Chad and Jamie's Wedding

favorite spot to shoot at the Marriot... directly in the road.

Last week I shot Chad Cordero and Jamie Moody's wedding.
An excellent group of people, some extremely talented Athletes (especially the groom who is a relief pitcher for the Washington Nationals).
The wedding and reception was held at the Laguna Hills Marriot. I don't like shooting there, but
I had a great time with everyone and ended up taking some amazing images. So there, take that!

Here's a look at some of my favorites.
Congratulations Chad and Jamie!

Cheers!

The "Moody" Godfather

Kurt Suzuki was one of Chad Cordero's Groomsmen.

Kurt Suzuki of the Oakland A's reacts during a toast at Chad's Wedding.

Chad Cordero and the new Mrs. Cordero on the dancefloor at their wedding

If your a Washington Nationals Fan, or just love Chad and Jamie, checkout more images of the wedding at "A Washington Nationals Blog"

L.A. Gear Flashback: "Sneak Peek"

Ok, so you think I'm going to far with all of these "Sneak Peek"s? Well maybe I am...or maybe I'm giving you a little peek into the future. Yes, I meant future...Because the past (as in 1989 and 1990) is coming back... every 20 years the style returns... whats next? L.A. Gear goodness, I'm excited!

When can I get my pair of these? And some shorts like those?
Who else likes L.A gear? Yeah, you guessed right... Mt.St. Helens Vietnam Band does. They just got signed today... which proves my point... the goodtimes are returning.

Light up shoes make hide and go seek so much more fun... basketball is amazing with flashing lights too

L.A. Gear shoes makes pumping 4 pound dumbells much easier!

Wear L.A. Gear apparel and BAM! You're popular looking like these young ladies.

I'm all about the "Sneak Peek"

This edition of "Sneak Peek" is of my new blog.
Its still being designed by Daniel Fairbanks. But this is a morphed image of the front screen.
It is scheduled to take over for this blog starting right after thanksgiving
I can't wait to blow your mind with a flippin wild page.

Here's what I'm looking forward to on my NEW blog:

•Larger image display
•Better layout, more personalized.
•Ad Space (for people/companies that want to Advertise on my page)
•Character, not just a blank page where I can write. The page will feel like a web persona of myself... or so I hope.
• Better commenting zones.

BAM! There you have it. Hope you can wait better then I can...I'm having troubles with this patients thing.

Audrey's Gritty Shoot: "Sneak Peek"

Alright alright, so I'm not supposed to post much about this shoot yet. But I couldn't resist any longer!
Audrey's having her 21st birthday in a few weeks and what better time to do a fashion shoot for her invites then now?
She wanted something gritty, but high fashion, rough, but sexy, something that discribes her in one image. We ended up shooting at a few undisclosed locations with scary people all over the place, it was really quite fun. Audrey just about froze to death and we both came out of it as happy as ever. I wish I could show you my top 10 images... But I'll wait a few days until all of the invites are out.

So headsup! There will be more!
Whats that? You want a birthday shoot too?
Well goodnews for you, my weekends are clearing up with the passing of that amazing wedding season.
Birthday shoots tend to be about making a statement. Its like saying happy New Years to me.
Its a shoot designed to show who you are. Be quirky, or stiff in an awkward way... I have a few great ideas... my first 2 shoots for this will be half off...half off of $40,000. Haha, just messin. Email me.

What'd you call me?

Me: "Hi my name is Samuel."
New person: "Oh hi Sam, its nice to meet you, I'm Ellen"
Me: "Elley! Great to meet you too!"

Isn't that a weird dialogue? Both of us made it clear what our names were, but both of us diregarded eachothers wishes to be called by our introduced names.

So I figured its about time to just drop a blog about this... its gotten out of hand and its given me shivers down my neck for too long and especially this week.

Here's whats wrong:
People keep calling me a name I can't stand. Its my name shortened. its the wretched "sam". Its the name that you name your big fluffy back yard dog, its the name someone once gave their goat when they lived next to us. Its the name that has haunted me since I was a child.

I had a theory in gradeschool. The people that I don't like call me "sam" those that love me and I'm close with call me by my real name SAMUEL... that theory didn't last long, because everyone became quick enemies with me for using the 3 letter name.

If your name is James, do I switch it to Jim right away?
When you introduce yourself as Andrew, I don't switch it to Andy.
If your name is Robert, I don't assume you go by Rob.
Rebecca-Bec?
Anthony-Tony?
Luis-Lu?
Trevor-Trev?
Amanda-Mandy?

