memories for his family.

sending good thoughts and best wishes

2008-08-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to photograph the most adorable couple: Mike and Berlinda, and of course their Boxer named Bettie :)

Mike is a Marine, has been to Iraq twice already and is going back in September. I won't hold it against him that he called me "ma'am" (it was actually awfully sweet, because he's this hulking guy).

Please send all your good thoughts and good luck wishes to him so that he can return safely to B & B.

now back to business

2008-08-03T13:58:00.000-07:00

It's been a hectic and very sad last couple of weeks. Losing Lola was terribly hard on us, and we had some inbetween dog issues that made it even harder. But losing Ivan and A and D (they're moving tomorrow) is topping off the month, and it's only the 3rd!

But back to business tomorrow!

love, lola

2008-07-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

Sadly, we lost another member of our pack today: the lovely Lola, who has been with us 11 years, passed away this afternoon. We miss her terribly already; she was an affectionate, lovely dog and the only dog I've ever known who had perfected the balance between "human" characteristics and dog characteristics. She greeted us every single time we came in the door, and she slept by the front door to guard us. She will be great missed. Especially her kisses. Love you, Lola. Miss you.

Gentlemen, start your engines!

2008-07-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

If you were in the Long Beach area yesterday and you didn't check out the Bixby Knolls Dragster Expo and Car Show .... bummer for you. It was a fantastic event that I was lucky enough to shoot. I love car guys; love hanging out with car people. And the finale of the night, a dozen or so dragsters all lighting up at once and showing their flames, topped off a great day.

More photos to come, but this is so far one of my favorites of the almost 1200 shots I took.

natural light portraits

2008-07-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

I love the natural light in my studio. My window faces west, so I get great light all day long. Next week I'll be shooting portraits all week with a variety of people, and I can't wait!

As much as I love to play around with strobes and lights, nothing beats a really crisp natural light portrait. They remind me so much of working with film.

I think if more photographers shot their clients with natural light, instead of the seamless and the strobes, etc., their clients would be really pleased with the results.

This is a self-portrait I took last week while waiting for a new client. She's wonderful, and has these great products for her new line, but I'm not posting any shots of them until she's got them onto her website. So look for them!

latest cover shot

2008-07-03T12:25:00.000-07:00

The premiere issue of a new local magazine, Senior Class, is out. I was thrilled to be able to shoot the cover, but even more excited to have my husband as one of the models. That's not me with him, although they look pretty close :)

democractize or i'll shoot

2008-06-20T13:43:00.000-07:00

This issue of JPG Magazine had me stumped until I saw the correlation between my shirt and my tattoo. Sad, but true.

email out for a bit

2008-06-18T12:35:00.001-07:00

while transferring hosting companies, my email will be down for a bit, maybe a day. if you need to reach me, just leave a comment here.

thanks!

moms can be super handy....

2008-06-10T18:02:00.000-07:00

...so don't forget that when you're a teenager and you think she's the most uncool person in the world.

1/100

2008-06-10T14:27:00.000-07:00

...of a second. that's how long this guy can sit up by himself. i'd like to do a series of shots of his mom putting him in place, taking her hands away, and watching him slowly plop to the left, or right, or forward.

happy birthday little G

2008-06-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

this little monkey turns one year old in about a week, so her awesome parents came out for a shoot to celebrate.

she was a fabulous little model, and held up better than I did (or mr susan, my assistant for the day). best part was holding her and getting drooly kisses. :)

adopted!

2008-06-01T13:56:00.001-07:00

The best news of all came today. One of the dogs featured in my Shelter & Rescue Dogs exhibit was adopted yesterday from the East Valley Animal Shelter!

I'm so happy to get this news; it makes all the hard work worthwhile. I'm not sure if this dog is the only one to have been adopted as a result of the show (I know that Hearts for Hounds has gotten some referrals), but this is a really happy ending for a lovely dog who had been in that shelter for months.

Thanks to the new parents, and thanks to Javier, shelter manager, for agreeing to keep her available until the end of May.

weddings

2008-05-17T14:14:00.000-07:00

I've always been reluctant to shoot weddings, and I've been particular about which weddings I would shoot. That has less to do with my interest in weddings and more to do with the Bridezilla stories I hear from good friends who shoot weddings on a regular basis. :)

But I've given in and am starting to do more. Courthouse weddings are my favorite. Small weddings, civil ceremonies, backyard things, those are the best to shoot. I've got a Berkeley sort of hippie wedding coming up in a few months that I simply cannot wait to do!

