Nicole Chubb Photography

Spread Holiday Cheer!

2011-09-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

The Fine Print:

Down payment - $100 donation to the Walk for Alzheimer's (will send you a link to do so); balance due the day of shoot (Checks made to Nicole Chubb Photography)
Online gallery will be provided for viewing proofs (25/session) and downloading digital negatives
Expect 1 week after proof selection to receive digital negatives and e-card; 2 weeks to receive holiday cards (shipping and sales tax included in price).

Dates Available: 10/16 at Central Park in Santa Clara, and 10/23 at the Arena Green (across from the HP Pavilion). Sessions available at 10am, 10:45am, 11:30am, 2pm, and 2:45pm. Email me to make your appointment!

Figure out use for random space in backyard? Check!

2011-07-20T16:27:00.000-07:00

As all homeowners, Jesse and I have a giant list of things we'd like to do to the house. I'm glad to say we checked off one of those! In front of our beloved backyard bathtub, we had a small space filled with just mulch. Needless to say, it was kinda useless and just took up space. We were thinking of turning it into a small vegetable garden, but then thought the space would be better utilized as a patio area. I'm so happy we made that choice! Our backyard looks completely different now, and, somehow, it also looks bigger. Either way, I'm just happy to check off something on our "to do" list! Can't wait to have friends over :)

Step 1: Dig

Step 2: Admire the now giant hole in the ground.

Step 3: Get some pavers.

Step 4: Find a dog who can oversee your work from his jungle office.

Step 5: Lay pavers, purchase patio furniture and umbrella (a must to tie together all your backyard fixtures, according to Martha), and voila!

Oh ya - who laid all those pavers you ask? This girl!

Fluffy attack dog not included.

Final touch: New loveseat from which we can admire attack dog and, of course, pillows that match the glorious umbrella.

The end.

So remember when we first met?

2011-07-18T09:19:00.000-07:00

Ariesta introduced us at the beginning of summer at a salsa dancing class. She was pushing us both to get together. Clearly, we were more interested in other things.

I was obviously too weird for you, and you were too "goody-goody" and "politically conservative" for me. (Yes, please laugh - I don't know where I got that from.) Still, you kept clubbing with us girls (which is crazy now that I know how much you HATE clubs... and salsa dancing), and six months later, all I needed was for you to shave your head for me to go, "Hmm... he kinda looks like a bad boy. I guess he is kinda cute." I seriously had issues choosing men at that time.

We finally started chatting on AIM. A lot. Then we hung out over the holidays since everyone else left town. We grabbed drinks with Megan once, and she asked if she was third-wheeling it, and I said - No, no. There's definitely nothing there. In fact, on the first birthday I celebrated with you, we were both flirting with other people cause you thought I wasn't interested in you, and I thought you weren't interested in me.

Then, two weeks later, something clicked. Two weeks after that, we realized we were in love. And two years after that, we realized that we two crazy people could never be apart.

I am happy that I crawled out of the hole that was my naivete and ended up with a good guy. In fact, I ended up with the best guy. One year after making our vows, I realize that love is a choice. And I'm so happy that you still choose me, and I promise everyday to choose you.

I read a Julie Andrews quote recently that said, "It would be so fulfilling to create something lovely," and I took it as inspiration for my photography business. But now that I see we've been and still are creating something lovely together. And it truly is fulfilling :)

Rakhi's Raas for a Cause Shoot

2011-07-13T07:57:00.000-07:00

It's always nice to have friends who constantly inspire you. Who push you to do your best, be your best. Rakhi is one such person. She founded the charity event Raas for a Cause, and I look forward to it every year! I love dressing up in my Indian outfit (in fact, maybe I'll get a new one for this year...), and it's amazing to watch Rakhi in action. I used to participate in a lot of charity work and fundraisers while in school, but as an adult, I hardly do anything outside of my work, and Rakhi has really inspired me to make volunteering a part of my everyday groove, and monetary donations a part of my budget. I know I gripe about money and the things I want, but there are so many out there who are less fortunate than I am, especially in this economic climate, and giving back helps not only those in need but it helps our society grow as a whole.

I volunteered to shoot Raas last year, and this year, I offered to take some promotional pictures for Rakhi. She came back with an enthusiastic yes, and ideas for a modern, artistic and sexy shoot. I suggested we go back to the San Jose Museum of Art, and I could not be more excited with how these pictures turned out! The columns and overhangs provided exactly the kind of light I was looking for, and Rakhi brought it with the fierceness. The thing I love most about this shoot is how amazingly sexy Rakhi looks with clothes ON. It just goes to show you that sexiness isn't about how much skin is on display but about how confident you feel. And with a face and body like that, how can you feel anything but confident?

See more on my Facebook page :)

I love my dog

2011-07-07T08:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, I guess that's not really a secret. But it still amazes me how much Barney has changed my life and how happy he makes me. Jesse and I always say we would definitely sleep in longer, but we wouldn't laugh as much.

I was never an animal person before I had Barney. I had a pet bird when I was a kid, but I was a different person then. And after this experience, I would encourage every adult to have a pet! Barney has taught me to be patient. He's reminded me how to be silly and playful. He's also taught me to be even more compassionate, especially to those without a voice. On that note, I was really never a baby person before I met Barney either - clearly, I like to talk, so if I couldn't talk to you, I didn't know how to interact with you! - and now, they're starting to grow on me (more like, I'm starting to grow on them). I don't think Jesse and I are heading that direction any time soon, but at least I know I'll be a little better at handling one when the time comes. (Also, I don't use any more chemical cleaners/weed killers/pesticides in or outside my house, so everyone can breathe/lick the floor safely!)

So this is my love letter to my dog. I hope you hug your baby dog/cat/bird/iguana today!

Pyucin and Dylan - Details, Details :)

2011-06-29T21:18:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of shooting Pyucin and Dylan's wedding with the awesome and gracious assistance of Punam Patel. I've gotten so many comments on how gorgeous the venue and details were, so I thought I'd share a little of the behind the scenes!

Pyucin and Dylan remind me of me and Jesse - Pyucin is super outgoing and loves meeting new people, while Dylan is sweet but quiet. Some may see it as an odd match, but one thing's for sure - his passion for her is so strong, it radiates with every gaze and every embrace, and she can't help but fall into him. My goal was not only to document their wedding details but the fierce passion that they both share for their friends, their family and each other.

To start the wedding off, they decided to do a first look. In Burmese tradition, the bride and groom walk down the aisle together, so it wasn't a big deal to see each other before the ceremony. I was glad because I encourage EVERYONE to do so. Not only does it make the day go more smoothly, but seeing your bride/groom for the first time is so emotional, it's nice to share these first beautiful moments together alone (ok, not totally alone, but they didn't notice me :P):

The wedding took place at the Shelldance Orchid Gardens in Pacifica, CA. This is an incredible venue for two reasons: one, the only flowers Pyucin needed were bouquets and boutonnieres -- the greenhouse provided the most beautiful, natural, and sustainable backdrop for the celebration. Two, the light was INSANE. I don't know if she realized this when booking the venue, but it's a photographer's dream to shoot in a building where every wall and ceiling is a window, and as a client, you can expect some of the most beautiful images of yourself you have ever seen. Above is the orchid room where we staged the first look.

The hall where they held the ceremony and dancing, DJ-ed by the awesome music master Mike Annuzzi:

The staging area, where the bridal party hung out:

The dessert table and "cocktail lounge" (with yummy cupcakes by Dick's Bakery, who did my wedding cupcakes :):

And, lastly, the buffet room:

The event was catered by Skyler St. John, and I couldn't be more impressed with their gorgeous presentation and delicious dishes. Pyucin and Dylan are vegetarians, so they wanted to stick to their diet while catering to their guests' wishes. While they offered salmon and shrimp on the side, I think everyone (myself included) is still dreaming of their amazing eggplant wraps (I know, right??) and mac and cheese:

Lastly, I LOVED how laid back Dylan and Pyucin were on their wedding day. They were simply happy to have everyone they loved in one place and ecstatic to be married. They did have a distinct vision for the event though, so I pulled them into an open field overlooking the PCH for some sunset portraits. Without any prompting, Pyucin said, "I don't mind sitting in the grass! In fact, I was hoping to get some pictures like that!!" When you're carefree and happy on your wedding day, it makes for some beautiful portraits! (And yes, her dress was fine :) Shout out to my girl Teresa (who did my hair for my 8th grade dance, prom and wedding!) for a fabulous job, per usual ;)

Pyucin and Dylan, I wish you many happy years together!!!

Experimenting with Actions

2011-06-22T21:49:00.000-07:00

The last week and a half has been nuts, but I'm back on the blog! (This is for you, Tobi - I'm alive :P)

I've been doing a lot to improve my shooting lately, and now I'm starting to work on improving my post-processing. When I first got photo processing software, I went crazy applying all kinds of presets, color modifications, glowy effects, etc. etc. Then, I started to really like my images straight out of the camera (because they were actually getting better!). More and more I've been pulling back from processing, other than basic exposure adjustments and that kind of thing. Now that I'm starting to get really comfortable with the way I shoot, I decided I really do need to do a little more artistic editing to really define my style. I acquired some new actions this week, and am having fun experimenting and revamping old photos. Here are some results:

Before

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

It's still a work in progress, but I'm excited to start showing off new shoots with these bad boys soon!

Amber's Big Day

2011-06-09T17:12:00.000-07:00

We all know I love to throw a party, but I do believe I've been shown up by little Miss Amber. Last Saturday was her first birthday and baptism, and she brought the cuteness and fun: two adorable outfits, a bounce house, lots of cake, and a tiara. On top of that, she had a clown AND Minnie Mouse make guest appearances. She is obviously wayy cooler than I am... I can't get either of them to show up at my parties!

Veronica and Daniel, thanks so much for letting me be a part of Amber's special day! It was an honor to document her baptism (she was so adorable - she practically jumped in the water), and Jesse and I had so much fun celebrating at your home. I should get you to do my birthday party ;)

Many blessings to Princess Amber!

Contest Winner and a Sneak Peek

2011-06-06T21:59:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who entered the Fandango contest! And according to the random number generator, the winner is... (drumroll) Miss Chandani Patel :D I appreciate everyone who helped spread the word, and promise to host more in the future for you, so keep an eye out!

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of shooting Princess Amber's baptism 1st birthday party, and the girl definitely knew it was her day. Keep an eye out for more pictures of this cutie to come!

Wedding Logistics and Prioritizing... and a Contest!

2011-06-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

After you decide on your style as a couple, the next step is to prioritize the different parts of your wedding - venue, entertainment, attire, etc. This will help you decide where to spend the bulk of your attention and how to best divide up your budget.

One thing that really helped me is I would write a list of what I remembered after each wedding I attended while I was in planning mode. It helped me realized what was important to me at a wedding. For example, I always remembered the food, cake, ceremony and entertainment (food being amount of food - I like to eat when I'm drinking!). Although I appreciated decorations, flowers, and bridesmaids dresses, they were never something that stuck in my brain.

An important thing to remember is that there are some behind-the-scenes factors that you might not notice as a guest, and the thing that kinda sucks (I know, I have such classy language for a wedding blog post) is some brides realize what they should have spent more money or time on AFTER the wedding. Please don't be one of those brides - I'd hate to hear anyone say something sad about their wedding day! As someone who has had a wedding and who also has heard some of these regrets, here are two lists - things that NEED your attention and the rest.

