Nicole Glenn Photography

Shiny and New | Blog

2009-10-05T00:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday! I am excited to announce that I have a NEW BLOG!

www.nicoleglennblog.com

Update your bookmarks or add an RSS feed!

See you there!
~Nicole

On the Road | Big Sur

2009-09-25T13:03:00.001-07:00

This past week has been amazing. It is such a blessing to spend time with family and just be away from the norm of hectic work weeks. Part one of our road trip is to the beautiful Big Sur. I am by no means a camper, but I tried! Okay? The gorgeous scenery and Carrie/Thuy's cooking made it so much easier. If you have not been camping by the Big Sur River, you should change that ASAP. I recommend weekdays, it's much more...let's say...peaceful. :) Here are a few shots in and around Big Sur...

Okay, this is in the car, but this trail mix is worth a spot on the blog. There are peanut butter chips hidden in there!

Classic McWay Waterfall in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park....
From our tent...flap... :)
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park....
Off Highway 1...

Art tracked this guy down in the river...
Blue Jay's are like squirrels...I swear! I love the movement in this shot....

The end of Valley View trail in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park...
The Saturday camping crew. I love this picture. :)
San Francisco is up next!

~Nicole

Jessica Noodle Cards and Prints

2009-09-15T21:11:00.000-07:00

Jessica and I are similar. Scientists by day, artists by night. We met while working together in the lab and have bonded more recently over art. It is really cool to work with other artists...especially one that can understand my nerdy side. :)

Jessica is also starting her business and you can check out her page on Etsy. We recently decided to do an exchange of services....she is working on some custom cards for my business and I am photographing her recent work.

Here are a few shots...

I can't wait to get my hands on my new cards! From what I have seen so far they will be BEAUTIFUL!

If you are looking for an artist to do any custom work, Jessica is brilliant at drawing, painting, and sketching. AND, as an added bonus, she is a wonderful person and ridiculously easy to work with. I highly recommend her services.

Jessica, thanks for your hard work! Let Teller know I apologize about the paw incident. :)

On another note...I leave for vacation in 2 days, what what! October is going to be a whirlwind, so it will be nice to be fully rested and re-energized. I will be sure to share some pictures!

~Nicole

Shiny and New | MBP

2009-09-09T22:05:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I took the plunge. The plunge I would apparently take and never look back. After much deliberation and coaxing I decided to purchase a MacBook Pro. That's right, I abbreviated it...MBP! She sure is purrrrrty...

I am currently trying to switch my world from team PC to team Mac. With the exception of my Adobe products, it has been a smooth transition thus far. The student version Art surprised me with a few months ago is un-swappable (is that a word??). But get this, Art surprised me AGAIN, and proudly displayed my new Mac version yesterday. Are you serious? Could I be any luckier??

I am so glad that I have someone by my side to walk with me through the thick, thin, and bumpy. He is always there to turn a frown into a smile and crying into laughter. Art, I am so thankful for you. I can't say THANK YOU enough. :)

I love that smile and laugh...For all of you Mac peeps out there, please share any tips, tricks, and mad skills you may have. I'll take all the help I can get!

~Nicole

Samantha | Senior

2009-09-02T21:26:00.000-07:00

Sigh...to be a senior again. I remember all the anticipation, expectation, and excitement swirling around becoming a senior. It's your last year of familiarity, having been in school with the same people for most of your existence. One more year, and just outside those double gymnasium doors are endless possibilities.

Samantha just started her final year as a high school student, but she has already had a taste of the real world. Not only is she active at church and school, she is helping run the website for Natural Kidz. Can you say over achiever!? I can. And those are just the type of people I like haha.

Meet Samantha...

Brick by brick...

Um hi Sam, can you say workin' it?!?!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE...

Signing off...

Samantha, it was such a pleasure spending the afternoon with you! I can not wait to see what you accomplish in your life...I know you are destined to do amazing things. Follow your heart, hopes, and dreams, and all else will fall into place. Best of luck with your senior year, rock it out!

You say yogurt, I say, whowhatwherewhen!! Breathing not necessary. :)

~Nicole

Rosie Posie

2009-08-31T21:53:00.000-07:00

My German mother always envisioned owning a dachshund. She imaged having an adoring lap dog that would snuggle morning, noon, and night, AND hunt badgers on the side. Quite the contrary to independent, 2 year old Sandy. So we were off on a mission. Combing every shelter and dachshund rescue on this side of the Mississippi.

