Hipstamatic!

While it'd be great if I always had a digital SLR or a fun film camera with me wherever I went, the reality is one of the ONLY things I'm truly sure to have with me is my iPhone. The 3Gs and new iPhone 4 take far better photos then my old 3G, but the Hipstamatic camera app makes it fun regardless of quality! Here are 10 photos from my phone :)

1.) Flying.


2.) Timbers Game


3.) Seattle


4.) Amanda


5.) Columia River Gorge


6.) Laura at the craft store


7.) the sunshine state


8.) Oregon Brewfest


9.) airport in Texas


10.) Hollywood Bowl

Nina & Johnny

whimsical
Originally uploaded by SYeakle

Take one adorable couple, add the perfect cityscape, sprinkle with perfect weather, and a dash of vintage with an old electric piano. The result? A lovely engagement shoot!
It was a whimsical evening at the eastbank esplanade, perfect for another fall engagement shoot in good 'ol Portland, Oregon. Nina and Johnny were wonderful to shoot. I love that they chose to bring the piano too, to reflect a bit about them as a couple; I think Johnny is in about a dozen bands! All in all, a romantic set of fall photos!

Jess & Billy

photo BOMB
Originally uploaded by SYeakle

I had to choose the photo bomber for the main picture. I couldn't help it. What fond memories of a funny shoot. Jess and Billy met me out by the Rose Quarter to stroll beneath the steel bridge and create some engagement shoot magic. And magic is was when this guy DEMANDED he be in a photo for "the magazine". I don't know what gave him the idea that if I took his photo, it would be sure to be published, but here I am, publishing it online. I hope he sees in one day. In the mean time, I'm looking forward to taking MORE photos of this light-hearted couple on their wedding day next summer.

Molly & Kevin

MARRIED!
Originally uploaded by SYeakle

The mother of the bride was giving the most heartfelt speech at this wedding and I realized my view finder was getting blurry, yes, because I WAS TEARING UP! I'm thinking to myself "I don't even really KNOW these people, but I'm just SO HAPPY for them!" And I wasn't the only one! Matt and I both got a variety of tearful joyous photos, as well as just delightful candid photos, from this celebration. A DELIGHTFUL couple and thus a DELIGHTFUL summer wedding.

Speaking of Matt, I'm so proud of him! His photos just ROCK this summer! Sometimes I can't believe I'm so lucky to have found such a wonderful man to be my partner, and to top it off he's SO STINKIN' talented. I'm going to be posting loads of his photos with mine for Molly and Kevin on http://www.Facebook.com/SoManyMoments

Aaron & Kassi

shoes
Originally uploaded by SYeakle

Our first wedding at Bridal Veil Lakes! Although, this wedding was held at a private household right above Bridal Veil, it still gave us a taste of what photographing a wedding in the Columbia Gorge is like, and we are savoring the flavour!

Aaron and Kassi are a darling couple. Their personalities were expressed in such creative ways and some serious attention to detail! I particularly loved the old type-writer as the guest book, the variety of delicious looking cakes, & the photobooth (can never go wrong with MORE photos!) What a wonderfully thought out celebration in such an incredible setting!

10 Lovely Summery Things

I've come to expect and accept an ebb and flow of the universe, so while there is bad, there is always also good. Today, I'm focusing on the positive that the summer has brought me. Here are a few photos of small, delightful things I really like, all thanks to the summer of 2010!

1.) Seeing up Matt's nose when he takes my photograph with his Hassleblad


2.) Tie-dye colored peppers


3.) The random photographs in our building's lobby of the Rat Pack and the Godfather.


4.) Watching friends fall in love


5.) The streetcar stop RIGHT outside our new apartment with Matt's new store just behind it across the street


6.) Wine tastings in the Willamette Valley


7.) Shopping at the farmer's markets


8.) Big fancy dinners with friends for hours and hours of eating


9.) Winning lots of CA$H money at Boiler Room's pictionary night


10.) Drawing in dust

Abigail & Peter.

towering over the night
Originally uploaded by SYeakle

McMenamin's Edgefield is quickly becoming one of our Portland favorites. What a neat place! Boasting a brewery, winery, distillery, restaurants, par 3 golf course, movies, and more it makes for a beautiful, & character driven, wedding destination!

Abbie and Peter had a beautiful wedding here, complete with friends, family, dancing, wines that had been made right on site, and lots of love to go around! It was so neat to see the photos I had taken for their engagement session printed and framed all around the reception site! It was a wonderful summer wedding and I'm so glad they chose us to photograph it! :)

3 things I'm pretty wildly excited about!