Must Haves

You MUST HAVE a wedding coordinator. Most people think about wedding coordinators as a "Nice to Have," but you don't necessarily need to hire one for the entire wedding planning process. In fact, I just used mine during the rehearsal and day-of, and I am SO glad I did - there were a lot of things to do the day of and I couldn't be at the venue while getting my hair done, dressing, having portraits taken, etc. For more information, read my friend Christine Marie's latest blog post on the subject.
You MUST HAVE a reliable photographer who's style you love. And I'm not just saying this because I'm a photographer - I have talked to far too many brides who HATE their wedding photos. And really, that's all you have left at the end of the day. This isn't something you have to spend a TON of money on either - in fact, spending a lot of money isn't the only thing that guarantees you good photos. Do your research. Check out all the photographers in your area at your price point. See who responds to your request quickly. Meet them. You will be spending 8+ hours with this person, so it's even more important that you like them and are comfortable around them. On top of that, all you need is someone who is organized and responsible with an aesthetic you respond to. It is a big ticket item but remember - a good photographer will make a "budget" wedding look expensive. I mean, everyone thought my wedding looked awesome in pictures :) (Thanks Pat!)
You MUST HAVE an officiant that you trust to marry you and your husband. This seems like a no-brainer, but a lot of brides get overwhelmed by the rest of the planning that they can put off planning the most important part - the ceremony. This was really important to me because Jesse is not Catholic but we had a Catholic prayer service. I picked a priest who would make us feel comfortable, and I talked about all the readings with Jesse and explained their meanings so he could be a part in planning the ceremony as well. This is something you and your fiance should talk about in depth, whether you're having a religious service or not. Find people and readings that are really special to you to make the beginning of your marriage even more special. (Oh, and don't forget that you MUST also HAVE a marriage license to get married :P)
You MUST HAVE awesome food, and, if you drink, an open (not full) bar. The most important people in your lives have come to celebrate your union, have lavished you with gifts, and you really really want them to feel spoiled. Again, this is another area in which you can do some research to find caterers that are in your budget yet feature some truly delicious options. We ended up going with this local BBQ joint that did a few weddings a year but truly loved doing them. The guests could not have been happier with the Blue Rock menu, and I couldn't not have been more grateful for the effort they put in to making sure that everything was setup on time and that everyone was fed. They even went above and beyond to make sure that everyone had a cupcake in their hand during our "cupcake toast" and had drinks ready as soon as guests arrived (we didn't ask them to do EITHER of those things - thank you so much, Marie!).

I don't want to spend too much time on the rest of the wedding factors. We'll talk about them in more detail in a later post, but what all you have left is flowers, decorations, the groom's attire, the bridal gown, the groomsmen and bridesmaids outfits, entertainment, rings, invitations/stationery, videographer, cake, wedding website, venue, hair/makeup, transportation, honeymoon, registry, favors, and rehearsal dinner. Phew! Ok, I know that's a lot, but like I said - not all of those are necessarily important to you. Again, this is why it's important you come up with your style as a couple - you can pick and choose what you think you need to focus your money and energy on depending on what's important to you. But like I said, we'll talk more about this later...

...so we can get to the contest now! Thanks so much for reading all my ramblings these past few weeks. I've really enjoyed writing them and using this bank of knowledge I've gained from planning my own wedding :) With that said, I'd love to reward my readers with a movie night this weekend! Leave a comment with your email AND also comment on Christine's blog and I'll select one winner at random for a $25 Fandango Certificate! Winners will be selected at noon tomorrow - Like me on Facebook to stay posted and be kept in the loop about future contests :)

(Fine print: Contest is open to US participants only. Promotions are in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated w/ Fandango or Facebook).

And just because I can't get enough of Michelle's shimmies...

I crack myself up

2011-06-01T21:18:00.000-07:00

So my wonderful wonderful friends Haley and Matt got married last weekend, and I couldn't be happier! Jesse and I were both honored to be in the wedding party, so we got to spend a good chunk of their wedding weekend with them. I was so excited at the rehearsal, I started singing "Friday," a song both Haley and I aren't afraid to admit that we're obsessed with. And then followed an awesome party.

After looking back at the pictures from the wedding (and thank you to Doug for grabbing my camera when I was shaking it on the dance floor), I was giggling at all the pictures of Michelle being adorable and shimmying her heart out, so I decided I had to make a little gif clip with the images. Given that it was technically Matt and Haley's day, I then figured I should make them a multi-media clip first. So Mr. and Mrs. Gribben... this is for you :D

Anne and Colin

2011-05-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

If you're Filipino, it's probably safe to say you have a BIG family with aunties and uncles constantly popping up around every corner. I was raised to treat every family member like they're you're bff, which is weird considering some of these people you only see once every other year, if that, but the thing I love about Filipinos is they spread the love to EVERYONE with giant hugs and cheek kisses and, if even it's a family member you've only met once, they treat you like a long lost sibling.

So being Filipino, I try to keep this mentality, and when my cousin Colin moved to the Bay Area from the East Coast, we met up for lunch after some coaxing from our parents and aunties. After that, I invited him and his wife over to our house to meet Jesse and have dinner. And I'm so glad our families force us to make these connections :) I only saw Colin a few times growing up, so I was nervous at our first lunch that'd we have nothing to talk about, but Colin and Anne are so sweet and so much fun. They love board games, and we've had awesome game nights together (in which I learned I actually can play and even win at poker although I previously convinced myself I suck at it. Ha!). We also get to dog sit the adorable Ollie when they're out of town, which has been hilarious since Barney always goes crazy when he's there. Anne and I also share a TON of the same viewpoints and are giant school-nerds, so it's nice to geek out together. I'm so sad that they're moving back to Indiana for grad school, but I know they'll do great things over there. And hopefully, they'll be back for a visit soon :D

Btw, if you're looking for a new and awesome game to play, try The Big Taboo. I promise hilarity will ensue.

More advice from me - hooray!

2011-05-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'm definitely not an expert in anything I talk about, but as a teacher, I do love sharing my experiences and helping people solve problems they come across, especially if it makes those experiences more enjoyable. The great thing about photography is that it's an art that everyone can participate in easily, and most people want to know how to get the best use out of their camera. I did a presentation at my alma mater, Presentation (ha), a few months ago on how to get good pictures with any camera. It was a lot of fun and the kids really enjoyed the talk (at least, that's what they told me :P), so I figure I might as well share it on the web.

Chase Jarvis says, "The best camera is the one that's with you." I've definitely learned that lesson with Barney - he does something cute and I have about a one-minute window to shoot it (plus if I run to grab a camera, he just stops what he's doing and follows me), so I grab whatever's closest and snap something. And many of the pictures of him that I love the most have come from a phone or point-and-shoot. I'm hoping these tips get you a lot more pictures that you love with whatever you have in your photography arsenal.

So here's tip #1 -Zoom in. I mean, really REALLY zoom in. And then keep zooming in. A lot of you are probably already savvy to this little piece of advice, but if you're not, it's the easiest way to make your pictures look better immediately. Most people will just place their subject in the middle of their frame. You don't want to be most people. For example:

Can you say bleh? This is obviously be supposed to be a picture of my sister, but there's sooo much space around her that adds nothing to her as a subject. Plus, my mom's arm is in the picture, so it's sloppy on top of being boring. And she's much too sparkly (yes, sparkly) to have such a boring picture taken. (Shot with a Canon Powershot)

Ok, we're getting better. I simply cropped the last photo so you can see what it would look like when eliminating some of the unnecessary background. Still, there's entirely too much space around her, none of which is interesting. Also, unless you're in fb, you're not going to crop photos. Who's lazy? I am. Just saying. Moral of the story: it's easier to get it right when you shoot it. (Shot with a Canon Powershot)

Now we're talking. You can clearly see her pretty face! Enough to make it that much better. (Shot with a Canon Powershot)

So I know what you ladies are thinking... what if I want to show off my whole outfit? Yup, I'm psychic. Well, if it permits, I usually people to squish themselves into a tighter frame. Sitting is an easy way to do it, but work with your settings and see what you can do. It's ok to have her stand too, but just make sure her feet are all the way at the bottom of the frame and her head is all the way at the top (shot with a Canon Powershot).


Speaking of heads being close to the top of the frame, the head doesn't even have to be completely in it. Here, you can see Charisse with her kitty, and it doesn't feel weird to have the top of her head cut off. In fact, it feels like a more personal photo (not to mention the fact that it looks awesome because they're both super cute!). (Shot with a Canon Rebel)

Speaking of up close and personal (and cute), how adorable is Chewy??? When I spotted him laying in the yard, I just went "awww" at his sweet little face dreaming away. Since his face is what caught my attention, that's what I photographed. This picture wouldn't have been as intimate if I shot his entire body. Plus, he was laying in front of our BBQ pit which isn't very picture-esque with the cover on. (Shot with a Canon 5DII).

Lastly, this works with inanimate objects too. These flowers in that gorgeous shade of purple really attracted my attention. Charisse had them arranged in this very cute little shelving space, so I included one shelf above and one below to frame the subject. If I included anymore, the whole thing would've have gotten way too busy and you wouldn't be able to focus on just the flowers, which is what caught my eye in the first place (shot with a Canon Rebel).

So there you go. I hope this little piece of advice helps you to enjoy your own photography a little more. If not, maybe I'll come up with something better next week! And I'll try to included examples with only point-and-shoot cameras next week - this whole idea just came to me tonight, and I had to use what was immediately at my disposal because it's 10pm and I don't want to get out of bed to go to my desktop :P

Lastly, I'd love to leave you with a teaser for tomorrow's post - a zoomed-in photo of my cousin and his wife. Super adorable :)

I would describe my relationship as...

2011-05-24T08:30:00.000-07:00

As soon as we came back from Cancun, my parents greeted us with wedding planning books. I dived into them immediately, and the first thing The Knot Book of Wedding Lists said was to remember that this is an event that needs to make a statement about your style as a couple. I immediately scoffed at such a notion and wrote it off as elitist to need to make a statement at a wedding, making sarcastic comments like, "Jesse, dahhhling, how would you define our style?" in my most awesome British accent (which TOTALLY sounds British... totally). So I initially laughed it off and went about planning our wedding in the way I would normally plan a party - figuring out where it would be, what we would be eating, how we'd entertain our guests, etc. Once I started answering these questions for ourselves, I realized, "Oh... we do have a style." I mean, isn't a party that reflects you the same as a party that reflects your style? (Which is just a less fancy way of saying what the Knot was pointing out). It made it a lot easier to make decisions about the wedding when I only chose things that fit our personalities, and it helped me feel secure about those choices.

So if you're having a hard time figuring out your "style" as a couple, start making a list of things you like individually and things you enjoy as as couple. You'll start to see a theme or feeling emerge from the list, and then you can start picking things in that point of view. Here's some questions to help you start:

Name activities that you enjoy doing on a regular basis.
What past event or memory is special to you as a couple?
What are some things you do for each other to show your appreciation?
Is there a place that is special to the two of you?
What are interests that you share?
Do you each have your own special hobby?
When people think of you as a couple, what do you think they'd say? What would people say about each of you individually?