So there. I've even added a wedding gallery to my website, in a gallery called "a very big deal." Check it out.

Bandit Brand catalog shoot

2008-05-13T14:39:00.001-07:00

I'm starting to go through my shots from last month's catalog shoot in Ojai, CA. Great clothes, awesome models. Here's a couple of quick shots; there's a slideshow on my website, in a gallery called "on location: bandit brand."

love love courthouse weddings

2008-05-13T12:07:00.001-07:00

photo essay on shelter dogs

2008-05-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

I've submitted a photo essay on this project to JPG Magazine. Click on over there to read it, and vote if you like.

s

shelter dog exhibit prints for sale

2008-05-04T09:18:00.001-07:00

thanks for everyone who stopped by and showed their support last friday night. it was great talking with so many different people who are into the efforts to help shelter and rescue dogs.

in case you haven't heard, the exhibit (in a smaller form) has moved down the street from the opening to the It's a Grind Coffee House at 4245 Atlantic Blvd., Long Beach.

all of the prints are now for sale in limited edition (20 of each will be sold), and 50% of all sales from the prints go right back to the shelter. so if you couldn't make the show, there is still time to show your support and help these little monkeys find a home :)

the prints are featured on my Esty shop. although they are not all up there yet, i'm going to be finished uploading them by tomorrow night.

and in a few weeks, there will be a small book with these shots and many more for sale. again, 50% of the proceeds of those will go the rescues.

thanks again for the support, but thanks most of all for loving the animals that seem to think nobody loves them.

s

she-devils on bikes

2008-04-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

Sounds suspiciously like a movie I once saw in the 70s, but it's actually the nickname of this past weekend's catalog shoot that I did in Ojai, CA. Six great looking, inked up models and a kick-ass new line of shirts and vests for men and women. More to come later, but here's a sneak peek.

you're invited

2008-04-17T12:13:00.001-07:00

NOTE: The exhibit will possibly move to a more convenient location after opening night. Keep an eye on this page for details. But opening night is still at the location listed below! If you have any questions, drop me a line.

This is going to be a big night for the animals! I'll be showing 20-30 prints of dogs who are in need of homes right now! There will be lots of volunteers and employees from various shelters to provide information on specific dogs, or just general info.

Framed and unframed prints will be for sale (with proceeds going to participating shelters), and there's going to be an "opportunity drawing" to benefit the shelters, with 3 winning tickets drawn. Top prize is a free private photo session for the winner and his/her animal(s).

Photographs will be up the entire month of May, but the reception/opening night is Friday, May 2nd, from 7-10pm. Please attend if you can.

This Is Who We Are: Photography by Susan Sabo
Reception: Friday, May 2nd, 7-10 pm.
4313 Atlantic Blvd., Long Beach CA

admission is free; no invite needed.

make someone's day, adopt a shelter animal

2008-04-07T18:38:00.000-07:00

Shelters & rescues have always been close to my heart; years ago I started and ran a blanket program for the dogs at the East Valley Animal Shelter in Van Nuys. Jen and I often adopted out older, sick dogs who had been left for dead by their owners and kept them so that they could live out their remaining years in a loving home and with dignity.

So when it came time to think of a theme for my upcoming show in May, it was clear: Dogs that need homes now! This is going to be a very crunched project, because the show opens Friday, May 2nd. But I can't think of a better reason to work long hours and lose a lot of sleep.

All the dogs featured in the show are dogs that are currently being fostered and need a permanent home. We'll also have some volunteers from local rescues to provide information to interested people. AND, I'll have a special on portrait packages for dogs running for those who do adopt a dog during the month of May.

If you're in the LA area, please come to the show, invite all your animal-loving friends. Maybe you could be responsible for a dog finding his or her way into a loving home.

More details on the location and time will be coming, but for now, pencil the date into your planner. And if you can't wait till then, by all means, head down to your local shelter and give some love to a needy dog (or cat)!

upcoming photo project: T & J

2008-04-01T16:37:00.001-07:00

Before finishing my first Project April, I did a quick shoot with T and her boyfriend in a Long Beach laundromat. I love their chemistry so much I'm putting up a preview for them.

project

2008-04-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a photo project for a couple of weeks now, and I'm getting pretty excited about unveiling it. But I shot over a thousand images, and this week I'm sifting through them and making my final choices. I hope to have the final project up on my site within two weeks. But I wanted to give everyone a preview of it, and also, wanted to thank all the models and actors who participated. They were all outstanding and each of them made such an individual and unique contribution.

