October 29, 2009
I normally start out a blog post with client photos, talking about the client. In this case, forgive me, I’m going to talk about myself for a minute.
Living in Chile has not been, at any point, easy for me. I was assaulted on my fifth day here. I have been run over by a car. I still deal with being different, with having people stare at me, assume I’m a tourist. It used to get me down.
When we went to Europe, I definitely realized, hey, Chile’s not that bad after all!
But something else has made me feel so much better about being in Chile. I can’t say happier, because I’ve always been happy here — even when things were hard. But I’ve always felt a kind of anxiety, wondering why I wasn’t accepted, wondering if I’m in the right place. I don’t wonder anymore. I know.
With my photography business, I feel like I’ve finally found my spot in Chilean society.
My clients, wonderful people like Seba and Meme, don’t judge me for my gringa-ness. They don’t resent me for it or for being here. In fact, I’d even say me being different is even a big draw for them. I’m completely NOT used to that being a plus.
Chilean society is a closed one — because of the dictatorship, because of the distrust amongst the people, because of the geographic isolation, because of a million different reasons, but closed it is.
Being a photographer, especially a wedding photographer, has opened things up for me.
Seba and Meme searched long and hard for a photographer. They met with me but they had meetings with other photographers before and after. In the end they wrote me an email saying that they were going with their instincts and their instincts led them to me, that they trusted me and liked the way the three of us got along. That made me feel so very good. They could’ve said, we’ve seen a million other photographers and their work isn’t as pretty as yours, and I don’t think I would’ve felt nearly as thrilled.
Because that’s all I’ve ever wanted here in Chile – people who meet me and give me a chance, not write me off because I’m a gringa, but to go with their instincts.
Seba and Meme immediately opened the doors to their life and for that I am incredibly grateful. We’ve met up various times outside the realm of photography. We talk about anything and everything, I love hearing about their wedding plans and beyond. They followed our trip as I posted pictures, and we discuss traveling and seeing the world. We have fun together, not as Gringa-Chilean-Chilean-Chilean (I’m including my Seba in this equation as well) but simply as person-person-person-person. It’s nice. It’s something I’ve only experienced with two other Chileans here before, and that’s counting Seba.
I do have other Chilean friends. They’ve all been people that I’ve met through other people, or they’re my husband’s friends. But, it’s never been so easy with them. I always feel like I have to work my hardest, be on my best behavior, smile a little extra, just to win them over. In the U.S. it was never like that — making friends came easy. I’ve also realized that for me permanent life in Chile was an extra challenge, since most gringas here have the added network of being able to meet Chileans through work. That automatically gives you a common ground. I have that too now.
Because of Seba and Meme, and other clients like them that are so willing to get to know us, I love Chilean society a little bit more. It’s hard to get a foot in the door in this Chilean world, but once you’re in it’s a fun – crazy, but still fun — place to be.
October 27, 2009
Tengo mucho que decir sobre el matrimonio de la Meme y el Seba que vienen luego, sobre sus fotos y estilo, y sobre esta pareja encantadora, realmente les adoro. Pero lo dejo para manana ya que vamos saliendo para la playa mientras todavia hay luz!
Me encanta este set!
La banca magica…donde el Seba le pidio matrimonio a la Meme!
No pudimos resistir sacarles hartas fotos a los Converse rojos que llevaban puestos…un excelente detalle.
Favorita!!!
Otra favorita:
Aaaaaaaaaaamo esta.
Y esta para mi fue mi favorita absoluta de la sesion. Tan simple, pero tan romantica.
October 25, 2009
Intentamos coordinarnos para su sesion fotografica pre-boda. No resulto. Pero Courtney y Alvaro igual se tomaron el tiempo para juntarse con nosotros para que por lo menos pudieramos conocernos un poco antes del gran dia.
Nos cayeron super bien! Pasamos un rato en Starbucks, conversando del matrimonio que venia, del trabajo y de la vida en general.