Jesse loves poker, video games, fish crackers, reading, beer, and casual hangs with friends. I enjoy photography, dancing, live entertainment, hosting parties, and bright colors. Together, we love BBQ, Wii games, Halloween, SLO, hanging with family, and outings with friends. I immediately decided that we needed to have BBQ, beer, a fun color palette, and good entertainment on top of dancing. We basically wanted a party where everyone, including friends who knew no one there but us, to be able to feel comfortable enough to socialize and be an active part of the party in some way.

Another easy thing to do to help you figure out what you're like as a couple is to go through pictures of you together and see which ones really sum the two of you up.

My sister always laughs at Jesse and my clothing styles when we pose together. Jesse keeps it casual if at all possible and I find any excuse to dress up. He made it clear he was wearing a suit and not a tux at the wedding. I wanted a unique dress and fabulous shoes. Since those were so important to us individually, we just let each other have free reign over our own wedding attire. We also decided that we didn't want our bridesmaids or groomsmen to match to keep with the whole unique/casual clothing theme.

We LOVE theme parties. (Notice how NO ONE in the background is in costume).

That led us to decide on a casino-themed reception... with an actual casino :) The casino provided an alternative activity to dancing and served as an ice breaker, giving everyone a chance to meet new people, something I really enjoy making happen at parties I host. It also played into our overall casual/comfortable point-of-view (which we reinforced Goldfish crackers on our registry as well as Mariokart cupcake toppers). On top of that, my dad's big band fit in perfectly with the casino theme, and, aside from my wedding dress, that's been my only dream for my wedding since I was a little girl. More importantly, the whole thing screamed Jesse and Nicole.

So before you start planning, really talk about what makes you unique as a couple (remember, the groom should have input too! :P). Write it all down. Then, you can start planning a wedding that really feels like you - finding vendors who compliment you, shopping for attire that feels like you, picking readings that reflect you, and deciding on decorations that look like you. You can also start prioritizing all the wedding logistics. Maybe you want the party to reflect where you got engaged or where you had your first date; maybe you're foodies and want to plan a really unique menu; maybe you both really love the outdoors so the woods provides the perfect backdrop to your celebration. When you have to start making in/out decisions about all the things that can potentially drive you nuts, you can easily refer to your list (and not to anyone else's wedding plans) to see if it fits in with what you're going for. I promise it will help restore your sanity.

And since good things come in threes, here's one of my favorite pics of me and Jesse. (And let me tell you, he's a keeper - who adores someone that much when she wears a leopard coat to a Giants game? I mean, really)

Celebrity Makeover Shoot

2011-05-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

As I know you've noticed (at least Tobi has) I've lacked in the posting for a while, and I REALLY want to make sure this lovely shoot gets out there for all of you to see. I posted pics on my fb a few weeks ago, but I'm so excited that Lisa has put together some images to show exactly what we translated. As I hope you know by now, Lisa is the FABULOUS makeup artist I've been working with for a while now (she's the one responsible for making me look like an Andrews Sister in my latest profile pic :). Anyway, she got this great idea to makeover some of her friends into celebrities they resembled. I said I was up for the challenge, rented some off-camera lighting, and figured out how to use it :P My other good friend James allowed us to shoot in his fabulous house, and I'm so proud of are our results! Lisa, I will love love LOVE you and swear by your talent forever.

Thanks so much to the lovely Jaime Greene and Ziada Tewelde for assisting! Check out their fbs for some more fabulous pics ;)

Your wedding is your day

2011-05-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

When I first got engaged, I was obviously ecstatic. Jesse and I came home from Cancun and immediately started discussing how we envisioned our wedding. Initially, we saw ourselves getting married in SLO and having it catered by Firestone (because if you know us, food is really our #1 priority at a party). After talking it out, we decided it was too far and difficult for people to travel to (since all our family is from out of town), and decided that our actual #1 priority was to have ALL of our close friends and family there (or at least as many as we could accommodate - if you've made a guest list for your wedding, you know how that quickly spirals out of control). In addition we still wanted to serve BBQ, we wanted to have some kind of kick-ass entertainment, and we also wanted to make sure it was documented beautifully (ok, that was really MY priority ;). Bonus if we could get Barney in the pictures.

I happened to be engaged at the same time as many of my old classmates. And then I started comparing my plans to theirs. BIG MISTAKE. I immediately began to stress out that our venue wasn't fancy enough, my dress didn't live up to other brides', I couldn't afford nice centerpieces, we didn't have enough details... geez, I remember there being a million things I cried over not being able to have but they were obviously so unimportant I can't remember them now. And yes - I cried. Actually, I didn't cry... I was sobbing HYSTERICALLY. Jesse literally stared at me wide-eyed and said, "Um, sweetie... I don't know what you want me to do. Tell me what you want me to do." I have never freaked out like that EVER - Jesse and I both take pride in the fact that we are secure in our individuality, so it was weird even to me that I was breaking down like this. I just said I didn't know what to do and kept crying.

Jesse let me get it out and then quietly reminded me to remember what WE wanted. Why we listed our priorities the way we did. We wanted to pay for our own wedding because our parents had afforded us more things in life than we deserved. We wanted to buy a house and wanted to put money towards a decent down payment, and being the frugal people that we are, we didn't want to stress our budget. And most importantly, we wanted our wedding to feel like US. We have never been the fanciest people in the world, but we always guarantee friends who attend our parties that they will have an awesome time.

And that's exactly what happened. We had the BEST wedding we could possibly have. Certainly not the most extravagant, elegant or detailed, but it was the most fun, intimate, and love-filled day I've ever experienced. And everyone left commenting on how delicious the food and cupcakes were, how much they enjoyed the casino (esp the boys who were thankful that they had something to do at a wedding other than dance :P), and how much it felt like US - the best compliment I think you can receive at a wedding.

So this post is for all the brides that are like me. Who maybe feel inferior because their wedding isn't "good enough." And by the way, no one was actually telling me my wedding was inferior... I was the one creating drama for myself. There is definitely nothing wrong with an upscale wedding (I mean, if I could have afforded a Monique Lhuillier dress, don't think I would have blinked before buying it), but if it's not for you, figure out what is! Just remember - your love and lifetime commitment is what makes the day special. And if you have a kick-ass photographer to capture that love (like I did) your wedding is guaranteed to look like a million bucks no matter what.


www.patrickangphotography.com

I guess the length of this blog post makes up for my lack of lately. But I'm definitely not done yet - I'd like to introduce the first of my new wedding planning posts :) I hope this series helps all the brides out there who want a personalized wedding while sticking to their budget. If you're one of those lovely ladies, look out for more advice to come!

Barney's Birthday!

2011-04-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

I just started a new job and didn't get a chance to post last week, which I guess means I need to post twice this week :P Not too much exciting has been going on... except that Barney's birthday was on Sunday! We've had Barney for a year now, and our lives have definitely changed for the better. In fact, I'm planning on starting a new blog on that :) But for now, enjoy pictures of him enjoying his birthday cupcake.

Notice how good he's being on the left? Almost nervous? He's afraid I'm going to take away his cake if he doesn't hold perfectly still.

The thing that cracks me up the most about Barney is how we've trained him to eat messy snacks outside. He grabbed the cupcake and ran out on the grass without me even saying anything.

I think I can eat this all in one gulp...

No, just kidding.

Saving the best for last - the frosting!

Enjoying his other birthday treat :)

Ok, I know I'm a nerd, but I love my Barn! Non-Barney posts coming soon :)

Tahoe Portrait Photographer - Chandani

2011-03-21T23:59:00.000-07:00

I love to travel and have fallen in love with so many places around the globe. I was lucky enough to spend 4 beautiful winters with my amazing cousins in St. Anton, Austria (where I learned how to snowboard and got to enjoy views of snowy villages on a daily train ride to the mountain - seriously out of a snow globe!), and I definitely left my heart in Venice the last time I was there (and have told Jesse every other day that we need to go back and get it). I have to say though, I feel lucky to live in one of the most gorgeous places in the world - California! Spending four years in SLO was such a blessing - being near gorgeous beaches, hiking, plush fields, forests, waterfalls, you name it - and every winter, I'm lucky enough to live near another winter wonderland... Tahoe :D

Once I learned to snowboard, I came back home and headed to the slopes every winter with my girl, Chandani. It's odd if we don't take at least one trip together every winter (one year, I believe we did at least 5!). As amazing as St. Anton is (seriously - if you love the snow, you need to go at least once in your life), it still doesn't have this gorgeous lake. There's something magical about it that doesn't get old - the view blows me away every time I see it. Chandani and I took our traditional birthday excursion last week, and I brought along the camera to finally capture some photos of our favorite getaway without ski gear on. It has definitely been the coldest winter in a while, but Chandani rocked it as usual ;) Hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

Check out my Facebook page for more pictures!

Keeping busy!

2011-03-16T08:28:00.000-07:00

Last week streaked past like a blur... and it was so much fun! I finally got my bathroom painted, volunteered at InnVision with some awesome Pres alum (and our boys ;), treated my mom to a makeover as an early Mother's Day present (she's going to be homecoming queen at her upcoming high school reunion!), and happily watched the tulips grow in our front yard :) (Thank you to Jesse for planting bulbs when I was sick). There are also some Barney photos in the mix, per usual. Hope you're all having a busy and exciting week as well!

And an shout out to my girl, Chandani - Happy early Birthday! Looking forward to some time in the snow with you :D

Stages of tulip-dom:

Minty bathroom paint

Thanks to mint chocolate chip ice cream for some delicious inspiration

Pres girls always have great community spirit and rockin dance moves ;)

Lisa's magic toolset

Barney wondering what's going on at Grandma's

Yes, this is my 56 year old mother without ANY makeup. Let's all take a minute to pray that my sister and I inherit these genes.

Lisa working her magic.

Girly stuff. Boring.

Ready for her crown! (with Barney, of course)

Thanks, Lisa!

San Jose Baby Photographer - Baby D

2011-03-10T08:26:00.000-08:00

I have been photographing a lot of babies lately, and I think they're kinda growing on me! haha. Honestly, kids used to freak me out because I thought I wasn't good with them, but the more I am around them, the more I realize they're just happy to see a friendly face. I've also just been lucky to be surrounded by the cutest, happiest kids on the planet :) Baby D is no exception. He's only 2 months old, and is already trying his hardest to talk. I said "Hello" to him and was shocked to see him mouth it back and at least make the 'H' and 'O' sound. He also really likes to dance, and I was happy to rock him with some of my corniest moves. He is also just in love with his mommy and daddy, as you will see, which is always the sweetest thing to witness.

ps: No, Jesse and I are not going to start having a family any time soon, but it definitely is in the cards for the future :)

Check out more on my Facebook album!

San Jose Baby Photographer - Amber

2011-03-07T23:59:00.000-08:00

As you can see, I loved high school, and I still feel like a kid most of the time. So it blew my mind when I hung out with one of my old friend's last week (she was in the Sadies picture yesterday :)... and I also took pictures of her baby. Eek! Wait, when did we become grown-ups? Well, maybe she's the only one, but she's doing a good job of it. She and her husband (who is also in the Sadies picture! Can you believe it?) produced the most adorable little girl on earth. I think you won't disagree after reading these portraits.