This is Daisi, one of my fabulous subjects. I could have shot her all day, but my camera couldn't keep up with her moves.

spazz attack

2008-03-31T20:39:00.000-07:00

Dot met Ivan for the first time last week, and she had a 2-hour long spazz attack. Both she and Lola simply adore him and are constantly creeping their way closer to him for sneaky ear licks. I'm glad the dogs and he have bonded. It's nice when you are able to bring another dog person into the world.

a guest came to the studio today...

2008-03-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

... and the usual "welcome to the studio" dance ensued.

the perfect candid

2008-03-18T10:00:00.001-07:00

This is my husband and his first grandson. This is the picture I've been wanting to snag since Ivan was born (just over a month ago). It's a personal favorite.

Ink & Iron 2007

2008-02-28T08:20:00.001-08:00

Heads up that I'll be shooting at Ink & Iron this June at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA. If you're going to be there and would like some shots for yourself or your shop, drop me a line.

grand opening

2008-02-26T15:16:00.000-08:00

So this was the Grand Opening of my new studio space in the fashion district (downtown LA). I moved some gear in today (gear is heavy, assistants would be good) and set up a couple of quick self portraits. I'll be slammed with work for the next week or so, then I hope to get some friends up there for some shooting.

Can. Not. Wait.

when it's too late to talk to your kids about birth control

2008-02-24T17:22:00.000-08:00

More of the adorable addition to our family, baby Ivan. This is a real family portrait; Ivan, his mother Amanda, her father and her mother. I was really glad to get this shot of all of them together. There are lots more "normal" looking shots of them all, but I just love this one from the expression on Amanda's face. It's like, "so that's how it happens!

how to make an exit

2008-02-23T18:44:00.000-08:00

I think I'm one of the last people on earth (with tattoos) who doesn't know Kat Von D or LA Ink, but since my daughter was getting some ink work done at her tattoo show (musink) this weekend, I got a chance to get some cool shots.

If you've never been to a tattoo convention, go! Even if you're not a photographer, or not getting a tattoo, you're guaranteed hours of the most entertaining people watching, even if it's only a bit of someone, like this shot :)

dog love

2008-02-22T17:59:00.001-08:00

there's nothing like it.

i had the best shoot today with this rad family of people and dogs. the house was full of dog love, which is always the best.

welcome to our world

2008-02-13T16:25:00.001-08:00

Big week around the house. I'm a grandma (yay) and that overshadows everything else that's going on at the moment. I think the studio opening will be delayed a few days, but I leave you with Ivan William in the meantime.

inked at last!

2008-02-10T18:28:00.000-08:00

I love photographing people with tattoos, but i like to do it in the studio, in a more classic way. Photographing my daughter's tattoos has always been my favorite, but now that my husband has finally gotten his first, I'm so excited to be able to capture his expressions now that he's "one" of us.

POW!

2008-02-08T16:20:00.000-08:00

That's all. Just...POW!!

Getting ready for the new studio opening (2nd studio for me) next week. Stay tuned. Much fun to come.

tattoo you

2008-02-06T13:34:00.000-08:00

We have a new tattoo in the family; the first for my husband! It was a wonderful experience that I took hundreds of photos of. Luckily, not only was Trevor (the artist) a great guy, he was great looking :)

out of commission

2008-01-31T14:46:00.000-08:00

Just as I'm getting excited about opening the new studio downtown, this flu that's been going around hits me and hits me hard. 10 days in bed. I hope you don't get it, it's a killer.

speaking of unconventional

2008-01-27T08:42:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite shots from a recent dog shoot; possibly one of my all-time favorite dog shots. There are a dozen reasons why nobody would choose a shot like this, why it doesn't work, but there's really only one that someone would choose it: because they love it. It strikes me very viscerally; for me, it's that elusive essence of my subject that I managed to capture in a split second: the essence of this dog and her lanky discomfort at being photographed.

If I were looking for a cover image for a book about dogs, I might not choose this. But if I were just browsing images and came upon this on, I might write an entire novel around it.

don't put too much trust in conventionality

2008-01-22T12:27:00.000-08:00

My fashion shoots are a bit unconventional. I do shoot traditional look books and straight models shots, but when I'm on a fashion shoot I always make time for a few shots of my own. Sometimes, the client flips over them. Sometimes, the client doesn't understand them :) But one thing is certain, unconventional will always help you stand out, one way or another.

