Starting now, I’m going to try and have a new portrait promotion every month. This first month, receive a complimentary Skinny Collage (5×30″) for any sessions booked in the next week!

Fellow photographer, Tony, hired me to take some updated promo shots for his business. We took them in and around his Laguna Beach studio on Tuesday. It looks like I may have found a new shooting location. Tony and Jasmine, the friendliest poodle, were both excellent subjects!

And I’d be remiss if Jasmine didn’t get her own moment!

We had a couple friends over for a calm, quiet backyard barbecue. Just kidding on that middle part. I don’t think calm or quiet really ever applies to us, and it certainly didn’t yesterday. Actually, we never even got to the barbecue part– we spent so much time playing that we ended up ordering pizza!

So you know where this is going, right?

Just in case in you haven’t seen the YouTube video or the commercials, we decided to play with Mentos and Diet Coke. This all started when we went to the Grand Prix last month. We passed by the Mentos booth in the expo and by answering trivia and kissing, won a prize– 6 rolls of Mentos. 4 of them came with the plastic tubes all ready for us to use. We’ve just been saving them for the right time.

After a initial single test, we decided trying three at once was in order. Andrew, Sara, and Mike each pulled the toothpick for this.

One went flying off the plant stand

Then Mike and Andrew decided to up the game a bit and try some mods. Their first attempt was successful– they got some great height!

After the initial success, they decide to get more complicated

But they failed

And failed… and then we ran out of supplies

So Sara and I went on a supply run to Ralph’s!

Here is their next attempt. I believe the whole bottle was supposed to blow up, but it just fizzed out.

Sara and I got bored off nothing really happening, so we took over and ran test. Which works better, Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi?

Clearly, Coke is the winner!

The guys try for one more mod. It also failed. There isn’t even a photo worthy enough to display.

Fez, needless to say, was unamused by our playtime. He does not enjoy being locked in the dog run.

We decided to end on a high note, with four at one time. Since one flew off the stand last time, we duct taped them all together.

So, I guess we’ll see how the lawn fares over the next week. There’s a lot of soda out there!

Around Christmas, everyone always says things like, “Remember the reason for the season.” I think it’s good to remember that today, too.

Ivorn and Jared were married yesterday at Westridge Golf Club. Their day was so fun– most of their bridal party had been getting married this year or will be soon, so they are all in wedding planning mode and played it up. Jared and Ivorn were ready for anything– but I may have tested that when we took a little adventure around the golf course just to get a shot. Maybe next time I’ll ask for the directions to go the short way?

Jared and Ivorn seeing each before the ceremony

This image has a little story behind it. This is pretty much the first wedding in Jared’s family. His grandparents, parents, and aunts all got married in Vegas. In fact, Jared’s father mentioned in his toast that they knew Ivorn was the one when they met her in Vegas! So Jared’s parents were living it up at the reception.

Here are a few more completed images from the Vinxi shoot

Tuesday I spent all day– and it was a long day– shooting for Vinxi Clothing’s new catalog and website. With nine models and more than enough “directors” it was a full day, and I came home exhausted. It was worth it, though, with some great images as a result.

Tuesday we had about 15 minutes to get some individual shots of two of the girls at the Vinxi shoot. These were taken while waiting for lunch to arrive!

I just read this quote somewhere and laughed for five minutes. I had to share:

“My cookbook says if I don’t have 2 eggs, I can substitute with 3 egg yolks. I don’t think my cookbook understands my problems.”

I spent this afternoon with friends at Andrew’s bike race. He race most weekends, but I haven’t had a chance to come out and watch yet. I haven’t shot very many sporting events, not since my track days. Today I was pleasantly reminded how fun it is, and it was a beautiful day up at West LA College.

The first couple are Andrew warming up before the race

The start of the race (you’ll note there is still a large leading pack)

Andrew

Keii (one of Andrew’s teammates) separating from the others

Looking down as they start up the hill– it was a fairly steep grade and they had to make it up twelve times

Andrew leading

and drafting

Friday I met Chelsey and Matt at the Fullerton train station. I’ve learned to like shooting in the downtown environment, so we walked around the square are as well and had some fun with the urban backgrounds. Then, we moved on down the street to Hillcrest Park for some more natural backgrounds. I am so excited for their wedding… but we’ve got a while to wait as it’s in January!