V, you blew me away with how well you juggle both motherhood and work, and I hope I keep my composure when I one day take the plunge! Way to be an amazing mother :)

Check out more on my Facebook album!

Old School

2011-03-07T10:50:00.000-08:00

So today I gave my first educational talk on photography - it was so exciting! My old computer teacher and friend asked me to speak on taking good pictures with any camera. If you remember, I love teaching and I love my alma mater, so it was a pleasure to be there :) It really made me think about how far I've come as a photographer to be able to give ANY advice. It also made me nostalgic for my Pres days, so I thought I'd post some pictures of them :P

First dance with bff from Holy Family, Tobi

Trying on ridiculous outfits at Wet Seal (yes, you heard right) with Michelle. (And yes, that's Michelle!)

School BBQ with other HF bff, Sam

Sadies Senior year (although technically every dance was Sadies for us)

Student Council leadership conference with crazy Pres girls. Gotta love them!

Hall Decorating for Spirit Week

Me and Megz as Gwen Stefani for Halloween

They let me graduate!

Working from home

2011-03-04T08:26:00.000-08:00

I have been going out to lunch A LOT lately. As someone who is pretty thrifty, I try to make as many of my meals as possible, but as a person who is home alone most of the day, I value social interaction much more. If it wasn't for Barney on the days I'm totally by myself though, I would go nuts. He doesn't get that I still have to work though, so I can't play with him all day. Because seriously, what is so important on the shiny rectangle that I stare at all day?? I've tried to relieve Barney's boredom a little by having the neighbor's dog over to play with. Now, I have two dogs that make me feel guilty for being tied to the shiny rectangle.

Happy Friday!

San Jose Senior Photographer - Sara, Christina, Riley and Katia (pt 2)

2011-03-01T23:59:00.000-08:00

If you enjoyed the photographs yesterday, you'll love these. We headed to Natural Bridges from the Boardwalk to capture the sunset. I wanted this pictures to have a more nostalgic feeling. I know the girls are all gunning to go to different schools (except Katia and Riley whose top choice is only the 2nd happiest place on Earth ;), and I wanted something that will remind the girls of how amazing their friendship is wherever they end up in the future.

The girls decided to wear pretty, flowy dresses for this part of the shoot, and let me tell you, it was FREEZING. We literally ran down to the beach from the car (looking gorgeous, but crazy) and at first the girls were hesitant to take off their jackets. Then Christina was like, Why are we here in these cute dresses at sunset then??? and immediately started posing for pictures. Everyone followed suit, and soon enough, they were running across that freezing stream that runs down the beach to get closer to the rocks and water. I asked if they would take a picture sitting in the sand, and at first they protested a little, but then Katia sat and again, the girls followed. The motto of the day was, "We're not going to remember being cold when we see these!" Well, I'm sure they're not going to forget how numb they were when they look at these photos (my hands were frozen in camera-holding position by the time we left), but that just adds to the story we shared. And makes it even more entertaining if not sentimental :)

Hair and makeup by Lisa K. Saminathen. Check out more photos on my Facebook album.

San Jose Senior Photographer - Sara, Christina, Riley and Katia (pt 1)

2011-02-28T23:59:00.000-08:00

I have been so excited to share these with you, it was hard not to put them on the web right away! As I told you yesterday, my shoot with my Senior Reps was AMAZING. These girls are fun and fabulous, which was totally the motivation behind this shoot. The first part of the shoot was supposed to capture a last day of fun in the sun with your girlfriends, celebrating graduation, summer, and one last big hurrah before moving away to college. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk made the perfect backdrop, and it really reminded me of the summers I spent on the beach with my girlfriends in high school.

The girls also coordinated their outfits with gorgeous colors and bright accessories, which fit in perfectly with the mood. Katia pulled out cute accessory after cute accessory from J.Crew, and I almost wanted to steal her bag. You can't tell, but they were all nervous when we got there (save for maybe Christina, who naturally knows how to work it!). When I handed them the Sara her prop for the first set of photographs though, they forgot their shyness and started catcalling and cheering her on (as much as you can cheer on someone with a soda). When I gave Riley the bubbles for her portrait, everyone grabbed their own container and made Riley join them for a group picture. By the time we got to the "Laguna Beach" shot (I'm sure you can tell which one that is), everyone's guard was down, and they brought out the fierce. I have to say, you girls are hot!

Special thanks to Lisa for another job well done on hair and makeup!

Hair and makeup by Lisa K. Saminathen.

For more photos, check out my Facebook album!

Nicole Chubb Photography 2.0

2011-02-27T23:59:00.000-08:00

After much soul-searching and a lot of business planning these past few months, I'm happy to announce I've upgraded my website! I'm soooo happy with the way it turned out - I think it better reflects of me and my style. (I know I say this every time I upgrade, but hey. I'm a work in progress :P). And, as you can see, I've updated my blog as well! To check out the website, just click on the "Main Website" link above :)

I would also proudly like to announce the launch of my new Senior Portrait division. As you know, I love love LOVE shooting girly-girls with their own sense of style, and I think teenagers are so much fun because of all the looks they experiment with, not to mention the excitement they reflect as they look forward to the amazing opportunities ahead of them. I'm so excited to be able to document and share this wonderful milestone with them.

With that said, I would like to introduce my Senior Reps for 2011 - Sara, Christina, Katia and Riley. They were great models to work with, and we had an amazing day in Santa Cruz, which in turn produced beautiful portraits. This was definitely one of my most fun sessions ever, and I encourage all potential Senior clients to consider a booking a portrait session with your best friends! As the girls will tell you, we spent the whole day laughing together, as you can see, which brought so much life into their photographs. And I believe having photos with your friends is as important as having solo pics to commemorate your last year of high school, don't you?

Happy Monday!

San Jose Pet Photographer - Barney

2011-02-25T08:34:00.000-08:00

I needed a model to try out the new camera with, and who better than my constant companion? The capabilities of this camera are amazing! First of all, since it's full-frame, Barney doesn't dodge out of my field of view as easily. Second, because of it's low-light capabilities, I can turn up the shutter speed to capture him running all over the place. Third, at high ISO's, it's not noisy! hehe. If you're a camera nerd, please geek out with me :)

It's easier to follow him around with the camera now and catch him doing cute things like this :)

This was taken at ISO 6400... this looks like my old camera at ISO 800!

And I just like this picture - "Hello, ladies."

San Jose Portrait Photographer - Foodies at Home

2011-02-23T23:59:00.000-08:00

One of the things I LOVE about my friends is they love to cook! I previously took food photos for La Petite Chef (aka: Michelle), and a few weekends ago, I had the pleasure of shooting portraits for the duo Foodies @ Home. Charisse and Eric started their blog about the same time I started mine, and have been taking the kitchen and web by storm. Charisse is the chef and Eric is the photographer, and their work together is spectacular! I've had the pleasure of sampling many of their dishes (but would like to request more ;), and I love that their food has a gourmet yet homey feel. Every time I look at their blog I drool and have duplicated several of their recipes with success. They have many upcoming projects they are collaborating on, and I can't wait to see where their cooking/photography takes them next!

The Greatest Valentine's Day Ever!

2011-02-23T08:50:00.000-08:00

If you know Jesse and me well, you'll know that we're extremely frugal. That is definitely one thing that I love about being with him - we both have the same financial goals, which makes dealing with money easier. Our parents both raised us to invest our money wisely and save save save for a rainy day. It is difficult for us to spend big chunks of money without a good reason. It was definitely hard to part with so much money even for our wedding, but we were happy to through our amazing friends a great party and that our parents didn't have to pay for it.

Which brings me to my passion for photography, which happens to be pretty expensive. I have been wanting new equipment, new PS actions, money for workshops... it keeps adding and adding up. Jesse and I agreed that since this was just a side-job, I would make do with what I had. And I'm grateful for that - I learned so much with the limited resources I have, and I think I'm a better photographer for it. I've known in my heart this whole time though that this is what I want my future to be, and I really needed Jesse's support for that.

So, this Valentine's Day, Jesse gave me the greatest present ever - permission to pursue my dream and an investment in my future. I've told him this over and over again, but it means more than anything to me that he now sees my vision and wants me to succeed. I think he actually believes in me more than I do at this point! And that's enough of a present to last for every Valentine's Day from now on.

Oh, and did I mention he got me a new camera? ;)

Wanted: New wardrobe

2011-02-22T10:32:00.000-08:00

If you've hung out with me recently, you've heard me complain about this a lot - I NEED new clothes! My mom bought me the cutest sweaters for Christmas, but now that it's warm half the time, I have like 2 outfits, only one of which I really love. I don't mind not having every single thing I think is cute anymore, but I do want at least a week's worth of outfits I can mix, match and rotate. I've been having such a hard time finding what I want though! I actually went on two shopping trips recently and bought NOTHING (gasp!). I think I'm just at a point in my life where I'm done doing my wild fashion experiments and now have a really good sense of a) what looks good on me and b) what looks like me. (Thanks to the Pink Ladies and Ariesta for all the shopping trips it took to figure that out ;)

I've always been into clothes with a nautical vibe, and I'm so happy that that's in style right now. I finally realized that there is one store that always projects that feel, and J.Crew is definitely it (how have I never realized that's my spot with that logo?) I hardly ever shop there, but I'm always complimenting girls wearing their clothes! Now, I think it's time to make a trip :)

www.jcrew.com

San Jose Family Photographer - Denise&co

2011-02-21T16:38:00.000-08:00

I don't know how all these pro-photographers do it! I know it looks like I've been slacking, but man - taking care of all the back-end business stuff takes up so much time. I'm starting to get a feel of how to balance everything, and I think it's important to figure out what the most important aspects of my business are and prioritize those. I've decided to make it a daily task to post because I'm realizing how important it is to be out there in the big, internet world... and people actually read this thing and demand it! Also, I need to shoot! (duh)

So here's my latest family post. I think this week will be family week because I have 3 cute families to share with you, and I've been putting it off! The first is Denise's fun and funny clan. Denise and I became fast friends when I shot her website portraits last year. She is a very loyal sister and aunt, and I realized although she took many of the family portraits, she wasn't actually in a lot of them! We got together a few weekends ago to remedy that, and I finally got to meet the cute nieces and nephews she always talks about. What I love most about her family is how close they are even though there are so many members! I think that fact is definitely reflected in their photos :)

San Jose Portrait Photographer - Lisa

2011-02-16T13:35:00.000-08:00

Things have been busy busy busy! But I'm getting so excited for my big launch. And here to help me with that is Lisa. You may remember her from an earlier post - she did the makeup for Sara's Senior portraits. She is back to do that again, and I decided she needed to update her portraits as well. As much as I liked the previous ones we took, they didn't feel quite like Lisa. We needed a more urban setting.

Luckily, Santana Row provided just that and Lisa brought it again. I hope you appreciate Lisa's fierceness as much as I do!

Durrty South (Bay)

2011-02-02T08:35:00.000-08:00

My friend James (aka: Durrty) has been like family since I first met him. We were in the same Wow group at Poly (our freshman orientation) and just clicked. He smart, he's sweet, he's super funny, and just a really thoughtful guy. Satish, Durrty and I totally ruled the EE dept (ok, I was CPE, but the EE group thought I was totally cool). Now, James is on his way to rule the fashion world as well.

