{things that make me happy} family time

My family is pretty spread out. I was born in Missoula, Montana but raised in the Seattle area (Kirkland, to be specific. Heard of Costco Kirkland Signature? What, what!). I left Kirkland at 18 and never went back, off on my Montana college adventure. Needless to say, it was a bit of a culture shock. Smaller, yes. Less-diverse, yes. And wait, y'all don't wear seatbelts? I can jay-walk? There's no open-container law?! (There is now, but a mere nine years ago, there was not - outside of city limits, that is.)

After many threats to abandon Missoula and high-tail it back to Seattle, my parents forced me to stay (and a good friend talked me into giving it one more chance), and guess what? Things changed. I spent a lot of time with my family - the extended half. My aunt and uncle became my second parents, my cousin evolved into a brother. I took a lot of pictures, enjoyed coffee and battled some demons. Then, eighteen months into my "Montana adventure," I met the cheese to my bread, the sun to my shine, my future MOH - my best friend, Lacee. She got me to loosen up, be more outgoing and took me on her kind of adventures. She dragged me on back roads going way too fast (I thought I was going to die), took me to the fair (it's not that kind of fair), taught me about 4H (it's more than cows and pigs, it paid for her college education) and 6-man football (yes, it exists). Most importantly, she taught me a lot about family.

I love my family, whether they're related by blood, marriage or friendship. I love them more because I've learned it's not about our differences, our drama or who's doing what - it's about enjoying each other when you're together, especially now that we're so far apart. We live in Arizona. My parents live in Austin, Texas. My brother is in Missoula. Mike's brother lives in Portland, Oregon. Mike's parents are in Butte, Montana but his extended family is in Los Angeles. I have aunts, uncles and cousins scattered across Montana and Washington. Our best friends (who are very much family) literally live in every corner of the nation. So basically, I'm lucky if I see these people once a year. This year it was twice! Thank goodness for celebratory occasions. First, our wedding. Second, my brother's college graduation. Although those who couldn't make it were missed, it was still fun. Here are a few pics of the graduation party last month in Missoula and a little introduction to some more of my "family."

Left: Grammie+JC. Right: Yours truly with said aunt+uncle, my "second" parents.

My dad, JC's buddy Greg, JC and part of Mikey.

{travel recap} here, there & everywhere!

Whew!

It's been a whirlwind ten days, but I was able to sort through some of my photos today and do a quick edit to share a little bit of my trip with y'all...

First stop was Missoula, Montana for my big, little brother's graduation (he's tall, I'm short, therefore "big, little bro.") While we were there, he asked me to help him prepare for the big, bad real world with some headshots. He has a really hard time keeping a straight face, so I had to add in the "bloopers." I also snuck in a few of his roommates adorable daughter.

The next leg of my trip involved a second stint as an intern for Justin & Mary Marantz - this time in my hometown of Seattle. Despite an argument with a certain virus called the flu (grrrr!), I'd say the week was a success! Some of my childhood friends were gracious enough to come model for us, and I'd say they knocked it out of the "Water for Elephants" ball park. Not to mention a big shout out to my friend Bunn Salarzon, who drove all the way up from Portland to help us out!

And just for fun, here's a shot of the whole fam-damily after my big, little bro gradu-muated from college!

From left: Papa+Mama Bentz, "big, little bro," yours truly+hubby

Tucson Wedding Photographer ~ {cela+noah} married: primero parte

Need I say anything at all?

Gorgeous. Just gorgeous.

{Ceremony: St. Augustine Cathedral}
{Reception: Savoy Opera House}

 





tucson wedding photographer ~ when wedding photography info goes viral

I am a huge fan of Google Reader. Like, majorly huge. Every morning after I walk my dogs, I open my window, listen to the birds, sit down with a cup of coffee and read. It's cathartic, really. Kind of like sitting down with the morning newspaper.

There are a few photographers that I follow on a daily basis for inspiration, but it's inspiration that's mostly business-focused rather than art-focused. And honestly, if you took a quick glance at my Reader, a lot of the blogs I follow are actually writing blogs, not photography! Some of them are friends, some are just beautiful, and some are for a daily giggle or two, but the majority are for education. Whether it be wedding trends, "how to build your business" or Justin & Mary's awesome Pancake Sessions (side note: did I tell you guys I'm going to be their intern for the San Diego "Spread the Love" Tour??? So stinkin' excited!), I try to soak up as much information as possible every day.

On that note, as I build my business to bigger and better places, it is imperative that I continue to educate myself. In fact, apart from continuing to challenge myself creatively, it is my number priority. And apparently this week is the week for information about wedding photography because it's here, there and everywhere! Good, bad, and indifferent, there is a lot of information out there, but the posts floating around this week seem to be more of the former.

Because I think it's important that you hear (errr, read) more than just my opinion regarding wedding photography, here are a few great posts I've read this week that really clarified some more details concerning exactly what I wrote about the other day.