This shot is from a model shoot I did last Sunday with a local agency. Of all the shots I took (many very traditional), this is by far my favorite.

Why we love Los Angeles

2008-01-13T12:50:00.000-08:00

It's sunny, it's 75 degrees and Spring is almost here. Ooof.

space coming soon

2008-01-09T10:03:00.001-08:00

I'll soon be opening a small studio in downtown LA; which means regular commutes again and no more working in my pajamas (unless I keep a stash in the studio).

I'll let you know when it's open, and I'll post pictures, and if you're in the area, you can stop by and say hello and get shot. By me!

Chloe

2008-01-06T16:41:00.000-08:00

I had a chance to shoot my neighbor's two bulldogs yesterday and it was a gas. The more I shoot dogs, the more I enjoy shooting them in their own environment. Studio portraits have a certain appeal, but dogs in their own digs are much more entertaining. I never would have gotten such a candid moment from Chloe if she were sitting in front of my lights.

Grace

2007-12-29T12:12:00.001-08:00

Which is, coincidentally, this lovely's name. I got a chance to shoot a couple of Vizlas today. They are perfectly lovely dogs and so photogenic.

Bob

2007-12-27T13:49:00.000-08:00

Bob is, I think, homeless. I see him on the same corner somewhat regularly, and I've seen him there for some time. I give him a few bucks whenever I can, but I always wave back to him when he waves. He's always waving at people in cars, whether they stop or not.

I've been seeing him for almost a year, and yesterday I stopped to say hi to him, introduce myself, and ask if I could photograph him.

He was terrific, but told me that he doesn't come around as much as he used to because he keeps getting ticketed by the Long Beach police. Drag.

If you're ever near the corner of 7th and PCH in Long Beach, see if you can spot him. And if you can, give him a few bucks. If you don't have a few bucks, give him a wave.

merry merry!

2007-12-25T18:05:00.000-08:00

and kiss your dogs for me!

one side of a mother/daughter conversation

2007-12-24T15:58:00.001-08:00

i love taking portraits of this one. she used to not let me, and was very uncomfortable in front of the camera. now, she hardly notices when, in the middle of a conversation, i slip my camera out of my bag, remove the lens cap, and point it at her.

i shoot myself...

2007-12-21T12:38:00.001-08:00

...mostly because i don't have frequent access to other models or people. (besides, i'm the only one i know who will do everything i ask during a shot.)

but, i'm always on the lookout for people to shoot, if you're interested in a trade-for-print session, drop me a line. i'll travel pretty far for something i'm really into (but most likely, i'll make you come to me) :)

the boxes

2007-12-17T16:07:00.000-08:00

I had the chance to shoot another band this past weekend, and they were terrific. Not only do I like their music, but I completely dig their style. The remind me a lot of the jazz-infused new wave bands of the 80s, like The Style Council.

No website up for them yet, but an EP coming out soon.

dogs love you, not your camera

2007-12-12T11:31:00.000-08:00

I've found that most dogs really dislike being photographed (that is, if they know they're being photographed). I think it's probably that thing, that massive clunky thing you put up in front of your face that freaks them out. The flash and the lights don't help. But as much as your dogs love you, I'm afraid they probably don't love your camera.

There are a few ways around this. Sleeping dogs shots, of course :) but there's only so much you can do with those. Another trick is to mount the camera onto a tripod, or rest it on something solid, and use a remote (if you have one) one the dog is in frame, so that your face is recognizable and your dog can stay in his/her safe zone.

If you don't have a remote, you can still manage this by just framing the dog, then lift your face away from the camera so he/she can see you. Seeing your face, of course, is the best thing in the world to your dog.

Give it a shot. You may end up with fewer of those guilty, sort of "what did I do" faces and more dog smiles.

And we all know that dog smiles make the world go 'round.

The Jeroldines

2007-12-10T14:17:00.001-08:00

I had a chance to shoot a very cool LA band on Saturday:
the Jeroldines. It was crazy Christmas madness all around us (we shot in downtown old Pasadena), they scouted this great little location that looks totally out of the way. Check them out on myspace. They play pretty regularly around LA.