We got together last weekend to finally have lunch and got some photos in as well. Durrty is totally GQ, so I wanted his photos to reflect that. We had sooooo much fun it was ridiculous. Thank you for always inspiring me, especially on this shoot :)

Back into the swing :)

2011-01-31T07:54:00.000-08:00

So I finally took advantage of the nice weather and was able to get out and shoot last weekend! And it felt good :) I was so inspired - I think I forgot why I was doing all this for a second. Then, I remembered - I LOVE photography!!

I can't wait to show you the photos, but you'll have to wait until Wed ;) For now, here's a little teaser of me doing my thang. Happy Monday!

Bring it!

2011-01-24T08:17:00.000-08:00

If you haven't had a chance yet, you NEED to see The King's Speech. It was funny; it was dramatic; it was inspiring. If you don't know the story, King George VI (Queen Elizabeth II's father) had a stammer he obviously needed to overcome in order to address his people. And, if you know anything about stammering, being nervous about speaking just makes it worse, so it fuels itself. It made me think about the things that challenge me and hold me back from being great. When I was in high school and college, I felt like I was entitled to be great. Now I've learned greatness comes with hard work and perseverance.

I've decided this year is my year. It starts with that statement, and it's going to be followed by lots and lots of work, but I'm excited to take on any opportunities thrown my way. (And, this is your hint to throw me one :P)

Random, I know, but I always feel I'm on top of the world when I'm, literally, on top of the world!

Barney's in vogue

2011-01-18T22:27:00.000-08:00

So I started my first clothing sewing project and, of course, it was for little Barney :) I bought like 10 yards of the cheapest fabric possible and have been practicing making people clothes and have been learning a lot, but I decided in case my first official outfit didn't come out 100%, Barney wouldn't mind wearing it. I never thought I'd be one to dress up my dog, but he does look pretty frickin cute.

I do have to say a special thank you to Christine for giving me Sew U, where I've been learning all my sewing techniques; my Aunt Reta for giving me One Yard Wonders, where Barney's project came from; and a big shout out to my mom for letting me borrow her machine. I should especially thank Barney and Jesse for putting up with me working until midnight to finish the project. (I just couldn't stop until I finished! ::sigh::). I have to say - I'm really loving this new hobby!

Cutting has easily been the most tedious part, but I get the importance. Thank goodness for rotary cutters!

Let's do this!

Sewed my first buttons!

and my first curved seam. It turned out better than I thought!

The final product!

Barney humoring me after I woke him up from snoozing.

I think he likes it. But he still needs a tie ;)

I'm a bad bear

2011-01-13T19:35:00.000-08:00

I know, I know... I missed a day of posting and am now posting at nighttime, but I made it! Don't worry - I promise to not stop posting completely :) This week has been crazy though! Sat night I went snowboarding with my two favorite snow bunnies and then I threw Jesse a bday party that night. We were supposed to keep it pretty small since I knew I would be tired, but of course, it ended up being the longest party we've thrown in a while even with a small number of guests :P So, I was up for 20 hours straight, and needless to say, I was pretty out of commission this week. Excuses, excuses...

Anyway, I wanted to introduce the newlyweds - Mr. and Mrs. Greene! You probably remember Jaime from my previous posts, but she went from being Jaime Balmer to Mrs. Jaime Greene in November :D Her and Matt are so excited to be married and were so much fun to shoot. Jesse and Matt share the pain of having photographer wives, so they got along really well! hehe. We all had a great night together, which was followed by another party! I guess Chandani's right - we do throw a lot of parties ;)

Here's to many happy years together!!!

1-11-11!

2011-01-11T09:10:00.000-08:00

Today is a special day - not only is it 1-11-11, it is also my hubby's 29th bday! (It would have been cooler if it was his 31st. And if you get that joke, you're as dorky as us :P Hooray!)

I am so happy I get another day to celebrate how awesome you are :) Here's the first one I got to share with you:

So at this point in time, Jesse is constantly surrounded by beautiful women - a wild man on the prowl. jk. But at this birthday, Jesse and I were still just friends and deciding if we liked each other or not, pretty convinced at this party that neither one was into the other. But fate gave us a little push, and two weeks later, we went on our first date ;) I'm so glad to be celebrating our fourth birthday together (and still with these gorgeous ladies!).

Thank you for being so wonderful - to me, to Barney, to our families and friends. I feel so blessed to have someone who makes me laugh everyday and holds me tight every night. And I'm even more happy to know that we will have many many more wonderful days to share together :D

Peggy Hill es bueno

2011-01-10T10:28:00.000-08:00

I started watching King of the Hill from Season 1 and am in tears laughing every day. I forgot how funny that show was, and the best part is it really reminds me to laugh at all the shenanigans Jesse, Barney, all my friends and I get into every day :) Tomorrow, my favorite man is turning 29, and I'm so happy I get to spend another year with him. Thanks to our friends who came to celebrate his bday on Saturday - we had so much fun with all of you! Chandani pointed out to me that we throw a lot of parties lately, and I really didn't realize it. It's nice to know we have friends to celebrate and play Rock Band/MJDE with on a regular basis :D

I hope you all had a good weekend too! Here's a little teaser for this Wed post - another family I love:

End of Laziness, Day 5 - Being thankful

2011-01-07T09:49:00.000-08:00

The most important thing to remember every day of every month of every year is to be thankful. I have been blessed with the most amazing life... sometimes, I can't believe I'm living it! I can't believe all the things that happened last year and I am grateful for every single one :)

Jesse and I adopted this little ray of sunshine :)

My whole family came into town from Austria and Holland just to celebrate the wedding

Jesse and my marriage ceremony was blessed by our closest family and friends

We then jetted off to one of the most beautiful places on Earth

We now celebrate holidays with our new family

And still continue to hang with our crazy extended one :)

And I'm still building on that fam while working on what I love!
Hope you all are living your passions this year and remember to give those you love a big hug :D

End of Laziness, Day 4 - Baby we can work it out

2011-01-06T09:16:00.000-08:00

I have such a love/hate relationship with food and working out. I'm constantly on and off the wagon - the vegan wagon, the low-carb wagon, the healthy wagon in general. I always am really good about my diet for about four months, cheat or just start to slack in general, and then go - "Ehh, whatever. It's all downhill now. Let's just eat a bag of Cheetohs." This is the first year in about five (six?) years that I haven't started the new year with a diet because, let's face it, as much as I decided to take on a "lifestyle change" every year, it really was a diet. I decided that this year, I'm just going to be conscious about what I eat, and not beat myself up if I stray a little. I can always go back to the right path. I hate hating food, and, even worse, hating myself for being "bad". I do highly recommend reading Eat, Drink and Be Healthy and In Defense of Food if you haven't though. From these two books, my basic philosophy now is to eat real food (aka: nothing processed) and eat in a way that treats animals with respect, weather it's eating less animal products, or making sure that stuff is pastured and organic.

Also, I am back on a workout plan, but again, I'm not taking that too seriously either. I always go CRAZY at the beginning of the year, working out at least 2 hours a day. Now, I'm aiming for one half-hour workout in the morning and a yoga cool down at night (which, let me tell you, helps you sleep like a baby and makes your muscles feel sooo relaxed). That way, I don't beat myself up when I can squeeze in two hours and then just give up all together. I realized I just like feeling strong and in shape, so I shouldn't worry about squeezing into my tight jeans (which are now REALLY tight - lol) and beat myself up if I can't do it.

But, as I always say - I really want to look hot this year! :P And the one thing that makes me proud is, I do feel better about myself every year. I don't know why women fight age - with every year, I feel more confident and comfortable with my looks. I guess I just stop comparing myself to other people now, which is nice. I had Britney Spears pictures up on my desktop for a while to inspire me to workout. But, this year, I think I'm just gonna look at a picture of me looking my best and go for that!

A little vanity, but hey! I was tan and fit and I might as well enjoy it ;)

End of Laziness, Day 3 - A Photo Post!

2011-01-05T11:14:00.000-08:00

I actually had quite a few family shoots in December, but things were so hectic, I never posted any! I have to say - I've really fallen in love with family portraits as well as senior portraits, and hope to do many more this year. I just realized how few pictures my family and I have together after my high school graduation, so I'm now making a point to take a family photo every holiday - I think it's really important for families to have at least one nice group photo a year! It's a tradition I know my family is starting as of this year, and hopefully, yours will too.

Anyway, my first big shoot of December was the Rozul family. Sara was the subject of one of my senior shoots and has one of the the most kind and fun families I've met recently. I love working with them and catching up, and it sounds like this is going to become a tradition for them as well!

Resolution to end laziness - Day 2

2011-01-04T19:18:00.000-08:00

So I've had one wish since high school - to learn how to sew. I actually learned how to sew junior year of high school in order to make purses and emulate my then-idol, Kate Spade, but being that fabric costs money and I had none, I made about two purses and kinda gave up. I didn't have a lot of money to spend frivolously when I was a kid (aka: on crafts), so getting to not just window shop at Michaels but actually getting to purchase paints and feathers and stamps and craft punches is a real treat now that I'm a grown-up :D

Anyway, Jesse's aunt bought me two fabulous sewing books for Christmas, so I'm working on basics right now and finally made pillow cases for these hideous pillows I bought like 3 years ago for a good price and have been meaning to cover up since then. Unfortunately, we keep using them anyway because they're such great lumbar supports! (Yes, we are both old and broken :P) I finally asked my mom for a little sewing refresher, borrowed her machine, and here is the result!

Barney checking out the results

Before

After - front

After - back

Can't wait for my next project! And now, I have something else to photograph :)

Looking for Inspiration

2011-01-03T11:49:00.000-08:00

2011 is off to a lazy start. Not that I'm complaining, I'm just usually rearing to go at the beginning of a new year. You think the fact that I don't have a 9-5 job at this point would give me enough time to do whatever I want, but I find I'm the type of person who needs a set schedule in order to tackle extra projects, even if I don't have time for them. (I know, it totally doesn't make sense). My goal this year is to really finish what I start. I know I have the tendency to take on a new hobby/workout plan/house project, lose confidence in my abilities, convince myself I did "good enough," and move on to the next thing. I know I can be GREAT at things, but I really need to believe in myself more sometimes. And I need to stop using the excuse that I have "nothing" to do and feel sorry for myself!

Here's to the end of laziness. What's your resolution?