We sped down to the South County Animal Shelter upon hearing of a doxie up for adoption. We briskly checked in and made a bee line to the cage containing our new addition. We made it. Finally. Unfortunately, she wasn't as excited to see us as we were to see her. Two piercing amber eyes appeared from the shadow, followed by perfect sharp, white fangs, and a warning growl. Immediately I thought of sweet, innocent Sandy, and how this was NOT a perfect match for her. Or us. With silent agreement we slipped out the side gate, as to not offend anyone, and never looked back. We drove away with disappointment and heavy hearts, animal shelters have that effect on you.

A week later, we received a call from the San Diego Dachshund Rescue. They had a dog that was a perfect match for our needs. Without hesitation my mom accepted the offer and we planned to pick her up at the monthly dachshund meet-up. Yes, there is an extensive waiting list and application process for dachshunds. They are that popular. :)

We pulled into the parking lot at Harry Griffen Park with eager eyes, scanning the 25+ dachshunds running in circles. We were introduced to the most rambunctious one of all, Rosie. There she was, with a patriotic flag bandanna and unmatched confidence. We knew we had our hands full as we attempted to bring her home.

In the first few weeks of living with us she managed to remove a patch of hair from Sandy (who is 3 times her weight!) and eat a hole (the size of Texas!) in the couch. A new couch. Let's just say Rosie was less than welcome at this point.

It took months of unconditional love to coax out the softer side of this former street dog. She had been adopted twice before and was on her 3rd strike. Today, she is about 75% sweetheart and 25% thug. No, seriously. I wouldn't mess with her in a dark alley. Although at times she is selective about which lap she will snuggle in, Rosie is the lap dog my mother always wanted. Like most dogs, she needs attention primarily when you are busy. She now uses those amber eyes to convince you that she should be warming your lap, and not the laptop. Rosie always wins.

We later found out that she was the dog from the shelter that we so cautiously avoided. It's funny how things work out. The old cliché is true, you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover! I can't imagine my life with out her.

~Nicole

Marin | Newborn

2009-08-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

This beautiful baby girl belongs to Christine and Niko! Marin decided she wanted an extra week in the belly, which means mom had an extra week of hot summer days and back pain. However, I know she was worth the wait!

Congrats you two, I know you will be fabulous parents!

So peaceful...

Baby smiles are too cute for words...

Future cowgirl...
Thanks for stopping by!

~Nicole

Sneak Peek: Marin Nicole | Newborn

2009-08-25T21:50:00.000-07:00

Welcome baby Marin!!

Heading to the OC SMUGs on Thursday, hope to see a few of you there!

~Nicole

Shiny and New | Albums

2009-08-23T20:07:00.000-07:00

I received my first album! It is really amazing to see your own work printed and bound. AsukaBook has been extremely helpful and their album software is very user friendly. If you are looking for an album company you should check them out!A special shout out to Megan from AsukaBook for all her help! Thank you! :)

~Nicole

Love It | Photoshop and Cinnamon Swirl

2009-08-19T21:39:00.000-07:00

I am currently in the process of designing my website and have spent a lot of time with Photoshop. We have eaten countless dinners together and it knows what I look like with out make-up...we are that tight. Tonight I discovered PSHERO and it is rockin' my world. Nothing beats clearly written tutorials and hand holding through every detail of a technique. It is also a great source of inspiration! Thank you Hero!!

I am not sure if I love or hate the next item, but I will share anyway! The Cinnamon Swirl bread from Trader Joe's is THE BEST. Seriously. Try it and you may agree. :)

I originally purchased it to make french toast and let's just say it has yet to see an egg or a skillet. If I didn't have to jog for 30 minutes to burn off one slice, I may love it even more!

Happy hump day!
~Nicole

Lately | The 805 and Ansel

2009-08-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

These past few weeks have been a whirlwind...to say the least. My company had another round of layoffs and we lost 25% of our staff. For me, work has always been the most enjoyable when I am surrounded by great people. It has been really difficult to lose part of the family and adjust to working with a much smaller staff. To add to the fun, someone plowed into the back of my car on the 805 while on my way to work! If I had to pick any time to not pay attention while driving, the freeway would NOT be it. Needless to say, I am physically/emotionally dented, and I miss my colleagues AND mi coche. I know I just need to pick up my head and shine on through the storm...but some days it's tough. Things could be much worse on my end, so I am extremely thankful to still have a job AND be able to walk away from an accident. I am indeed blessed.

