I remember the first time I met Anna: it was at our high school’s football game on a cold Friday in November. I remember thinking that she was the coolest fourteen year-old I had ever met, and I was glad to know her. We danced that night– I like to pretend like I can swing dance, and tried to teach all my friends after the game that night. I remember the sheer joy and exuberance that radiated from her then, and I’m glad to report that I can still see and feel it now. In the decade since that night we have grown to be great friends and something like family. I am so proud of the incredible woman she has become, and am overjoyed to see that she has found her partner for life.

Gabe and Anna met me on the street of her childhood home and we all walked about enjoying an extraordinary Southern California November afternoon. We walked over to Brand Park where she has so many memories of playing with friends and growing up. I am so glad she could share this place with the love of her life, Gabe– and I’m especially glad to have been there to capture some photographs of them together.

Their love for each other is shared in smiles and laughter, something I cannot get enough of. Thank you friends for allowing me to be a part of your lives, I am forever thankful.

*** Make sure you check out the {ENGAGEMENT ALBUM} I designed for them that can be used as a sign in in book at their wedding ***

my favorite thing about these two– they’re always full of laughter…

If you are a friend of mine, you must know that I absolutely love Los Angeles. I love the traffic, the noise, the culture and the people that call it home. I am absolutely fascinated by everything that it has to offer. 

When you describe me, I would hope that you would mention that I love photographing people. I can never get enough of peering into people’s lives through the lens of my camera. 

When you put both of these things together, I am truly in heaven. 

I got to spend this rainy day hanging out with one of the sunniest people I know– Melody. Even her name is fun! We spent the day wandering the streets of Downtown Los Angeles, looking for cool colors, textures and fantastic places to take portraits. Melody needed some headshots for auditions, and I needed some new locations for shoots. Win-win, right? We found a few, including an awesome blue door in front of the Hotel Figueroa. 

After shooting in front of the hotel, we jetted up the street to the Walt Disney Concert Hall. If you’re ever in downtown LA, make sure to stop by and check out the magnificent piece of architechtural genius that is the concert hall. We wandered around (and climbed multiple flights of stairs that frankly left me quite winded) and ended up in the lobby of the concert hall. The warm woods and window light surrounded us and made us feel quite at home– so we sat down (yeah, oh the floor) and soaked it all up. A wonderful afternoon with a lovely girl at my favorite place in the whole world– I love my life! 

It was quite a pleasure spending the afternoon with you Melody. I’ll never forget it.  

I admire actors. I really do. I especially admire those actors that trek across the United States headed towards Hollywood to pursue their dreams. I mean, I wouldn’t be able to do that– leave home to follow my dreams in Los Angeles. To be honest with you, I am truly not that courageous. 

I love actors who are driven: those that really get out there and market themselves to the world, those who actually work on sets and stages, those who really take themselves seriously. They are the ones that provide me with endless hours of romantic comedy to laugh at with my husband, they amaze me with their voices and emotions at the theatre, and most of all, they give Perez Hilton something to do.

Here I present to you a friend of mine whose name is Elizabeth. She’s gorgeous, talented and can really work it in front of the camera. She’s persuing her dream in this City of Angels and is going to be famous someday!

I’m very excited to see where she goes in life, hopefully she’ll sign an autograph for me that will be worth lots of money someday!

Thanks for hanging out with me Liz, you’re the best! 

It was not an average monday.

Actually, I think it was the most productive monday that I have ever had. 

We went to the county clerk and filed for a marriage license (only five weeks to go!) AND we filed for a business lisence (finally, it’s official!) all

at the same time! This was all done on our way down to orange county for the Get Simple seminar by KISS wedding books. We are so excited to be

using these books for all our future albums because they are so timeless and classic! They’re covered in the most fantastic italian leather and come in

some really fun colors! 

During the seminar, we learned so much about how to grow our little company, and were so inspired by the wisdom that was shared with us. 

We were especially encouraged by Mike Larson and his perspective on photography and life in general. He also gave us a little lesson on shooting

which truly has made such an impact on the way i will shoot from now on. 

Here are a few of the photos that we captured in the afternoon of Carlie of GabrielRyan Photographers. They all seem very similar, yet so different. This

just goes to show how a picture can have such a different feel when processed in a different way:

tah-dah!