Nunca, pero NUNCA, imagine lo que venia! Fuimos a fotografiar su matrimonio ayer en la Hacienda Santa Martina y estabamos esperando que fuera como cualquier boda preciosa — la pareja enamorada, la gente muy feliz…y listo. Poco sabiamos que esto iba a ser el mejor carrete del matrimonio que hemos asistido en todo 2009!
La Courtney se veia absolutamente preciosa y el Alvaro y su hijo, un mini-me de el que se llama Maximiliano, eran muy guapos en sus ternos. La hacienda tiene una vista espactacular. Pero al final de dia, lo que mas me dejo impresionada eran los familiares de los novios — lo feliz que estaban para estar ahi y celebrar el amor de Courtney y Alvaro, toda la noche. 
Para decirlo en buen Chileno, puedo decir con toda la certeza del mundo que todos que estuvieron con ellos lo pasaron la raja.
Cuando el Alvaro le pidio matrimonio a la Courtney tenia todo coordinado para que alguien tocando gaitas estuviera con ellos. Me encanto que usaron este mismo detalle en su matrimonio tambien!
El Papa de la Courtney vive en Asia y lamentablemente no pudo estar, asi que ella y su mama bailaron un “mother-daughter dance,” a una cancion que me encanta, I Hope You Dance. Casi llore mirandoles bailar con tanta felicidad!
Recuerden que les dije que el carrete era bueno..
Oh no they didn’t.
Oh YES THEY DID.
Bailaron Thriller con todos los invitados que estuvieron en la fiesta. Fue todo que pude hacer para no meterme yo tambien a bailar con ellos porque se veia taaaaaaaaaaan divertido.
Felicitaciones a Courtney y Alvaro! Me alegro que lo hayan pasado tan bien en su matrimonio, y ojala que sigan asi de felices en cada cosa que hacen para el resto de su vida juntos.
October 23, 2009
Just yesterday I got to write about photographing my mom and today I’m posting about someone else extremely near and dear to my heart.
Molly is my best friend. We met in college — toward the end, actually. I came back to University of Tampa, Seba in tow, and since I came in the middle of the year, I got assigned to a dorm with people that I didn’t know. For the first two weeks, me and my three other roommates didn’t talk much. Then my brother came to visit.
Anyone who knows my brother, Kelsey, knows that he’s a charismatic guy who can make friends with anyone. Up until that point I had been totally scared of Molly — she’s one of those girls that intimidates other females because she’s gorgeous and so smart and put together. But while my brother was visiting, one day I was out at class and I got back to find Molly, my brother and Seba sitting on my bed, watching Scrubs, eating Sonic hamburgers and laughing hysterically. Kelsey left but Molly and I stayed friends.
We lived together after that first semester in the dorms and she even came to see Seba and I get married in Chile — she flew out after the wedding sobbing on the way to the airport. Every time we’re in the U.S. we make sure to go see her or we all meet up somewhere, even if it’s only for a day. With most people, I say, we’re in the U.S., we’re in X city — come visit if you can, I’d love to see, but I already flew 6,000 miles from Chile so I’m not driving anywhere else. But to go see Molly, I’d drive to Alaska and back if she asked me to. She would do the same for me.
In August we met up in Chicago — and every time we see each other it’s as if no time had passed. Her boyfriend (at the time) told her that when we’re together we just disappear into Kyle and Molly land.
And now…this wonderful guy has proposed!!!! They weren’t engaged yet at the time of this photo shoot, but the whole time we were with them that weekend, I kept wondering when he was going to pop the question. It wasn’t a question of “if,” it was simply a question of “when.”
Ben found the right moment. He put the ring in a pumpkin and had Molly carve it. HOLY CREATIVE!!!!! I like Ben because he’s kind and cute and treat Molly well, but mostly because he’s 100% the right guy for my BFF. Ben makes Molly insanely happy, as you’ll below in the photos. And that makes me happy.
Just a casual game of pool…
But, Molly doesn’t mess around!
I wanted to post this picture because I love Molly’s ankle tattoo.
They’re perfect together.
These last two are my favorites. Because the light’s beautiful and so is Molly.