Holiday Cheer

2010-12-27T10:08:00.000-08:00

I have been OVERWHELMED by all the requests for a new blog post... I can't believe that people actually read this thing! And I feel bad because I keep responding, "I will when I get a minute." I have all the time in the world, so I don't know what I'm talking about! These last few months have definitely been an emotional roller coaster for me, but I am so happy, honored, and blessed to have amazing family and friends that keep my head held high. I have been in a state of funk, but this holiday season has definitely pulled me out of it. I'm going to be thinking a lot about my future these next few weeks... and hopefully posting more! I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas surrounded by the people that keep you strong. Here are mine:

I've become a homebody

2010-10-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time, internet! 2 weeks - that's like forever in web time. As much as I enjoy taking pictures, I have to say that I was starting to become a slave to the internet. I decided to take a break from my computer and have enjoyed every minute of it! I FINALLY did all the yard work I've been meaning to do these last 3 months, and I'm so happy with the outcome. Jesse and I have put up all the artwork we've been meaning to, and our house is feeling pretty cozy. There's still a bunch of things I want to do that I wish I had done while I had all the time in the world, but now I'll have to fit them in with my new job! Yes, I'm starting work at Nordstrom Valley Fair tomorrow. I'm super excited to finally have an excuse to get out of the house every day, as well as work with clothes! hehe. I know this sounds weird, but I'll probably keep up my posting now that I'll have to make time for it (weird how my brain works). Anyway, I never stopped taking pictures though, and here are a few of what my day looks like - it all revolves around Barney!

As you can see, while I was in the shower, he stole a bunch of my bathroom stuff and chewed on it, which made him very tired.

When I dry my hair in the morning, he likes to lay on the step outside our bedroom door and gives me this look like, "Are you done yet? I'm bored."

I'm gonna miss not having him around all day :(

Cold weather is no excuse to slum it!

2010-10-06T08:41:00.000-07:00

At least that's what I keep telling myself. I LOVE how cool it's finally getting, but I'm starting to lament the fact that I can't wear sandals everywhere. As I get older, it's harder to find shoes and outerwear that are comfy and nice but age-appropriate. This fall, I'm reinstating my #1 fashion rule - Uggs are NOT okay, unless you're gardening or walking your dog. I tried wearing them outside this realm last winter, and my wardrobe went downhill with them. There's nothing wrong with a sweatshirt and jeans once in a while, but then I started wearing them everyday... then jeans turned into sweat pants, and my hair perpetually stayed in a ponytail with my bangs pulled back with a headband. And, obviously, makeup was out the door. The problem wasn't that I just looked tired, I started to FEEL just as tired and icky, so when I couldn't find my Uggs one day, I let them stay lost and slowly recovered out of that funk.

This winter, I'm now looking for pieces I can still throw on over jeans that are comfy without looking like a total hobo. You may think some of the coats are a little dressy, but that's the point - they're dressy without trying! Plus, while boho hair is still in, you'll actually look like you actually were trying with your bedhead :P Also, you can throw on some oversized sunglasses and then use them as a headband inside. Hopefully this will help you awake from your winter hibernation.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Two Tone Reversible Jacket. Yes, it's reversible, and the other side is SUPER cute. This is perfect for fall weather before it gets too cold.
Miss Sixty Envelope Collar Wool Blend Coat. I love love LOVE a pea coat and this has to be my favorite one ever. Pea coats are both functional and fashionable. The collar is soo stylish but it still has a classic form - so Jackie O. The color is so fun too and will look great against a gray sky. This is #1 on my Christmas list! (Jesse has already been alerted)
Andrew Marc 'Kara' Leather Jacket. I love leather that's slightly distressed and has collar, cuff, pocket and zipper details to break it up. To me, plain, pristine leather jackets look too shiny and stiff. This has a relaxed look that instantly makes anything you wear look cool.
Betsy Johnson Asymmetrical Zip Puffer Coat. This coat makes me want to hug this model - she looks like a fluffy marshmallow! Everyone should have a down coat - these to me are exactly like sweatshirts but they are a total 180 fashion-wise. I think the collar on this jacket is so cute, not to mention the feminine cuffed sleeve. It makes me want to curl up and fall asleep in it.
Franco Sarto Ozark Tall Women's Leather Boot. These are also on my Christmas list (::wink wink:: Mom). Riding boots are great for rain and snow but also look incredibly chic. Plus, you can find them in a variety of heel heights, most of them low. Gorgeous!
Kenneth Cole Reaction Blue Ice Ankle Boot. What I love about ankle boots is that you can wear them under dress pants and they look like nice work shoes, or you can wear them with leggings and really appreciate the ankle. I love how these are slouched but still dress an outfit up.
Frye 'Carmen' Harness Short Boot. These to me are the perfect Ugg alternative - low heel, easy to toss on over jeans, but still remind you and others that you are a classy lady. Frye has a ton of gorgeous boots available at Nordstrom this season that are all "dressy casual" - check them out here!
Plenty by Tracy Reese Gina Bootie. I thought these were sooo cute and got tons of review for being surprisingly comfortable. I just thought they would look so cute with the marshmallow jacket :)

San Jose Portrait Session - Lisa

2010-10-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

My dad's coworker had a BBQ a few weeks ago, and while I was chowing down on the best shrimp EVER (I refuse to figure out where to get it, otherwise, I'll never stop eating them), I asked my sister if she knew a makeup artist for my next shoot. She said, "Ya, she's right here," and pointed to Lisa who was sitting right next to her. Lisa is an ultrasound tech at my dad's work and has always been super sweet, and I'm so glad we're able to work together now too! She did the hair and makeup for Sara's Senior Shoot, and I know you guys loved those pics ;) Last weekend, we got together and took her photo this time. Of course, she looks gorgeous :) I'm so happy to be partnering with her - it has brought my photos to a whole new level. So if you're loving her styling, you and I should get together for another shoot!

Romance is in the air

2010-09-28T23:59:00.000-07:00

I love fall. Sweater weather, pumpkin pie... Halloween! It's definitely the best time of the year, especially for fashion, and your wardrobe should reflect the romantic change in season. I love that classic romance is back in style - get ready to release your inner Elizabeth Bennet!

Halogen Sunburst Ruffle Top. Love the flowy ruffles :) This goes perfect with jeggings to make it more casual or you can dress it up with trousers. Plus, it'll look great under a trench or cardigan!
Sondra Roberts Floral Organza Clutch. It's just sooo cute! Need I say more?
Forever 21 Belted Tulip Dress. I love how romantic the drape is, but how the belt makes it a little more urban and modern. This would look so great with tights and black booties.
Remain 'Naomi' Waffle Knit Cardigan. This is cute and just looks sooo comfy. It's always nice to have a throw-on sweater that looks like you meant to dress up ;)
Ariella Collection Enamel Flower Ring. A statement ring dresses any outfit up and the flower is so much fun! I have one and get TONS of compliments on it.
Kensie Tissue Knit Drop Stitch Sweater. So gorgeous. Just be careful to not catch it on any corners or hangnails (I do that all the time :\)
Forever 21 Ruffled Woven Dress. I think this would look really cute as a tunic. Plus, the amount of tight ruffles are just right.
J. Crew Pearl-sprinkled crystal bib necklace. So perfect with a cardigan, and I LOVE rose-colored stones with gold. Hmmm... now I want to get this to go with my ring. This blog is dangerous.

Happy Hump Day!

San Jose Portrait Session - Lynne

2010-09-27T23:59:00.000-07:00

Lynne was one of my top students last year. She was an ESL student from Vietnam and worked hard to not only learn English, but to learn Math, Science, History in English... and Spanish ;) She is one of the most driven students I've ever had, and on top of that, one of the most giving. She participated in every community service project offered last year, and now volunteers regularly at Sacred Heart.

Lynne is funny and bright, as you will see in these pictures. She always pity-laughed at my corny jokes in class and still does. (But for reals, I'm totally funny :) Can't wait to see what the future holds for her!

What I Did For Love

2010-09-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

This seemed to be the theme last week. I've heard this song a million times before, but as Lea Michele belted out everyone's favorite tune from A Chorus Line, I realized how important it is for everyone to do the things they love, whether it be a job or a hobby. Even when I was juggling school, work and the wedding this last year, photography kept me sane and happy. I can't imagine my life without it. (Check out this awesome animation that explains the science behind this).

Watching Julie and Julia last week cemented this idea even more, as well as encouraged me to really keep following my dreams. I'm not going to go into all the details because you really should watch it as well, but Julia Child didn't know anything about food until she was nearly 40, fell in love with French cuisine, and subsequently revolutionized American kitchens as we know them. As with any revolution, this didn't happen overnight - she spent 8 years following her dream and publishing the amazing Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

I know I whine a lot because I want to be a uber-successful photographer NOW, but I'm going to try to be better at that. I'm going to enjoy photography for the simple reason that I love it and keep working hard at it to make it my own! I hope you're incorporating what you love into your life.

Woohoo!

2010-09-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

Today is my 100th post! Who knew I would keep up at this this long? :) I'm really excited today, not only for that but because... wait for it... my new business cards and stationery are in! I am SOOOO happy with the way they came out, and Jesse is too. They tie in with all my branded items and just look cool (muchos gracias to Jesse who helped with the business card design and made it look AWESOME).

Thanks also to Eric from photomug.com (and Foodies @ Home :) for hooking me up with the mug - more on that coming soon! Hope you're all having a happy Friday :D

Photogs are funny

2010-09-23T14:44:00.000-07:00

Today, I'd like to share two of my favorite photographers with you. You've seen their pictures on my blog already (the ones of my pretty face ;). Now, I get to share their lovely faces with you!

Ziada has been with me through the beginning of my photography experience... actually way before that. We both met freshman year at Cal Poly and immediately hit it off - she and I have the same sense of humor (basically, we're both big dorks, me more than her). She has kept me sane since I met her (thank goodness, since college was crazy at times!). She has also encouraged me throughout this whole experience, and put up with me when I've had her retake my photos over and over because I'm so picky about how my makeup turns out! I definitely wouldn't be as cool as I am today without her (and yes, I am so cool :P).

Speed up to last April, and we can cue in Jaime. Jaime and I met volunteering at the Showit Freedom tour. I was expecting a lot out of that tour, and I'm happy to say, I got what I needed - a photog friend :) Jaime recently moved here from Seattle to marry her love. She is enthusiastic, bright, and bubbly, and pushes me to be a good photographer and, even better, to put myself out there for gigs. I'm so happy to have met her - it's nice to have a friend going through all the same experiences and emotions you are, especially one that is so fun! I love to have someone else to chat with online and shoot with. She's also introduced me to a lot more photog friends, and we're just having a blast shooting in the Bay.

This is us being silly while they were shooting pictures for my new site. Enjoy!