Ok, I'm done venting. :)

On a much brighter note, there is an Ansel Adams exhibit at the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego! Arthur and I cruised out there last weekend and it was such a treat! Ansel Adams had an uncanny ability of seeing and capturing light, and his black and white landscape photography is some of the best, even today. Although I doubt it was his goal, Ansel was one of the first photographers to successfully brand himself, having name and image recognition. You should definitely check out the exhibit if you have time, plus, Balboa Park is always beautiful.

I love the portrait of Ansel, it makes me believe he was content. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

~Nicole

Jasmine Star | The Workshop

2009-08-05T19:24:00.000-07:00

As I cruised home with the windows down and the refreshingly cool summer air tousling my hair, I realized how insanely lucky I am. I feel so blessed to have spent ALL day with the continually inspiring Jasmine Star, and 20 other talented photographers. I'm so glad I managed to weasel my way into her 3rd workshop, cleverly title The Workshop. :) It was a full day of branding, shooting, and Q&A. My brain is still trying to process all the valuable information and techniques...yesterday would have been a good day to be a sponge! For real.

Here is Jasmine gettin' her teacher on.....

Hair and make-up by the uber talented Vivian Tran of All Made Up Team. Not only is she really good at what she does, she is such a sweet person. I wish I could take her home and look this stunning everyday...

Melinda workin' it...

Vern's turn...

Love, love, love....

The group, what what! I can't wait to see what everyone is able to achieve! I wish you all the best!!

Vivian, thank you for making the models look hot as heck. :) It was so great to meet you!!

Vern and Melinda, thanks for rockin' the photo shoot! Does it hurt to be that good looking?! :)

JD and Millie, thank you for spending your day with us! You made everyone feel so welcome and taken care of.

Jasmine, thanks for sharing a piece of your heart. Yesterday was epic! Words can't sum up what an honor it was to attend your workshop, so I will sing it too....You the, you the best...you the, you the best...

Thank you!

~Nicole

Sylvia | Just Because

2009-07-29T22:14:00.000-07:00

Sylvia is like a tootsie pop, super sweet on the outside with substance in the middle. She possess all the qualities I admire most: Kind, giving, non-judgmental, humble, sincere, warm, beyond friendly, AND even has a sense of humor. (DC you are one lucky guy! :) In addition to planning her wedding, she will be starting law school at Columbia University this Fall. What, what!!

Sylvia, I wish you the best of luck as you embark on this new endeavor and congrats on your enagement! I feel so honored to call you my friend!

Yeah, she can brighten your day...that's just how she rolls...

Who couldn't love a face like this???...

Life is too short to not dance it out in public. Yes, even if you are the only one that hears the music. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

~Nicole

Niko and Christine | Maternity

2009-07-23T20:55:00.000-07:00

Christine was born to be a mother. I could tell from the moment I saw her glowing face and protruding belly. This will be the first child of the 4...err maybe 5, they hope to have. I can not wait to meet the mini-Christine next month. I had a really difficult time narrowing down to this select bunch! Here are a few pictures from the shoot last Sunday...

Click here for the slideshow!

I love the way she looks at him...

My favorite. I think...

Ok, so Christine must have been a model in her past life. She was workin' it the entire shoot! Simply gorgeous...

Thanks for stopping by!

~Nicole

Sneak Peek: Niko and Christine | Maternity

2009-07-19T21:55:00.000-07:00

Here is a little whiff of what I am cookin' up this week. Isn't she stunning!?!

David and Christine | Just Because

2009-07-15T20:49:00.001-07:00

18. That is the number of years I have had the pleasuring of knowing Christine. I never thought in a million years I would be capturing moments of her and her husband, yet, here we are. Not that second graders can logically think that far ahead, but still!

Christine and David met while studying engineering in college. Given the ratio of males to females in engineering, David somehow managed to climb his way to the top of potential suitors. :) They will be celebrating their one year anniversary this September! Happy early anniversary!

We were desperately hanging on to the last rays of sunshine, but managed to squeak out a few pictures. Here are a few shots from Saturday.

Life is too short to not have a mohawk!