October 22, 2009
My mom is my best friend. If there’s anyone I can tell anything to and NEVER be judged, I know it’s her.
I am already having a hard time writing this post because I’m tearing up. I’ve written about her countless times in my blog but I feel like nothing I say will ever truly put into words the amazing person that she is and the relationship that we have. So much of the good that’s in me is because of her.
Of course most mothers are devoted to their kids, but I don’t think most are as completely giving and unselfish in a way that’s happy to do it. If she’s ever resented my brother and I for the sacrifices (and there are many) she’s had to make along the way because of us, she has never once shown it.
Tim, my stepdad, is one hell of a lucky guy. She’s the best. She’s optimistic and good and happy and beautiful and I love her so, so, SO much.
Oh, and did I mention that HOT DAMN SHE’S FIFTY YEARS OLD!!!! Hallelujah, those genes live on within me (I hope)!
We did the photo shoot at Haworth, where my mom works, and this session was actually a disaster. She was really uptight, I think because of being in the work environment. Her mood in turn, was making me snappy too, I think because when we’re together we’re too in tune — I cry, she cries, she laughs, I laugh. And then Tim, who’s generally extremely talented at making everyone laugh and feel comfortable, was trying to get her to relax and she was just getting angrier and angrier. Which Seba then though was kind of funny. Disaster, I tell you.
But, in the end, the results weren’t so bad after all.
I must say it again — HOT DAMN SHE’S FIFTY FREAKING YEARS OLD! I want to look like that when I’m 50. Heck, I want to look like that now.
Goofs. Pretty sure this was Tim’s idea.
Anyone who does a session with me is probably going to get their face cut off. Even my mom. It’s what I do.
FAVORITE. Looooove these chairs on the wall.
October 20, 2009
This hilarious video about Italians versus the rest of Europe made me laugh so hard because just in the week and a half or so that we were there I observed a lot of these cultural differences — though fortunately not the beauracracy thing. But, after living in Chile, I can only imagine the situation in Italy!
Thanks so much to reader Erin for sending this my way!
I am going to continue to call her Fned for internet privacy’s sake, but just for public record, I do know her actual name. It’s pretty and I’m not telling 
Seba and I actually stayed with the beautiful Fned and her handsome hubby Andre in France so we really got to know them well before this photo shoot…and it has to be said — I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. Sorry, I’m a little socially awkward sometimes, but seriously, this couple is amazing, it had to be said. I cross my fingers and toes every day that they move to South America. Anywhere. I’m not even specifically asking for a relocation to Chile, just somewhere in the general continent so they can come and visit us all the time.
Fned is actually a Mexican American expatriated to France, while Andre is an honest to goodness Frenchman, living in Paris. And they have traveled everywhere. They’re hands down the most well traveled people I’ve ever met. When we talked about having kids there was kind of a mutual understanding between us all — yeah, I’d rather spend my money on seeing all the countries in the ENTIRE WORLD before we get to that stage. I think we’re all on the same page.
But anyway, enough about how cool this couple is, let’s get to the pictures. Here are a few from their photo shoot in Paris!
I love Fned’s style.
I photoshopped myself out of the main globe thingys but apparently I forgot to photoshop out someone’s foot in the top of the picture. But when I noticed, I decided I kind of like it there.
SO romantic! When I told Fned and Andre to kiss to they did it con ganas! Asi se hace
The photo on the right was actually a misfire but I still like how it came out. The mistakes are always my faves.
Yeah, “Mariage” doesn’t actually mean marriage in French. But I thought it was cool to have them kiss under the words anyways.
These last two are my favorites with the big columns…both in/around the same location, but I like the totally different moods that they have, one with off-camera lighting and one without.
October 19, 2009
I’m still adjusting. Seba, not so much. He just …is adjusted. Always. To anything. Not matter where we go or what we do.
I need time to digest things and really feel them.
Like right now for instance. It feels so surreal to be back in Chile. Walking down the streets, I can’t believe we’re here again. Yet I am simultaneously feeling like we never left.