G under light

2007-12-07T20:04:00.001-08:00

When I'm shooting a client's dog, I really don't have the time to make drastic lighting changes. I set up my lights before the client arrives (based on what effect we're going for) and pretty much leave them that way for the shoot.

That's why I love having the smalldogs around to do different things with. Although they are usually reluctant models, I do get the chance to get a few shots off before they skulk away. I love this shot of G. I wasn't sure how she would react in this shot because of the way the lights were set up, but I got the perfect expression from her. She's a trooper.

do the math, adopt a rescue

2007-12-04T08:18:00.000-08:00

If you're thinking of a getting a cat or dog for someone this Christmas, please please stay away from pet stores and visit your local shelter. If you don't find an animal there, ask them about local rescues (who often have many pure-bred animals who need homes).

Rescues make the best animals, and the karma you will build up for saving a life is immeasurable.

Prints of this photo are available for purchase at my Etsy shop.

2007-12-03T15:19:00.001-08:00

More of GatorBait (having lived in Florida for several years, I can totally appreciate this name).

great dog, great client, great shoot

2007-12-02T12:50:00.000-08:00

Had a very successful shoot this morning, in large part due to the fantastic client, Rita. She just had a wonderful understanding of the process, even though I don't think she'd ever had her dog professionally photographed before. She walked him before she arrived; she brought a bag of his favorite toys; and she was almost instinctively doing what I needed her to do to keep the dog (Gator Bait, best name ever!) where I needed him to be.

The is the only shot I've processed so far; I've taken the advice a good friend (and amazing photographer) who told me to always wait a day before I begin processing a shoot.

dance goddamnit

2007-11-26T13:35:00.001-08:00

When I first saw this shot of G, I thought of the old Sparks' song, "Dance Goddamnit."

I love dog parts; it's rare to find a client who likes photos of their dogs' parts, but thank God for the ones who pop up now and then.

the emotions of animals

2007-11-23T18:58:00.000-08:00

The most important thing in taking photos of someone's companion animal is to capture the emotions of the animal. Not as easy as it sounds, because most dogs, under these conditions, will be curious, happy, running about, etc. It's sometimes hard to get anything other than the goofy, tongue-hanging-out face from most dogs. But the longer I spend sitting with the animal, playing with it, talking to it, etc., the more likely I am to get a wider range of emotions when it's time to start shooting. The whole idea is that the dog (or cat) isn't aware that anything has changed.

I love this shot of Lola, because it's so clear that she didn't want to model for me on this day. I rarely see her upset, so this shot is a big treat for me. Not because I pissed her off, but because she looks so silly trying to be a snot (because honestly, she's not one.)

the beauty of Death Valley

2007-11-08T14:36:00.000-08:00

I've lived in California most of my life and went to Death Valley for the very first time last weekend. I'm kind of jaded on landscape photography; it doesn't really excite me the way it does other photographers. But I have to admit it was am amazing place to see, especially predawn to catch the sunrise coming up over the dunes.

A nice departure from dogs, people and old buildings :) I'm selling some of my favorites over at my Etsy shop.

sit! stay!

2007-10-30T16:48:00.001-07:00

I had a really great session with a dog named Chief today. He was mad crazy about running around, eating the grass and chewing pinecones to bits. His people tried so hard to get him to pose, but he would have none of it. Of all the shots I was able to get, this is my favorite.

G

2007-10-28T19:38:00.000-07:00

G's the most photogenic dog I've ever had. She's not very patient in front of the camera so I have to be quick. But when I do get a shot of her, it's almost always adorable. :)

she's wishing me into the cornfield

2007-10-19T20:02:00.001-07:00

Lola is the best, tirelessly posing for me as I fudge about with new lighting and backdrops.
I never used to like studio shots of dogs, but the more I do it, the more I like it. I can see why a lot of people prefer for me to shoot their dogs this way. Outdoors, or at someone's home, is still great for closeups and shallow depth of field shots, or shots where the owners are there too. But when it's the dog (or cat or whatever) alone, I think the seamless background really brings out the personality.

The only problem with this setup is that animals usually aren't comfortable in front of a bunch of lights, especially when it's not at their home. And the best part of shooting animals is capturing them as candids; when their true personality shows through.

a wider view of the world

2007-10-08T09:58:00.001-07:00

A lot of people aren't comfortable with being shot with the wide angle lens because of the distortion. But once they see some shots, many come to love it. Personally, the Canon wide-angle 10-22mm is one of my favorite lenses. It was made for dogs, and people.

