OC Photo Summit | Rancho Santa Margarita Photographer

Education is SO important to me, I spend most of my business dollars investing in keeping current and fresh.  I will be trying to pass some of my knowledge on in future blog posts - so stay tuned!

I attended the amazing Orange County Photo Summit last September and again this past weekend.  The Summit is held at Saddleback Church and is completely FREE!  They have top notch speakers and workshops and did I mention its FREE!!  Ok so investment was time but it stilled payed big dividends!  If you are in Orange County are look up the Photography Basics Meet up group at Saddleback Church- they have such great classes, everyone is welcome, and its always FREE!!!  Click here to join the meet-up!

Last year since it was my first time I sat amazed at the big name talent that was teaching.  Hanson Fong was the main speaker he is a Canon Master of Light.  He is a master of posing - Ah-mazing!  

I did a workshop with a local wedding photographer - David Do check out his site here (not that I'm doing wedding!).  David  is a genius when it comes to quick flow posing for couples.   These are some of the images from his workshop...

amazing window light

amazing window light

Studio Lighting...

Studio Lighting

My next workshop was with Rebecca Thatcher you can check her out here.   She had the cutest little models!  Posing was the big draw for me here also...its my weak link!  I think I am finally starting to trust myself and what I have learned! 

This year my hubby came along.  He enjoyed the Canon Master of Light Jennifer Wu you can check out her work here.  She does landscape photography and is an amazing artist!  And then there was Jasmine Star, I took a full workshop with her earlier in the week and have to say she is the bomb!  A wedding photographer with a gift of sharing her story and helping other photographers become who they truly are! (more in another blog post coming!)  Thank you Jasmine for opening my eyes and giving me direction!   

Jasmine*

I wound up not doing any workshops this time - just chatting for me!  I ran into an old friend and made a new one while I was there.  (girls watch for a new Hair and Make Up Artist for your shoots coming soon!)  

I will leave you with a few images my husband captured with his borrowed gear from Cannon - 6D with a 24-105L lens.  

Looking forward to whats in store for next year - it just gets better every year!

Gentry Family | Irvine Regional Park Photographer | Senior Photographer

"There are certain people in your life that no matter how long you go without talking whenever you do, you pick up where you left off. Or no matter how many miles apart, the distance will never change a thing"  Karen Kostyla

This is so true of Maureen and I!  Time passes because of busy lives then we connect again and we just catch up and pick up where we left off!Maureen and I met when we were 9 years old.  We moved to this new frontier called Laguna Niguel - it was LOTS of open space with some houses sprinkled in.  We both got jobs at Gemco (now the Target off Alicia in Mission Viejo) and thats where we met our hubby's!  They worked in mens wear and we worked in fabrics.  The guys became roommates - the weddings followed - kids after that and we just somehow lost touch.  We still live in the same town and catch up when we can and its always a good time when we do!

Last year about this time Maureen called to have me do Senior Portraits of her daughter Emily and a family portrait.  Emily was graduating from Trabuco Hills High School and going off to college soon.  Of course I was super excited for this shoot!  They chose the beautiful Irvine Regional Park for their shoot one of my favorite places.

This is Emily she is so beautiful!

Mom wanted one of Alise and Emily together in letterman's jackets - she had a plan for hanging her portraits on the wall!  I love that they are on the wall where they can enjoy them!  (we had to take a few without the jackets!)

I love this beautiful family and their super cute dog named Bodie.  I think Bodie was smiling for the camera!

Or maybe Bodie was smiling because he thought he could catch a peacock - they are every where at Irvine Park.

These girls are incredibly intelligent as well as beautiful!  Alise graduated with high honors from UC Davis and is now at Cal State Berkley.  Emily is just finishing her first year at UC Santa Barbara.

Ben and Maureen have a lot to be proud of with these girls!