We crack ourselves up :D

Rawr

2010-09-21T21:49:00.000-07:00

So, as many of you may know, I LOVE leopard. I am so excited that it's still in season, and better there, that there are waaayyy more leopard options! I know that a lot of people associate leopard with loud and tacky, but when done right, it actually can serve as a neutral. Sounds weird, but you'll see it esp with the pieces I picked - they go with ANYTHING. And, they're fun! If you're nervous about wearing leopard, keep the rest of your outfit simple and neutral, and just add a leopard accessory to brighten it up. I think you'll definitely try it out when seeing these :)

From left to right/top to bottom:

Leopard dress from Forever 21. I would wear it as a shirt with leggings, or better yet, jeggings! This is one of those great throw it on and you look trendy without thinking about it pieces.
BCBGirls Finito Ankle Boot. I can't stress how much I LOVE these. Jesse would DIE, but hey - I'm still young, I can wear ridiculously loud stuff! And, it just looks so posh.
Coach Madison Calf Hair Jordana. I want, I want, I WANT! Totally out of my price range, and they sell a print that's much cheaper, but if you've got money to burn, I think this will always look trendy but classic.
Ann Taylor Classic Animal Print Scarf. The color is perfect for fall, and I always think scarves are one of those things that dress an outfit up (esp w/earrings). I can't wait for it to cool down so I can actually wear one.
MAC Leopard Luxe Collection. These eyeshadows are warm and natural with a pop of gold shimmer to make them fun. Who doesn't look good in smoky brown eye shadow?
GUESS Plastic Leopard Print Strap Watch. For those of you who still remember how to read an analog watch, might as well make it a cute one ;)

Event Photography, San Jose - Dance In Transit

2010-09-21T11:49:00.000-07:00

As you may remember, I photographed my dancer friend Natalie Q a few weeks ago while she was planning Dance In Transit. Well, the big weekend finally arrived last Saturday, and I attended to snap a few event photos. I was BLOWN AWAY. The dances were beautiful and the event itself was so much fun! It was so unique - it was both a dance festival and a light rail/walking tour of Downtown San Jose. Our first stop was at the Montgomery Theater, and then we hopped on the Light Rail to each of next stops. As we continued on the tour, more people joined along, and we ended at the fountains in Cesar Chavez Park with a good crowd. I loved how each piece was choreographed to fit in with its space. I don't know how else I can rave about it... so just check out the pics :) (and ps: I better see you all there next year!)

Launch 2.1

2010-09-19T23:23:00.000-07:00

I have fulfilled one of my nerdiest dreams ever... I own my own domain :D This is a long time coming - I've wanted one since I started my first Buffy fanpage in high school :P I'm so proud of how far I've come this year so I realized, not only do I need it, I deserve it!

It's been a busy year. Besides taking lots and lots of pictures, I've been learning a lot about branding, and half the battle in that is figuring out who you are and what you represent. One thing that kept coming into my head is my favorite Coco Chanel quote - "Fashion fades, only style remains the same." And what is style? Style is having class. Style is knowing what suits you. And most importantly, style is being confident with how you look. From there, I came up with a look that I feel is classic and strong, much like the people I enjoy photographing.

I'd like to introduce www.nicolechubb.com! And for the first five of you who contact me through the site get $50 off your next shoot so you can celebrate with me :) Hope to see you on the other side of the screen and the other side of the lens.

Special thanks to Jaime and Ziada for taking these pics!

Sara - San Jose Senior Portrait Session

2010-09-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

I've always loved tutoring math, and it's even more fun when you have an enthusiastic student. Sara was probably one of the most determined students I've ever had. She meant business every session and worked very hard to earn her grade. Not only is she smart and determined, she is drop-dead gorgeous and probably one of the nicest, warmest people I've ever met. Not to mention a trooper - we both were sinking in mud trying to walk to one of our first sites and she was wearing white pants, but no one panicked, and the session turned out beautifully.

Sara is hoping to go to school in either San Diego or Santa Barbara, and I know she'll have a blast! Enjoy your senior year, girl :)

Hair and makeup by Lisa Saminathen.

Pump it up!

2010-09-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

Before I wanted to be a photographer, I wanted to be a stylist. I quickly found out hunting down looks is a lot harder than just shopping casually and putting together things in your own closet. I'm excited when I get the chance to style for shoots though, which many of my teenage clients ask me to do. It's fun to see what's in other people's closets and put outfits together, especially teenagers who tend to wear bright colors and loud patterns, which are my favorite! Anyway, girls tend to ask a lot what to wear on shoots, so I figured, I'd put in my two cents here (as well as live vicariously through your purchases - muahaha).

My #1 rule for shoots - no flip-flops. Even though I wear mine almost everyday, they don't really look cute in photographs. Even if you don't see the shoes in a pic, heels, platforms or wedges make your legs look longer and also just make you feel more like a model, and don't we all want to feel like that? :P Anyway, I'm totally obsessed with nude pumps this season. They're sexy but understated and can be worn with dresses or jeans. If you're looking for some, here are my suggestions (which can all be found on endless.com:

Steve Madden Women's Caryssa Platform Pump

in Blush. Love the platform on the front, medium range price, totally match everything :)

Dolce Vita Madison Platform Pump. When patent leather first came back in style, I immediately went to buy some Mary Janes, but in black and candy apple red, they were a little too in your face, even for me. I am much happier that they have come out with more subtle tones, and nude works perfectly for this material.

Nine West Booboo Pump. So some of you are probably like me and have knee problems/walk a lot/feet cannot stand wearing 4 inch heels everywhere. I love this shoe because it's still sexy but has a slightly lower heel (ok, it's 3 1/2 inches, but that half an inch makes a huge difference!). Plus, I love the bow detailing on the front. So fetch ;)

So there are about 100 more shoes I could recommend, but I'll leave you to surfing on Endless, especially if you haven't checked it out. If you didn't know, they have free outgoing and return shipping, so you can try on multiple pairs of shoes just to see how they fit. Don't blame me if you end up keeping all of them though :P

edit: Thanks to Ariesta who found this amazing shoe - Nika by Rock and Republic. LOVE the funkiness - brings me back to my "punk" days when I thought I was cool but was really still a girly-girl. Unfortunately, it's sold out in gray, but you can find it in Fuschia. Or hunt the gray down on ebay...

Back into the Swing

2010-09-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

After a long series of event shoots, I seriously needed a week off. Between job hunt stress and the soreness that accompanies 6-10 hours of shooting in one sitting, my head was totally jumbled up. I realized I needed to do something I loved - portraits. I felt like I hadn't done a portrait session in forever and I really missed it. I love everything about them - getting your makeup done, playing dress up, trying to capture a natural gait in front of the camera... it brings me back to the best times I had in college :P Oh, those Friday nights...

Anyway, I've recently paired up with the amazing Lisa Saminathen, who does a gorgeous job on hair and makeup, and together we produced the following result. More to come, and let me know if you'd like to get in on this new portrait package :) I promise, the results are FABULOUS!

Raas for a Cause

2010-09-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

Last year, Rakhi created this amazing event, sharing Indian culture with the Bay Area while bringing in funds for underprivileged youth in Santa Clara. I was totally blown away. Although many of us had participated in and even produced these kinds of fundraisers in school, none of us thought we had the time or energy to try to organize anything like this after college, and she definitely showed us that she did and inspired us to do the same. Everyone who participated last year came away feeling that sense of drive and excitement and dove into launching the event this year. In fact, Rakhi got this together in just over a month! And I have to say, it was even more fun and exciting than the previous year. Rakhi, congrats again on such an AWESOME outcome and for continuing to push me to dream big.

To learn more, check out www.raasforacause.com. And, as always, check out more photos on my facebook!

Back after a relaxing weekend

2010-09-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

As you could probably tell, last week I was stressed like no other. Luckily, I have fabulous friends to remind me about all I have to be thankful for, and I finally decided to stop whining and start being happy with how wonderful this year has been for me. Last weekend, Jesse and I went up to Humboldt to visit his parents, and we both got some much needed rest. There's nothing like being in a beautiful home in the redwoods to get you relaxed! We definitely need weekends like that more often - we mostly sat on the couch watching dog documentaries and Dexter, a new favorite show. We also went hiking everyday just outside Jesse's parents' house, and Barney had a BLAST. I didn't bring my camera into the woods with me because I'm kinda klutzy, but luckily Jesse had his phone and we were able to catch these two shots.

Doesn't this snag look like a yoga pose? I love the foggy woods :)

Barney after literally running circles around us in the woods - I have never seen him run so quickly! He was so excited to be out of the car and off leash in the forest. He was a wet, dusty mess in about 5 minutes. He has decided country vacations are his favorite :)

One, two, three - go.

2010-09-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

I just want to remember how I feel at this exact moment. Lately, life has not been going the way I planned, and I feel like I'm just along for the ride, and I hate that. I can't help but feeling really small lately, like I'm not in control of anything; I'm waiting for my future to be decided for me. And all this has made me feel like I'm not good at anything. Yesterday, I really hit my lowest point, and a thought popped into my head:

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

Thank God for Eleanor Roosevelt. I hear this quote all the time, but it really does help me when I'm feeling down. And now, I'm ready to fight. I'm tired of trying to catch up to other people. I can only compete with myself. I can only be the best I can be. The more I work on that, the more I know that the outcome will be awesome. Watch out world - when I find my voice, you're gonna need earplugs, and when I find my feet, don't blink, otherwise, you'll miss me sprinting by ;)

Zenith Strength

2010-08-31T17:51:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of shooting a new training facility in Santa Clara run by the very kind and dedicated Shyam Soin. Shyam has been in the personal training business for a while and recently opened his own studio. My friend Rakhi trains there, and I've definitely seen the results! She has been very dedicated this year, and I'm sure it's because of how dedicated Shyam is to his clients. He also hosts an interesting and diverse repertoire of exercises, all of which look challenging but fun! If you'd like to learn more, visit his site at http://www.zenithstrength.com/

As usual, you can see more on my Facebook page :)

Old School

2010-08-27T09:05:00.000-07:00

It's funny I got so many comments on my fb post on Avril Lavigne... it made me think about other songs that take me back. Now, don't get me wrong, I love finding new music, but there's something about the songs I grew up with that makes me permanently attached. When I look at my ipod playlists, the songs I tend to listen to over and over are songs from jr high, high school or college (with the exception of me and Jesse's song ;). Here's my list of go-tos -

In love with love: Underneath it All, No Doubt
Feeling badass/road rage: Testify, Rage Against the Machine
Gotta dance: Tie btw California Love by Tupac, Hypnotize by Biggie and Are you that Somebody by Aaliyah... oh and I can't lie. Dance with Somebody by Whitney ;)
Chillin in the Summertime: I want to be your lady baby, INOJ. Oooh - and Feel the Funk by Immature and Summertime in the LBC by Doveshack
Nostalgic: Seasons of Loneliness, Boyz II Men and Underneath the Stars, Mariah Carey (*and I Thought She Knew, Nsync)
Guilty Pleasure (still): I'm a Slave 4U, Britney
My life is over: Torn, Natalie Imbruglia
Feeling country-ish: Feel like a Woman, Shania Twain

Haha - ok, this totally made me laugh out loud. I'm such a dork. Feel free to leave a comment on that or correct me with a better song choice :P Happy Friday!

Natalie Q

2010-08-26T09:43:00.000-07:00

Natalie and her sister were both known as just Q in high school. Natalie was a leader of dancing even then, becoming captain of the dance team her senior year. On top of being talented, she and her sister were two of the funniest and thoughtful girls I knew. Natalie was in Charly's class and Christine was a year younger than me, so we were both lucky to experience the awesomeness that is Q. (Charly even still has a box that Natalie made for her senior year w/Zoolander quotes and pictures all over it. Seriously, how could you not love her?)

Natalie majored in both dance and PR at SJSU and is not producing a brand new dance festival for Downtown San Jose called Dance in Transit. It's both a dance show and a tour of the downtown area. I'm really excited to be there for their debut, especially since I've loved every downtown festival. Natalie, I know your event is going to be amazing and can't wait to see what comes of it :)

Hot hot heat

2010-08-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

I can't believe summer has shown up just now. I am one that normally relishes the heat, but an hour in my non-air-conditioned truck yesterday has conditioned that right out of me, reminding me why I was enjoying the cooler summer we've been having :P

Anyway, I'm happy that my friend Natalie was willing to meet up this morning at 8am to take pictures before it got too ridiculous. She is a dancer and I'm so excited to finish editing these because they are SO COOL. Here's a teaser to take your mind off the now-blistering summer air.