So, Hurley looks pretty serious here, but she is honestly the sweetest bundle of love and energy you will ever meet. Her entire body greets you with uncontainable excitement!

Tough = studded collar.

Thanks David and Christine! We will have to give it another go...earlier in the day haha.

~Nicole

Lately | Wicks and The 4th

2009-07-10T18:15:00.000-07:00

Today, I revived my favorite look. Tired. Before leaving for work I admired my extra puffy dark circles, that appear to be supporting the weight of my eyes. One may say that I am burning the candle at both ends, but I feel like one of those ginormous (that is a legit word now, right??) candles with like 4 wicks...err maybe I have 2 candles, yeah, 2! Life has been moving 547 mph and my seat belt is buckled tight. I am so excited to see what the rest of the year has in store. I have been a bad blogger lately, my deepest apologies Internet, but I'm going to hop back on track. Honest.

Art and I headed up the coast for the 4th to visit his folks. It was a relaxing 3 days with no agendas or expectations. It was so good to see the family. Adden is 9 months now and I swear he will be walking before crawling, that's just how he rolls. Here are a few of his many expressions. Makes my heart smile.

Here is the view of Morro Bay from a look out on the way into Montaña De Oro, shortly after fireworks.

I still can't believe it is already July!? Ohhh, where does the time go....

Thanks, Mario for the encouraging words....I will definitely keep going!

I think some pizza, Arrested Development, and sleep is the rejuvenation I need.

Have a beautiful weekend!

~Nicole

Alejandro and Bianca | Wedding - Slideshow

2009-07-01T21:06:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I just put together my first slideshow in an hour using ShowitWeb. Are you kidding?! I literally just downloaded the software and followed the process. I'm not that awesome, it is just THAT easy. I'm glad I jumped on the 50% off David Jay offered last week. Worth every single penny! Thank you DJ!!

Without further ado, here is the slideshow!

Enjoy,
Nicole

Alejandro and Bianca | Wedding

2009-06-29T20:00:00.001-07:00

This weekend I fell in love. I fell in love with photography. I fell in love with love. And most of all, I fell in love with documenting love. I know, that is a whole lot of mush in just a few sentences, but it's true!

On Saturday I had the honor of helping David (Yes, I could be plugging your blog here...hurry up!) capture the wedding of his cousin Alejandro, and beautiful bride to be Bianca. Considering that this was my first wedding, I really had no clue what to expect. Needless to say, it was amazing. Here are a few shots...

Isn't she stunning?!

The roses smelled unreal...

One of my favorites!

Art captured the next two. Photographer in the making. Yes. :)

Sigh...love, love, love...
They are a beautiful couple...

The guests were asked to bring in a rock that reminded them of the bride and groom...

Bianca and Alejandro, thank you for letting Art and I be apart of your day.

David and Christine, we had a blast! Excellent idea!!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Nicole

Isabella | Newborn

2009-06-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

This little beauty belongs to Heather from my first maternity shoot. Yay! For being her first child, Heather was rather lucky. She only had to push twice! I hope I am just as fortunate when I have children. Here are a few shots...

Yes, she is less than a week old and already holding up her head! Ahead of the curve straight out of the womb...

So dreamy. I think it's my favorite....

Love the itty bitty toes and the squishy lips!
Love this one...

As I was blabbing about what poses and colors to use next, Isabella gave me the hand. I assumed this meant our little model was finished. Exhausted from peeing, eating, and sleeping of course...

Thanks again Heather! Truly a pleasure. :)

Mom, thanks for all your help picking out fabrics, holding AND making blankets, and executing ideas! You are the best!! For real.

Thanks for stopping by!

~Nicole

Sneak Peek: Isabella | Newborn

2009-06-22T19:51:00.000-07:00

A snap shot from today's shoot...

More to come this week!

Heather, thank you for allowing me to capture the beautiful new addition. She is a doll (pee and all). :)

~Nicole

PS: I squeezed my way into J*'s The Workshop..whoot whoot! Is it August yet?!

BBQ Master

2009-06-21T21:08:00.000-07:00

This weekend was just what I needed. Good food, good family time, and good laughs. We did the annual tradition of eating our way through the Del Mar Fair, and managed to not buy ANYthing this year. Well...except edible items of course...toffee covered sunflower seeds and wasabi covered peas! Totally addicting!