It's also great for architectural shots. :)

the most wonderful time of the year?

2007-10-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

This time of year seems to come sooner and sooner every year. I'm speaking, of course, about the holidays. I first spotted Halloween decorations in a store about 3 weeks ago (maybe more). I freaked out! It's still the first week of October, but there are houses in my neighborhood already decorated and decked out for Halloween.

Holiday cards, portraits, gifts ... that's what people will be thinking about soon. Yay.

It's getting colder outside too; time to move much of the shooting indoors. This is a test shot of me and my husband in the studio. It's very "fall" looking. :) But today, it was about 80 degrees.

Thanks goodness for Los Angeles and its bland, warm weather.

my most famous milo

2007-10-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

If you live in Long Beach and frequent local coffee shops, you've probably seen Milo. He's on my postcard; he's on some artwork adapted from this photo over at Chroma Glass, and he seems to be known by just about everyone I meet. My most famous model, Milo, still poses for free.

There will come a day when he won't even get out of bed for less than an XL Kong.

What makes a dog-friendly city?

2007-10-03T09:11:00.001-07:00

I heard recently that Long Beach was voted one of the most (if not THE most) dog-friendly cities in the country. I imagine that that status is based on things like apartment availability to dog owners; dog park access; etc. But honestly, I live in Long Beach and I think we should get demerits for dressing up our dogs. :) There are some mad crazy dog people here in LB, and we have parades like, all the time, where we dress up our dogs and parade them down the street.

Now, dressing up dogs in people clothes is such a huge peeve of mine, but I can't help but think that this French Bulldog looks tres jolie in her little sundress, leaving me to rethink that whole dog wardrobe thing).

a Frenchman in Los Angeles

2007-09-21T08:41:00.001-07:00

He flirted shamelessly with me and he kissed my hand and I loved it.

j's bringing glam back

2007-09-19T09:32:00.001-07:00

I had the best impromptu session last night with my favorite model, J. I had only one lens with me and one speedlite, but I had been wanting to shoot a scenario like this with her for so long, I just sat her down and we did it all in about five minutes.

downtown los angeles

2007-09-18T13:02:00.001-07:00

This was a very difficult shot for me to get. I was using my 35mm prime lens, with a shallow depth of field, so I had to stay pretty close behind him to get what I wanted. There was a lot going on in the street, but it felt like the sound of my shutter was the loudest thing on the street. I really didn't want him to hear me, because I loved the casual way he was carrying with his son and talking to him, and I wanted to capture that.

I followed for a half a block, trying very hard to get him without anyone in the background, but it was just too crowded.

2007-09-17T09:41:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, J's best friend and her fiance came down for a visit and wanted me to take some engagement shots for them. They're getting married in less than a week, so I thought it would be a good time to unveil the lucky couple. They were adorable and so much fun to shoot! They were both completely into being themselves and hamming it up for me!

These are definitely not your traditional engagement shots, but I like them even more because they convey their personalities and love the feel for each other.

the worm

2007-09-16T16:45:00.001-07:00

I had the chance today to photograph a rad little dog lovingly nicknamed "the worm." The worm isn't feeling very well right now and is going through a tough time, but she was feeling alert enough to bark at me (a lot) while I tried to get a good shot of her. She was pretty talkative, and I'm sure was either telling me "hey! I like you!" or "Hey! Get out of my house!" (I prefer the former.)

stork business

2007-09-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

These images are from the first maternity shoot for someone very very close to me. I'm used to shooting dogs, or "regular people" (read: not pregnant) and being around pregnant bellies makes me a bit nervous. They always seem to delicate. I remember being terribly miserable when I was pregnant, so I tried to be careful about making her move around too much.

What I think really makes both of these shots special are her husband's body language. The tenderness in his hands, in the color version, is so sweet. And the way he's cradling his own belly, I think unconciously, in the b/w is adorable.

real people

2007-09-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

In working on a possible new column for The District Weekly, I'm on the hunt around Long Beach for "regular people." This is the best assignment! First thing this morning, I took off looking for the shoeshine guy I just caught a glimpse of a few weeks ago; this morning I found him: Jack the Shoeshine guy.

I highly recommend that anyone in the area check him out (1999 Willow St., Signal Hill, CA). Maybe he can tell you why your $600 Gucci's are falling apart (the trick to buying good shoes isn't in the price) or how you can get a better shine out of your Docs.