Remi's First Birthday!

2010-08-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

I have to say, when I was younger, I was never the biggest fan of kids, but now I LOVE them. Not only are they sooo cute, they also make the best subjects - they never hide they're emotions. When they're happy, they're ridiculously happy, and when they're sad, they just let it out. I wish I could be more like that sometimes. I think grown-ups sometimes try too hard to be "cool." Anyway, this first birthday party was so sweet because so many of his family members flew in from everywhere to celebrate. He was definitely a happy camper :)

Check out more at my fanpage!

Gotta love a makeover

2010-08-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

I watched Scott Pilgrim on Saturday and was joking about how I was pretty sure Knives Chou was based on me as a teenager. I started listing the commonalities - we were both Asian (obviously), we were both Catholic school girls, we both had never been kissed at 17, our first kinda-boyfriend was in a band (and was that much older - eek - but very sweet and respectful, I might add), I would go to his shows and shriek about how cool he/the band was, I started to fall in love with indie rock, I had hipster haircuts and would temporarily dye it from time to time, I was actually just a big teenybopper who just liked a cooler form of music... OMG. It WAS me! That was so long ago, I kinda forgot about that girl. I've grown up so much since then, and Scott Pilgrim was a nice reminder of how I used to be, like this blog.

I've only been posting since last year, but I feel like I've grown up so much since even November. I'm now a Master's of EE, a home owner, a dog owner, and a wife. I decided to update my website and blog to reflect the new me and look forward to learning more and progressing in photography. I hope you enjoy all the updates as well!

My new homepage - http://chubbphotos.showitsite.com. Let me know what you think!

Many thanks to Ziada for taking all my new website/profile pics! LOVE them. If you like them too, show her some love :)

Thoughts from a Newlywed

2010-08-20T08:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, so if you know me, you may be sick of my wedding pictures by now, but I have some more from the wonderful Patrick Ang. I am still glowing over the wedding, and it actually has made me think a lot about the whole Prop 8 situation. A lot of Anti-Prop-8ers always make the joke that we should let gay people suffer like the rest of the married folks in the country. I would have to say the opposite - my wedding was literally the HAPPIEST day of my life. I was never the kind of girl who dreamed about being a bride growing up, and although I was excited about my wedding, I didn't think of it as the "be-all-end-all." It turned out more beautifully than I could have EVER imagined. Becoming Jesse's wife, exchanging vows, and having all our friends and family there to celebrate such a momentous occasion in love was the most powerful thing I've ever experienced. Being able to call Jesse my husband and having him call me wife is such an honor, and it's awesome to have everyone, from our close circle to our state/country, recognize that. I can't imagine denying ANYONE this day or this right. If you are lucky enough to find that kind of love and be strong enough to make that kind of commitment, it should be celebrated and we should honor you. One of the things I love about being a wedding photographer now is watching couples make those vows, reminding me of the promises I made Jesse on our wedding day and how much I love him. Don't we need more reminders like that?

And just to remind you, I love you, Jesse, with all of my heart. I never imagined finding happiness the way I have with you. No matter where our lives take us, my heart will always be home as long as I'm with you. As I said on our wedding day, I promise to love and honor you all the days of my life.

Christine

2010-08-19T09:57:00.000-07:00

Christine and I had the same piano teacher growing up but never met until our senior recital. I'm so sad we didn't meet earlier! She is one of the most positive, fun, and caring people I know. She made sure to find me our first week at Cal Poly just to say hi :) After we graduated, she always made sure to keep in touch and invite me to her birthday parties every year. Every time we got a chance to hang out with her, Jesse always said, "Oh, good. I like little Christine." (Which means a lot since he usually likes to spend Friday nights on the couch watching tv). She just brings such a positive energy that makes everyone around her happy. We got to hang out a lot more this year, and she got on this cupcake baking kick which Jesse and I enjoyed very much :P Next week, she is moving to NYC to pursue a Master's in Music Therapy at NYU (needless to say, she had a lot more musical talent than I ever did). Christine, I'm going to miss you soooo much! I know you will kick butt in the Big Apple though, and I look forward to visiting you ;)

Yummy Yogurt!

2010-08-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

So since I keep talking about all the ice cream I've been making lately, I figure I should maybe share a recipe. Except I'm going to throw you for a loop - this is a recipe for frozen yogurt. Gasp! Ok, I know you're thoroughly disappointed. But this is seriously THE BEST froyo I've ever eaten. And it's sooooo easy! If you don't have an ice cream maker, buy one IMMEDIATELY. After finding simple recipes like this, I've been using mine on a weekly basis (much to Jesse's delight, esp since he was the one that bought it for me after I insisted on having one and then didn't use it for like a year). This is a recipe from 101 Cookbooks which I think she got from The Perfect Scoop. Anyway, it's really easy to modify and change the flavor of because the base is totally what makes it. In fact, if you love the raw yogurt taste, you can just make it plain without any extract and it is delicious. Mmmm... Now I'm thinking of pulling some out of the freezer now for breakfast.

3 cups Greek-style yogurt (This actually makes a BIG difference in consistency, so just suck up it up and buy whole fat yogurt. It won't kill you :P)
3/4 cup (150g) sugar (And, might I encourage organic evaporated cane juice? It's much better for you because it actually has nutrients. Plus, you feel less guilty :P)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Mix together the yogurt, sugar, and vanilla (if using). Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Refrigerate 1 hour. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions.

That's it! See, my ramblings were longer than the actual recipe (and even then, I still had to throw in my two cents). And, in case you're still questioning MY tastes, know that this recipe is Barney approved. I accidentally dropped a little on the floor when I was pouring it into the ice cream maker and he immediately lunged, and then looked at me with big puppy eyes goading me to drop some more.

Ok, I swear I'm done talking for the day. Look out for pictures of the lovely Christine tomorrow!

Moira and Angelo

2010-08-16T23:59:00.000-07:00

While I was in Hawaii on the honeymoon, I was very surprised and excited to see a message in my inbox from a Pres classmate, Moira, to shoot her wedding in a few weeks. As any bride would be, she was freaking out about last minute details and kept insisting to make all these accommodations for me because of the late notice. I was more than happy to take on the wedding, and now I'm even more glad that I did. Moira is an old friend from high school and is always as I remember her - sweet, soft-spoken and smart. But I have never seen her glow the way she had until yesterday, all due to her new wonderful husband, Angelo. Look up smitten in the dictionary, and you will see these photos. These two share something special, and I feel so honored to have documented it. There was an electricity in the air that day from all the positive vibes flowing around, and I still am smiling because of it.

Sneaking up on Angelo for a first glimpse of her soon to be husband

We caught this waiting to greet their guests down below

Married!

And everyone's excited :D

Taking advantage of the beautiful scenery (and the opportunity to steal another kiss ;)

Even the fog over the Golden Gate cleared just for them!

Paella. Enough said.

Moira made all these delicious cupcakes

As well as these gorgeous paper flowers

Everyone's ready to party

And, as Moira promised, they danced the night away :) (Seriously, everyone there had awesome moves!)

Be my fan on Facebook to see more photos!

House updates!

2010-08-15T23:03:00.000-07:00

Jesse and I have set out to do a lot of projects since we've gotten back from the honeymoon. Most of them involved improving our ice cream cream recipes and proofing bread, but a lot of them also involve the house. Mainly organizing all the stuff we've acquired these past 6 months! And I'm happy to say, we FINALLY have our dvds in order and art up :D If you've been to our place, you know our living room, while comfy, was a mess. We finally have received our media organizer, which resulted in a complete change of space. (Thank goodness) Here's a few shots of the updated digs.

The newly organized entertainment wall

Our gorgeous new media cabinet (with the guitar masking some of the wires :P)

Our gorgeous art wall, featuring work by Griff (the purple sunset painting of our hotel lobby in Cancun), Ziada (the orange sunset painting, Pat (the wedding photographs), and Jesse's dad (the hand-crafted dragon dulcimer). Oh, and Haley for the picture frame!

Flowers from Campbell's farmers in our new Fire and Ice vase (thanks Colin and Katie!)

Vase and peacock feathers from the wedding, a new blue mason jar from a neighbor's garage sale, a table runner quilt made by Jesse's mom, and more of the lovely Dahlia's from farmers :)

And one more of my flowers/mason jar because they're so pretty :)

Happy Monday!

Finally! A post

2010-08-13T16:45:00.000-07:00

So I don't know why I've been so lazy these past few weeks... Jesse went back to work and I am still job hunting. Basically, I have all the free time in the world. I think I've spent the better part of it feeling sorry for myself because I didn't know where my career was taking me, but finally I've snapped out of it. Also, I know this sounds weird, but without a job, I don't know what to do with my time. When I was working AND going to school, I spent every free minute I had blogging/editing/shooting/posting. Now, I have oodles of time and no good reason to manage it. I finally came to the conclusion that I need to make myself a schedule everyday and stick to it, and I saved my blogging/editing errands for today and am happy to say I've completed them :)

Anyway, onto the photos. My dad has played in a big band for as long as I can remember. My dad has been playing saxophone since he was a little kid and basically grew up with these guys, and so did I. I had the honor of having them open the reception at my wedding, and they and I couldn't believe how far we all have come together. They will always hold a special place in my heart and will hopefully be showing up more on my blog! This is an event they did in Campbell which was SO MUCH FUN. They had the best crowd ever (they actually danced!). I hope they get invited again next year so we can continue the party ;)

Check out more pics on my fanpage! (Btw, the play every third Sunday at the Creekside Inn in San Jose. Let me know if you're interested!)

Happy happy joy joy

2010-07-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

I think that's all I can say. Still and always in love with love and my husband :)

Us on our honeymoon in Hawaii. Not very scenic, but I just like how happy we look :D Lots more pictures to come!!

Haley and Matt

2010-07-08T22:22:00.000-07:00

When Jesse told me, in confidence, that Matt was going to propose to Haley, I hit him. HARD. Like 20 times. I'm not exaggerating. And then, of course, I told everyone. (Except Haley!) Jesse thinks I was more excited about their engagement than ours :P I definitely was stoked - Matt and Haley are two of my favorite people and such an amazing couple. They're just so comfortable together, which is how I always envisioned love to be.

When they asked me to shoot their engagement photos at Michelle's wedding, I was definitely nervous. The other thing I love about Haley and Grib is they appreciate aesthetics and have good taste, so I set some pretty high expectations for this shoot. I am happy to say they were happy with the outcome and so was I. I'm so glad you guys enjoyed the photos, and I'm happy your family did too, Haley! I hope you all do too :)

Photos taken at the beautiful Ridge Vineyard. See if you can spot the bottle in most of the pictures ;)

The beautiful Haley

Jesse came up with the idea for this pictures, and we all LOVED it, so kudos, babe. It's just totally them :P

You can tell Grib is one happy guy.

And he really likes Haley's cheeks.

I obviously could not get over this lighting, this tree or this background :)

"I don't know what to do with my hands..."

:D
See more at my Facebook Fanpage and enjoy the weekend!