Today was BBQ....
..and my absolute favorite thing...nothing. Sometimes having no agenda is the best way to roll. We sat outside in the perfect 70 degree weather and reminisced about our favorite father daughter stories. This is one of my all time favorite pictures. Yes, I still dance like that and sport some mean pigtails. Don't hate. :)

Dad, thank you for your continual love and support, all the good laughs, and mainly for teaching me how to cut a rug. I feel so blessed to have such an amazing family. I can't say thank you enough. I love you!

~Nicole

PS: Baby shoot tomorrow. I'm beyond excited, I may not sleep! Mom, thanks for ALL your help!!

Lately | Up and Moo

2009-06-14T22:00:00.001-07:00

Life has been good, really good. My day job is treating me well, I continue to research photography and what it takes to start a business, and I feel like things are coming along!

Things that are making me smile. :)

This past weekend Art and I went on a date (yay!) and saw the new Pixar movie Up. I LOVED it. Might just be my new favorite Pixar film. It had a really sweet love story and an awesome journey. Go see it, you won't be disappointed. Promise. (Doug is my favorite!)

I continue to fiddle with Photoshop. Current project: collages. Seems simple, yes, but if you have never done it before it takes time! These are some outtakes of Vyanna's older brother during her shoot. He is such a cutie...

Annnnnd (drumroll please...) the collag-ing has lead to another project...a business card! I have fallen in love with the little half cards from Moo. Hopefully I will eventually have a legit website, but for now, this will do! Contact me if you want pictures. Holla!

What's new with you!?!

~Nicole

The Dream is ALIVE

2009-06-07T18:02:00.000-07:00

It is. Although foggy at times, I still hold on desperately to the glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. My photography vision is most often lost M-F while crunching protein concentrations, running endotoxin samples, and answering emails in my 5x5 cubicle. Sometimes it's difficult and exhausting doing both but, last week was refreshing. It started out with an awesome Monday and was brought up a level (or 5!) with the OC SMUGs. It was hosted by the continually fabulous J* and managed to bring in some of the finest photograhers Southern Cali has to offer (DJ, Becker, Bobby Earle, Gabriel and Carlie Ryan, and Dane Sanders to name a few!). Needless to say I was like a 14 year old meeting Mylie Cyrus. I did try to keep it together. Honest. But I do need to work on "getting uncomfortable" and talking to people. I tend to be....shy....

I did manage to talk to a few and it was really awesome to meet fellow photographers, both starting out and seasoned. For once I didn't feel so alone and it was nice to hear what SmugMug has to offer. Which means I gained another piece to my puzzle. I left there feeling like I could conquer the world...one picture at a time. :)

The one thing I am always in awe of is people following their dreams and being more than amazing at what they do. Imagine how amazing the world could be if everyone was able to follow their passion(s).

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." - Steve Jobs

Amen to that!

And since every post NEEDS a picture...

Thanks for stopping by!

~Nicole

Shiny and New | Good Case of the Mondays

2009-06-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

Usually Mondays are quite the suspect...too long, easily forgettable, and always seem to hold down last place in all favorite day of the week rankings. Well this week, Monday made a come back! I received 3 little blessings yesterday....

Number 1

My new baby knits from KnittinMama came in! I. Can. Not. Wait. To try them out. :) I mean, how stinkin' cute are these???....

Number 2

I also received my beautiful and oh-so-stylish Shootsac by Jessica Claire. Prior to this little gem I was carrying my purse around. Yes, I know...not functional at all! Now everything will be at my finger tips AND safely stored.
Number 3

Arthur surprised me with Adobe CS4 for our 3 year anniversary! Are you kidding?!?! Words can not explain how lucky I feel. Holla for the student version!!

Monday, this week you are at the top of my list, thank you.

Happy 3 year anniversary babe!!!

~Nicole

Heather | Maternity

2009-05-24T22:58:00.000-07:00

I was crazy nervous. So nervous that while parking my car and getting out I managed to push the panic button on the remote. Maybe that was really just my inside anxiety being exposed audibly for all to hear. Today was my second shoot, but first maternity session (thanks Suzan!)...I was 50% excited and 50% scared. I didn't really know what to expect, but after meeting Heather things just fell into place. Here are a few pictures from today...

My favorite...