1.) Matt is opening his new iPhone Repair shop in Portland! It's called Wired iRepair, and it's right off the streetcar line in NW! We will be announcing the grand opening soon, so stop by if you're in PDX! Also, check out the new website blog WirediRepair.com and watch us do to the store's build-out on FB: Facebook.com/WirediRepair



2.) It's SO difficult to describe the quality of the wedding albums I offer via e-mail, so I made this quick video of my latest one! I use the absolute highest quality products and custom design each and every layout to create these unique and beautiful keepsakes. After the amount of work that goes into them, I grow a bit attached, so this was a lovely way to say good bye to Brian and Tanya's album before shipping it off. :)



3.) Last night, at craft night, I painted some cheap kicks to remind myself of my FL roots. I even featured my favorite sea creatures in glitter! A shark and a seahorse, but of course! :)

Wedding Talk: The Group Shots

As much as your wedding is about you two love birds officially coming together as a couple, it's also a union of (and often reunion for) your two families. It's important to document their presence, as it plays a big role in your big day.

Formal group photos have been the preferred route to accomplish this for who-knows-how-long. The breakdown is simple: everyone lines up, girls hold their flowers at their belly buttons while the men fold their hands neatly. Then, everyone plasters on a big grin and waits for the photographer to count to three. But, it really doesn't HAVE to be this way anymore. Or at least not if you hire So Many Moments!

My goal with every wedding is to take the best possible photos for each unique couple's celebration. I strive to capture their style. And being that I'm so lucky, I keep getting fabulous clients with loads of style! (*knock on wood*) But, they don't always seem to know what they're "allowed to do". Is it ok to NOT do formal photos all together? Are there other options for group photos? YES and YES. You can do whatever you want! It's your day!

But really, why I'm bringing all this up in the first place, is to talk about how much time these photos take. Time that is inevitably keeping us from shooting the fantastic things happening that we can't always catch if our cameras and lights are positioned to take a formal shot. I try to encourage my couples to skim down their formal lists, in hopes that they will realize there is so much more magic in the actual interaction between their families and guests when they aren't lined up classic formation. I've also found that the playful moments in between the formal poses can be a really fun way to grab photos that tell a story with a bit more flavor.

A classic debate between Matt and I is the future and necessity of the formal shots all together. I believe they are important, but should be done in a fresh way. He thinks they'll fade out all together. What do you think?

I'm going to close with my favorite of Matt's group shots from our last wedding; only because this little girl that was NOT into group shots and it made for a wonderful one!



If you've hired So Many Moments for your upcoming wedding, and have some fun ideas for a less traditional approach for your group shots, shoot me a message and let's chat!

Have You Seen My Face?

First of all, thank you SO much to my friends who keep in touch with me via Facebook! I love that I can keep in contact with friends from around the world, especially past clients I've had the pleasure to work with! If we aren't connected yet, PLEASE join my page here: Facebook.com/SoManyMoments


And while we're on the topic... perhaps you have friends that are getting engaged? Or REALLY like their new puppy? Or perhaps you have a friend who is expecting a baby... or maybe they have always secretly wanted to have nude photographs taken? ;) I can take care of all that! It would be the absolute biggest compliment and my facebook dream come true if you could do one quick thing for me! Suggest my photography page to your friends!

1.) Visit Facebook.com/SoManyMoments

2.) Click the "Suggest To Friends" button right below the main photo

3.) Click your photo-friendly buddies (remember, I love to work ALL OVER the place, Florida, Oregon, and BEYOND!)

AND TA-DAA!!! You've magically made me the happiest photographer ever! Be sure to let me know if you do this for me so I can be forever indebted to your ridiculously awesome kindness. :)

Thanks friends!

Meet My 2nd Shooter: Matt Moore

For more then 4 years, the talented Matt Moore has been my other half on wedding days. As both my boyfriend and my favorite 2nd shooter, if you've booked a wedding with So Many Moments, he'll likely be snapping your portrait soon. I figured you should get a chance to know him, so I gave him a quick interview to share with you. I'm also going to post a few of my favorite photographs of his.


Do you know many weddings we have photographed together?
I have had the pleasure of photographing 43 weddings with you so far, with another coming up this weekend!

Our style of wedding photography is very centered around fleeting moments. Is there a moment in history you wish you could have been there to photograph?
The moon landings, of course!

How do you feel about film vs digital and the changes that have come about in our lifetimes thus far?
It is incredible. My parents were wedding photographers, so I have seen the change firsthand. Digital allows people to take chances that the average photographer couldn't afford to take shooting film. This has brought about the elevation of wedding photography to a critically-respected art-form. This is so exciting because it pushes photographers to take better photos, instead of taking the same posed pictures at every wedding.

