Kris & Rulan-Living The Good Life

Two of my closest friends came to visit last weekend. Kris is one of my most prized photography friends (check out her work here or here) and her husband Rulon always make sure there are never any dull moments. Grant and I had a great time showing them around LA. Here is the list of things we did between 3pm and midnight:

-ate at In and Out. (Grilled onions all the way!)
-went to a photography exhibit at the Fowler museum on UCLA's campus entitled, "Woman, Water and Wells". Very inspiring.
-walked down the main promenade in santa monica down to the boardwalk and eventually down to the sand, where I took some 10yr anniversary photos for them.
-walked down the pier (sorry about the fish guts kris....oh and my skirt blowing up).
-quick stop at grants place
-dinner at Bossa Nova, our favorite Brazilian restaurant....chicken brochette...
-on to downtown Hollywood to look at the stars and feet and hand prints outside of the chinese theater....fake snow all over the ground. what?
-then our final stop at pinkberry were I tried cocoa pebbles on my frozen yogurt. A perfect ending to a perfect day.

I loved having you guys here! I can't wait to hear all about your cruise!

Torture

What it must be like for a child to have to be confined to a single seat in a stuffy airplane for hours is beyond me.

I know there are those people who cringe when a child is screaming a few rows behind them on a plane...and I'm not trying to be a saint when I say this, but I usually feel tremendous amounts of sympathy for them...so much so, that I have to restrain myself from wanting to try to calm the child myself. Maybe its the budding mother in me or maybe it's the bad parenting techniques I see implemented.

I think this child's airplane ride was different. He was so happy..and I dare say content. He lives most of the time in Utah (I think) with his mother and then comes to stay with his dad in LA once a month. Maybe he has become accustomed to airplanes being that he is constantly on them..or maybe he just likes to chill with his dad.

I liked peaking into these two's relationship for an hour or so. Sometimes I wonder how the little guy is and I hope he is still just as happy.

Boy Crush!!!!

I have a thing for little boys. How much they love their moms, how cute and flirty they can be even when they are only 5. I love the awkward boy stage when they are too old to kiss their parents but too young to sleep without a night light. I love little boys.

These three young heartthrobs I'm sure will cause many a crying girls in their due time. I photographed them on a work trip to Utah last week and loved how different they all were to photograph. One more shy than the others, one a comedian in training and one concerned about doing the right thing..posing the right way, looking the right way..not wanting to make a mistake.

Seriously so cute (but if they heard me calling them cute they would probably be totally embarrassed), so in case they can hear me, "You guys rule!".

Shock & Awe

I entered a print competition in Utah this last weekend and did pretty alright. I entered the same competition last year with an organization I have been a part of called IPPA-Intermoutain Professional Photography Association. This group is part of PPA-Professional Photography Association that is nation wide and includes Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and Utah.

Last year I won an award called "Rookie of the Year" that is awarded to the photographer with the highest accumulative score entering for the first time. Last Year I also won a 2nd place in the photojournalism division. I was honored and thought I would give the competition a second whirl this year....and I won 1st place in the photojournalism division and 3rd place in portrait of a bride division! I was excited about both but especially my 1st place, as I have a special place in my heart for all things documented.

As much as I've leaned from entering these past couple of years, I'm not sure if I will enter again. I really want to find a group I relate a little bit more with. Maybe a group focused more on documentary or photojournalism work....maybe work on a gallery show...any suggestions?

Here are the images I entered:

Engrossed- 1st Place

The Huntress- 3rd Place

Dan

Brooklyn Bound

Huntington Pier with Kineto

My good friend Damian is one of the owners of Kineto Pictures based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. They produce, write, and shoot a variety of great stuff. While they were out here filming some stuff for a television station I tagged along to shoot some stills and was dragged kicking and screaming into one of the bits they were filming. Kineto Pictures is going to make me a star!!