I mean common, why try to shorten my name to this...If you want something shorter, give me a nickname, something endearing...or something harsh, I don't care what it is, be creative. So in the future, remember this post: My NAME is SAMUEL, sam might be a good name, you might know 100 sams, heck you might even shop at sams club... but when you're referring to me, its SAMUEL.

Eric's Groomsmen turn heads

Seems the hipster wedding internet blogging powerhouses are in love with Heather and Eric's Engagement Shoot and Wedding photos shot by Myself and Ira.

Way to go H&E, you're ushering in trends left and right. You're making the blogging world go wild with joy. Yes indeed, the Blogs are talking...

EAST SIDE BRIDE
Just started reading this blog. Very impressed with the style...unique. Stoked to be on it, thanks for the newly awarded photo credit!

SNIPPET AND INK
You've heard me drop good words about Kathrine and her amazing one of a kind inspiring wedding blog. She once again honored the Brother's Lippke with yet another great blog post...Yes, It is H&E making it happen again with their genuine unique style and quiarky antics. I love Snippet & Ink!

Shannon's shoot

I had the privilege of photographing fellow photographer; Shannon Leith tonight.
She was in need of some new images for her upcoming blog launch, so we set out to get her just that... I think we ended up getting more then that. I'm honored she would come to me for pictures and not just shoot self portraits like I do when I need pictures, Haha!

I also loved shooting Polaroids with her. You can see more about that on her blog HERE
We had a great time while working hard to get the images she needed, hope you like um.

Props to Ann Pacheco for the great hair and makeup!

Shannon, good work in front of the camera, its quite the switch from being behind it... Am I right?

Heres a sample of images to come.






Shannon's BLOG, she has some great images from Africa, as well as some sweet Polaroids up there.

The exciting and the saddening

leigh miller image

The Exciting!

This makes me want to travel to Jamaica. Leigh Miller

Engagement Slideshow of the Month. Ellen and Andrew

Our New First family elect. is Adjusting. NYtimes

Lebron is excited about Obama. NBA.com

Lakers ARE the best at least in LA Highlights

I want a Seagull 120 TLR

The Saddening.

Kim Jong-Il is a fake BBC news

Unemployment Rate sky rockets LAtimes

Ellen and Andrew's Shoot

Ellen and Andrew came knocking on my door for some superb imagery to document their love for eachother, advertise their upcoming marriage and to portray who they are and things they enjoy. I gladly agreed.
After idea after idea, we came up with an amazing plan! An afternoon Sunday picnic in the woods... It ended up starting to pour down while we were shooting, so the umbrella came in handy. I love these few images. There are plenty more amazing shots, but I can't show you too much, I want there to be some mystery for when they show you themselves!

+ I have a sweet SLIDESHOW coming tomorrow afternoon!

Enjoy!

Not all of my clients are this adventurous... but its nice when they're down for anything!
Here you see them climbing through fences per my request.

EastSideBride- Likes this shoot. See her post HERE

A Letter from Larry

I got a letter from Larry Cox from Amnesty International. I liked what he had to say.

Dear Samuel,

Waking up this morning was like waking up to a new era. That’s because many of us remember a time when activities were segregated by race, whether going to the movies or riding a bus.

And then yesterday, the biggest racial barrier in American politics was annihilated. By record margins, America elected Barack Obama the first African-American president of the United States.

Hope overcame fear. Ordinary citizens mobilized to change the future. This is the heart of Amnesty International. Since 1961, we’ve held out hope for those enduring injustice, when all hope was lost. And through the power of your collective actions, hundreds of thousands now enjoy greater freedom and a safer, more just world.

A record 131 million people cast their vote and exercised one of the most fundamental of human rights. But as Barack Obama said last night,

"This victory alone is not the change we seek--it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you."

We have a great opportunity. The world faces overwhelming human rights crises. But with your help, we can turn this country’s policies on human rights back in the direction of alleviating, and not contributing, to these crises.

An historic election.
A chance for change.

President-elect Obama has promised to restore the rule of law, to repair America’s damaged perception in the world, to close Guantánamo, and to renounce torture.

These promises bring hope. In the coming days, we will need you to help make those promises a reality.

Sincerely,
Larry Cox
Executive Director

Amnesty International USA

What do you think? Do you agree with Larry?

At the buzzer

My voting booth. Did you know that a woman was running for president? I didn't either!