Heather, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to photograph you! See, you are photogenic! I look forward to capturing the new addition next month!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Nicole

Beach Bliss

2009-05-17T20:39:00.000-07:00

It's been too long. For Sandy, it probably felt like years. It's not officially summer, but it feels like it in San Diego! Much to Sandy's surprise we headed to dog beach.

Ahhh...the fresh beach air...

Her first ever trip to the beach she was afraid of the water, especially being submerged...past her paws. Now, she is a little stud...

Yes, she would live at the beach if we let her. It's so hard to say goodbye...

I can't believe she is almost 4! It seems like just yesterday she was a little munchkin with crazy puppy eyes and an awkward stature...

I might, might, might have a maternity session next weekend. So excited! But until then, back to reality...

~Nicole

Cactus Wink

2009-05-12T20:45:00.000-07:00

I had the luxury of spending the entire weekend with my beautiful mom...hi Mom! We checked out an orchid/ceramic show at a local estate, had a fabulous lunch, and relaxed. I have never seen so many types of orchids, actually, I didn't even know there were so many variations in color and size. It was a "the more you know" moment. Yes, imagine that star zipping under. Thanks NBC.

Anyway, it is always nice to see the fruits of labor. I love that everyone is blessed in different ways. Lord knows I don't have a green thumb, that's for sure.

I couldn't resist posting this cactus. Such personality! I mean, he is winking..right?

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!! Thanks for always being my biggest fan. :)

~Nicole

Comfort Cookie

2009-05-06T22:01:00.000-07:00

I have so many questions. Too many. I wish I could be a fly and secretly observe a day in the life of a successful photographer. How do you start a business? Or maybe, how do you painlessly...err confidently...start a business? A part of me wishes that I could wake up tomorrow and be Nicole Glenn, Photographer. But then I would miss the journey. I wouldn't appreciate what I had accomplished (however big or small that may be) with out experiencing the blood, sweat, and tears it takes to turn a passion into more than a hobby.

Luckily I have daily deposits into my confidence account. One rare day I had a huge deposit in the form of a sugary treat! I mean, what better way could there possible be to receive uplifting words? I guess minus the calories. :) Anyway, of all the fortune cookies in the world I pick this one...

Or maybe it picked me. I imagine someone joyfully folding my special message into my little comfort cookie. Of course you believe fortune predictions more when they tell you what you want to hear, but I see it as a sign! In any case, it reminded me that I need to be patient. Which is something I have to learn. Sigh...

While I somehow try to fathom putting together a price list...like huh? people want to pay ME?!...I have another picture for ya! Meet Vyanna's older brother Ethan...

What a cutie huh? Capturing a picture of him wasn't as peaceful as Vyanna, but I busted out my ninja moves to keep up with him. He is like a tiny ball filled with energy...I hope I managed to absorb some!

Tomorrow I am taking a legitimate lunch break and meeting Art at Spices Thai. Yum! Phad Thai with Chicken, spicy level 3. I have worked up to that 3 thank you very much.

~Nicole

Birthday Boy

2009-04-30T22:12:00.001-07:00

It was Art's birthday this past weekend and we headed on up the coast to celebrate with the family. I was so excited that his sister and 7 month old nephew would also be in town. I figured I could devise a plan to smuggle him back home with me if I had a few days. :) I think Adden literally smiled and laughed all weekend...no seriously, every picture is showing off his toothless gums. Love it! Here are a few pictures...

Sampling the spring roll set up...

Doesn't he look like a professional musician posing with his instrument??

The scenery of the central coast is to die for. God blessed this area with so much beauty. I am so retiring here...I hope...

I also processed a few more pictures of Vyanna.

I love the itty bitty details..

I originally posted this picture in BW but I am obsessed with the color version. How beautiful is her peaches and creme skin color??!

This trip was the rejuvenation I needed. It was so nice to see everyone. Mini vacations with no agenda are the best! Happy Birthday Love!! :)

~Nicole

Vyanna | Newborns

2009-04-18T19:18:00.000-07:00

Today. Was. A-MAZ-ING!! I know it's been a while since my last post, but hopefully it is worth the wait. (As if anyone is waiting for me to blog...HA!) Work and ceramics class with my mom has been consuming the majority of my time and I haven't picked up my camera in what feels like forever. Today, balance was restored. :)

I had my first baby shoot!! YAY! My old boss recently had a baby and she gave ME the pleasure of snapping some pictures of her little angel. Here are a few pictures from today. Please say hello to beautiful baby Vyanna. (Love her name!)