{Gia Canali}, a fabulous film photographer, wrote about wedding photography tangibles & intangibles.

{jennifer dery} put up a link to another site (which I'm now following!): Why you should NEVER skimp on wedding photography. And guess what? It's not written by a photographer!

Not from this week (or even this month, for that matter), but {why albums are important} - from the client's perspective (not my client, fyi).

Are there any blogs out there than inspire you? Teach you? Please share! I love new material. :)

Just because ... {I love this song} and am editing to it all day long today.

Cheers!
~di

{things that make me happy} introvert v. extrovert

At first glance, most people would classify me as an extrovert.

I'm a talker. A doer. An always moving-always thinking-always going kind of person. I laugh, I cry, I run, I play. I love checklists. I travel constantly. I enjoy being with friends - most of whom are quite loud+outgoing. I'm a type-A, oldest child through and through. I shoot weddings, aka LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE, for crying out loud...

But I'm not.

By definition, the true meaning of an extrovert is: "one who is energized by being around other people, who tend to 'fade' when alone and can easily become bored without other people around." When given the chance, an extrovert will talk with someone else rather than sit alone and think. In fact, extroverts tend to think as they speak, unlike introverts who are far more likely to think before they speak. Concepts just don't seem real to extroverts unless they can talk about them; reflecting on them isn't enough. So yes, at first glance, it would make sense to classify me as an extrovert. Me, the photographer of large groups of people. Me, the talker. Me, the always voted to speak for the group. Me, the "extrovert."

But I'm not.

I'm a thinker. An over-thinker, actually.

I am energized by my alone-time. I crave it, actually. It allows my brain to expand, accept all the things that are simultaneously thrashing about and categorize them as need be. It gives me the ability to relax, to stop going, and to just be in the moment. It allows me to re-evaluate, recharge, and then go again. I am not shy, but that in itself is not the definition of an introvert. Introverts are people who are energized by being alone and whose energy is drained by being around other people. They enjoy thinking, exploring their thoughts and feelings. After being with people for any length of time, such as at a party, they need time alone to "recharge."

Which I do.

I love weddings. LOVE them. Never get sick of them. But the day after shooting one, I am drained both emotionally and physically. Maybe it's the 50 pounds of camera equipment, the 16 hour day, or maybe it's just that I concentrate so much of my energy into thinking, doing, acting, shooting. It's focused on the couple. It's focused on the group. It's focused on producing quality images. It's focused on telling a story. It is totally and completely outward.

And it's exhausting. In an awesome, beautiful, wow that was a great day, I love my job kind of way. But exhausting, nonetheless.

Because I'm an introvert.

See ... I am the girl who's much better one-on-one than being part of a large group. In that large group, I tend to gravitate toward the one person I know and stay there. I have a few really close friends, but not many acquaintances. I am the girl who isn't afraid of public speaking - if I know what I'm talking about. I am the girl who will speak her mind - if I feel strongly about it. I don't argue unless I know for sure that I'm right. I think things through two, three or four times before I do anything. And above all, my favorite part of being a wedding photographer is the relationship I develop with my brides+grooms.

Because I'm an introvert.

Which is also what happens to make me good at my job. That relationship that {we} develop, that one-on-one, that trust is what creates beautiful images.

All of my energy that entire day, is focused on {you}. You are important to me, your photos are important to me, your day is important to me. Because hopefully, throughout the entire wedding planning process, we've become friends.

When you hire a photographer, be an introvert and focus on how you feel when you're around them. Are you comfortable? Are you nervous? Excited? Anxious? Relaxed? Confident? Forget price, forget time, forget packages. How do you feel?

Because you're not just hiring a vendor, you're hiring a friend. A friend who will be there all day. A friend who will be part of your most intimate of moments. A friend who is responsible for the one thing that will last forever.

So today, {what makes me happy} is knowing that being an introvert is not a negative. That it's totally okay to need to "recharge." That is a good thing to stop and think. That being alone is a-okay.

Because it's what makes me happy. And that's what matters.

~di

*Shot with my little Canon point+shoot. Hiking with my hubby+dogs to "recharge" makes me even happier.

Tucson Photographer ~ Resolutions x 2

Listen more.

Tucson Portrait Photographer ~ Sneaky Peeky: Family Session

Sneaky Peeky of a fun, slightly hot (as in temperature) family session in Sonoita, Arizona ...

Cheers!

~di

Tucson Photographer ~ Oh la la labrador

Oh labbies, how I ♥ thee.

Izzy: 3.5 year old lab mix ... most recent guess is german shorthair pointer.

Turk: {almost} 2 year old lab ... a rescue. Yes, I know, too good looking for such things, but true nonetheless.

izzy+turk+river+crazy trees = photo-happy dog momma

{as always, you can click on any image to make it bigger!}