The end is near: I experienced it for myself. The feeling was if I tossed my last shot at the basket in the NBA finals, as if I drove my last lap in a race or even threw the last pitch in the world series but it was all for this 2008 election.
I sighed a large sigh of relief after I dropped my ballot into the electronic vote "gobbler" which of course is my code word for a small machine that calculates your entire voice in the nations future. As I walked out of the polling place I had a huge weight off of my shoulders, I have done all I can do to help bring about change, I've pushed people to vote for Change, I've made myself clear and donated hundreds of dollars to help this country... I had done it all and now I was finished! Was I finished though? It then dawned on me... This change we speak about has just begun, my work has just started, I have plenty more things I can do for my environment, for my community, for my family and my country. My Job has just begun. Your job has just begun.
Politics are dangerous. Politics can sway people away from really partaking in reality, as if we rely on the politicians to do all the work for us, we just need to place our vote.
I've been reminded once again, it isn't Obama and Biden, or McCain and Palin that will switch this country around, its you and its I.

I'm relieved to have november 4th finally here. I'm sick of political signs littering the streets and arguments and debates taking over my life. I can now (now meaning when we get the voting results) shake hands in truce with my best friends and blessed family who I've disagreed with for the past 10 months.

Of course I voted for Barack and Biden, they'll be exactly what our country needs right now...of course I'll be behind whoever becomes our next president, besides, before being a republican or a democrat or an independent party member, we're all Americans, American's that want change.

Let the Issues be the Issue

Obama and McCain switched skin tones???

This is trippy.
I'm sure you read my recent post about how race is effecting this race,so to speak.
Well, I found this on thecoolhunter.net and it just made me laugh.
The elections are tomorrow, which means your vote is due tomorrow at 8pm.
The biggest election I've ever seen, read about, been apart of or contributed to... the journey for who will be our next president is just about over... But the journey of bringing our country back to the top has just begun.
See you at the Polls.

Being Vanilla Ice for a night

Last night was Halloween. I spent it with some legit peeps. A family of Pirates, A mariachi couple, an abusive wife (who ripped her husbands arm off), Cleopatra, A Mormon Missionary,A Cowgirl, A Professional luchador (Mexican wrestler),Snow White, A cavewomen, A Jabbawackee Dancer and a few other random people.

A fun night at Brittany's place and being in Vanilla Ice's shoes was really sweet, (dancing has never been more fun)...
Thought I'd share some images.
Enjoy.











On a random note... I found out that Halloween is actually Vanilla Ice's REAL birthday!! Thanks Megan Fate for the headsup!

Its all "About Face"

As you have seen in recent posts, I have photographed my friend Rita. The images are being used for promo and marketing for a launch to her brand New Skin line called "About Face"
I've been going to her for about 3 years now, anything I need, from facial's to stress reduction massages and brow waxing. She also does numerous things I won't get... Bikini Waxes,Permanant makeup, Microdermabrasion (Although someday I'll get the microderm). She is a wizard of skin care and a certified esthatician. So she's amazing and has what everyone that goes to her calls "An Angels touch" which sounds cliche until it actually applies to you.

BIG NEWS About Rita:

She hasn't recently moved to a NEW SALON. ("Chill Salon" on 2nd St. and Bayshore)
She has a MYSPACE & like I mentioned above...
She's releasing a new Skin Care Line called "About Face"

I haven't tried her new line yet BUT... I'm sure it is AMAZING! Anything that she trusts to be on her face, I trust to be on mine.

I'm so happy for her move to this new location! If you need anything that has to do with your face, contact her!!!

Tell her you found out about her from my blog.

Hey, its finally H-Ween!

I never thought this day would come. I feel like I've been seeing skulls in windows and the color orange for 4 months! I gotta say Halloween makes me sick. Why do we even make sure to do something unique on such an evil day? Oh, I hear you debating "No, Samuel, its not evil, its just an innocent holiday like St. Patricks day, or Memorial Day" my answer to that is THIS. Anyways, Halloween is the 2nd grossing holiday after Christmas, so maybe its what our economy needs...some holidays that everyone continues to work on. Isn't that consider perfect economy fuel?

So with that said, I'll go ahead and be hypocritical for a day, but mostly in regards to celebrating that the gross "Holiday" is over! In celebration, I dressed myself in Vanilla Ice attire and donned an attitude of "I'm the best and you all wanna be like me" so yeah... I'm having fun with it. Not sure how my studio guys are doing with it, but hey its just fr a day! (or is it??)


Audrey as Snow White

Noah as "Six pack Joe Tennis Player"
Jon as "Douglas Jamison"
Me "Vanilla Ice" (Circa 1991)
Luke as "The Last Samurai"