My favorite...

She was absolutely wonderful. Fed, warm, and comfy...I guess she couldn't complain. I would like to send a special thank you to Tracey and Jon for sharing their little joy with me. Also to Carrie Sandoval who openly shares her photography knowledge and beautiful way of capturing babies. I hope the future is filled with many more days like today.

Thanks for stopping by!

~Nicole

Shiny and New | Butterflies and TRA

2009-03-31T19:39:00.000-07:00

I got my new camera!!! Holla! Art and I had some fun shooting in the (oh so beautiful) Cali sun. My favorite from the day...

The butterflies were everywhere, it almost seemed as if they were following us. Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating, but there were oodles!

In addition to my new camera, I have been getting cozy with Photoshop and Totally Rad Actions. I feel so naive that I didn't realize how heavily it is used. To think that I submitted my humble and un-photoshopped pictures!

My current project...save a poorly exposed picture! Art is going to love that I posted a picture of him :)

Before:
After:

Crazy what a little Photoshop and love can do! By the way, the butterfly picture is SOOC. I tried to edit it, but nothing looked as beautiful and simple as Mr. Butterfly.

I have a new adventure in two weeks, so stay tuned! Until then, I will be beefing up my photog skills, stalking my idols (Jasmine and Carrie), and enjoying Spring!

~Nicole

*Edit* - I had no idea how large the pictures are when you click on them! Holy cow, maybe too much detail haha! Note to self: Post smaller pictures. :)

Seventy-Two Minus Me

2009-03-23T20:46:00.000-07:00

I was 17. Anxiously checking the mail in hopes that the university of my choice would gladly and warmly welcome me into their world. I'm 24. Obsessively checking my email in hopes that my photos will make the cut. I'm not sure how many times one can click send/receive in 5 minutes but surely I set a new record.

1:39pm. The bold, unread, text of a freshly delivered email made my heart skip a beat.

"Dear Photographer,"

Weird, I definitely do not consider my self a Photographer, but I like the way it sounds.

"We have just finished judging the more than 2,300 fine images submitted by 520 photographers...to reach the final acceptance number of 72 to be hung in the museum."

That's what...3%?!?

"I regret to tell you that your images were not selected..."

My stomach ached, and it wasn't because I had yet to eat lunch. The remaining words crumbled away with my excitement. The day that had already been filled with set backs, felt extra heavy, and I couldn't help but feel deflated.

Maybe the other 519 Photographers are professionals! Granted I have only been seriously shooting (and by seriously I mean trying to take nice pictures) for less than 6 months and I still have oodles to learn! No matter how I slice it, my pictures will NOT be hanging in the Natural History Museum this summer. Tear...

On a higher note, my new camera is set to arrive tomorrow! Thank you federal tax refund. That is "thanks" for giving me some of my own, hard earned, money back!

I can't wait to have it in my hands.

And it begins…

2009-03-15T21:37:00.000-07:00

This feels foreign. I don’t even divulge many details of my life to the people who know me, and I have unsuccessfully started like 5 journals, but here I am writing and posting (hopefully) in to the black hole of the internet. Let’s see if I can keep this up!

I recently fell in love with photography and decided that someday, somehow, I will start a business. I know, I know, this is in stark contrast to my current career as a Biochemist, but maybe I can be both! It has a nice balance to it...I guess as long as I can do the balancing. :)

When I took my first DSLR out of the box and snapped the first picture I wanted to know more...I wanted to know everything! Since then, photography has been a hobby, but I realized I should pursue my passion.

With that said, this blog will document my journey following my dreams. I figured the worst thing that could happen is that this becomes a how NOT to become a photographer blog haha, if so, hopefully it spares someone else the heartache. I haven't decided what exactly I want to do, but as long as it involves me and a camera, I am content.

Alright, so yesterday I entered 5 photos in to the Best of Nature Photography Show at the San Diego Natural History Museum. I will hear back on the 23rd if any of the photos were accepted. Eek! It's weird to put my work out there for others to critique, aside from my parents and Art, who biasedly (is that a word??) love everything I do.

Here are two photos that I submitted.

Thank you to my parents and Art who lovingly support everything I aspire to do.

~Nicole