What is your favorite lens?
The 24mm f/1.4

Wait, we don't have that.... Yet.
And once I get one, I'm sure there will be another one I will want more.

What do you like best about your job photographing weddings with So Many Moments?
The unpredictability and the challenge of a dynamic shooting environment. Oh yeah, weddings are REALLY FUN too!!


With my best James Lipton impression, what is your favorite word?
With my best Arnold Schwarzenegger impression, Analog.

What is your least favorite word?
Conventional.

What sound or noise do you love?
The sound of snow falling in the woods while skiing.

What sound or noise do you hate?
Early-morning: construction; pressure-washing; lawn-mowing; and rock-breaking.


What profession, other then yours, would you like to attempt?
Crew on a sailing vessel. I really love the ocean, and if I'm not near the mountains, I love to be on the water.

What does El Strobisto mean?
It's spanish for The Strobisto.

Brian & Tanya

miami vice
Originally uploaded by SYeakle

I met Brian more then a decade ago, in a friend's room that smelled of cigarette smoke. We were probably listening to Pearl Jam. A lot has changed since then, most notably that Brian just got MARRIED! His beautiful bride Tanya took his hand on the beach in North Palm this summer to tie the knot. Their reception followed at Lost Tree, my new favorite wedding location in South Florida. It was absolutely beautiful. The photos are fun too! Enjoy a few here, and as always, tons more on http://Facebook.com/SoManyMoments

Abigail & Peter.

cute shoes!
Originally uploaded by SYeakle

I had a truly lovely early morning engagement shoot this weekend with Abigail and Peter. They were so fun to shoot because Abigail seems to laugh at just about anything and everything. Her constant giggling and playful attitude kept the shoot fresh, fun, and easy breezy!
For sharing on Flickr, I tried something a bit different, and started the section with a "title photo" of sorts! Just playing with different ideas. Let me know what you think! :)

Smile!

I finally got my old d70s shutter repaired! And to celebrate I took these photos yesterday of the 10 things I did, and saw, that made me smile. :)

1.) LOTS of sunlight pouring in through my windows


2.) Finding a building as blue as the sky


3.) Getting my dad's old Nikonos in the mail


4.) Seeing the city skyline


5.) Not killing the plant I'm watching for a friend


6.) Taking free photobooth photos


7.) Seeing how other photographers shoot and what gear they use


8.) Public Transit


9.) Free drinks with friends (who doesn't smile when they hear FREE?) :)


10.) Japanese-style karaoke

Erin & JB

Jumping for Joy
Originally uploaded by SYeakle

Erin & JB tied the knot on Mt.Hood at the MOST LOVELY B&B I've ever been to. This carefree couple had a lovely outdoor ceremony/photos/first dance, and then everyone was happy to run inside a barn when the rain came to keep the party jumping! I've posted a few favorites on Flickr (& LOADS more on my facebook.com/SoManyMoments). Check 'em out! :)

Laura.

Capricorn.
Originally uploaded by SYeakle

My neighbor Laura is moving out (not to worry, she'll still only be a few blocks away!) so I wanted to take advantage of her big empty space! I do a lot of my own styling/hair/make-up, and had a really great time creating this look. Sometimes shoots with friends are easier, because I know they'll just do... well, pretty much anything. It would be neat to have clients come to me occasionally and just say "Here is a giant budget! Come up with something magical! Whatever you want!" Maybe this blog post will encourage it. ;)

Lawson.

Portraits with parents
Originally uploaded by SYeakle

Lawson's mama had really prepared for his shoot which made it such a breeze! She had coordinating outfits picked out and loads of ideas. It's awesome to really collaborate with my clients closely, as it ensures I'm shooting what it is they're looking for.

I love how this set has such variety; from Lawson playing in his room with his favorite toys, reading a book with mom, the dog licking his face, hanging with the parents out by the pool, and then the beach. My favorite shots are from right at the end of the shoot, when they gave him his cowboy hat. The weather turned for the best, and even though he was getting a little grumpy after a long session, I think there's something sweet about him crying in his hat and diaper on the beach. :) I really dig this set!

Daniel.

Dano
Originally uploaded by SYeakle

Take a hot sunny day in North Miami, add a camera in my hands, sand between my toes, and mix with lots of giggling, sliding, and swinging and you've got my shoot with Daniel! I got to catch up with my old friend Elena, Daniel's mom, while chasing around after her energetic bundle of joy. He was so much fun to shoot, as he just kept GOING! What a little mover and shaker! I'm really excited to share these! :)