I think I need a photo shoot to make me feel like myself again. Fortunately we have 3 shoots + 1 wedding this weekend so I should be back to normal in no time.
Going back, for the past two years I’ve been busy busy busy with more work than I could keep up with. Seba too. Then all of a sudden CRASH — it all came to an end — with a literal crash. Getting hit by a car sidelined me and forced me to rest. I quit all but one of my blogging jobs. Seba had been voluntarily laid off from his job just two days before. But I didn’t have time to think about what not-working was like. Our house was filled with visitors, constantly in and out, to the point where I had to start telling people they couldn’t come over simply because I needed some time to rest.
Then I recovered and we went to Europe. I wasn’t working much because I wasn’t supposed to be. We were on vacation. I quit my last blogging job.
We came back to Chile. This weekend we came out to the beach house for asados and celebrations with Seba’s family. I sat in the sun all day yesterday. All day. And drank some champagne. And then sat in the sun and read. And then sat in the sun and played with Papi. And then sat in the sun and slept. It kept crossing my mind — shouldn’t I have something that urgently needs to be done right now? Can I really afford to be sitting here wasting a whole day without working? Isn’t there something I should be stressing about?
And the truth is that no — I don’t need to be stressing. For right now, we have everything pretty organized. We’re ready for the wedding season to start and we’ll be able to keep everything under control. We have enough weddings booked that we won’t get bored, but not so many booked that we’ll get burnt out. But above and beyond even that — we are in total control of our time. So whether we’re busy or not, we’re working because we want to. Because we said, yes, we will shoot a wedding on this date or have the photos ready by this date. If we want to take any days of rest we can. Our only deadlines are self imposed. It feels so good!
October 18, 2009
*Updated: Here’s a link, if you scroll all the way to the bottom you’ll see the little blurb they wrote about us: http://mujer.latercera.com/2009/10/18/01/contenido/28_570_9.html In the print edition there’s an aditional photo!
They say everybody gets five minutes of fame — well, it looks like our big moment has arrived.
My “fotografia top,” (La Mujer’s words, not mine) is published in today’s issue! It’s just a little blurb but they actually published both the photos that I had sent them when they said they were just going to choose one, so that makes me feel good.
So if you’re out around Santiago today, pick up Sunday’s edition of La Tercera newspaper to get La Mujer and you’ll see a familiar name!
October 16, 2009
I’m still not sure how much of the trip that hasn’t been shown on here already, I’m going to go back through and post, but I know I definitely wanted to talk about Brussels since we absolutely loved this city.
A long time ago, back when this blog was still JMCS pre-facelift, I wrote a post that had been inspired by an expat living in Brussels talking about how much she loved it and how the city was the perfect fit for her. I talked about how I think cities are like soulmates, we just have to find the one that’s right for us — and that somedya I hoped to find my own Brussels. Someone, unsurprisingly, left a nasty comment responding something along the lines of, “A spoiled little American like you could never handle Brussels.”
At the time I though, “Ok fair enough. She doesn’t know me at all and has no idea that no, I’m really not spoiled, but then again, I’ve never been to Brussels so ‘I have no clue as to whether or not I could handle it. No sense in arguing.”
But after visiting Brussels, I’ll just say this — it’s umm…not at all hardcore. Sure, they’ve had their political issues. Though, according to Cloe, the hot Belgian bridesmaid from Heather and NIck’s wedding who we’re staying with, while they were without a government last year, the average citizen’s day to day life wasn’t affected too much. Sure, there’s the ocassional “gangsta,” walking around with his pants down to his knees, rapping in French, hanging out at the skate park. Super hardcore.
And like everywhere in Europe there were signs all over the place warning tourists to watch out for the pickpockets. Totally understandable because I’ve seen tons of gringos wandering around with their purses half open or their cameras hanging out of their bags, completely oblivious to the world — much like a certain American girl I know when she first arrived in Chile. But, if you have ever lived in a big city, Brussels really didn’t feel the least bit dangerous. Of course, we only spent three days there total but Cloe tells us that while there are dangerous neighborhoods, the city in general is quite safe. It really makes me wonder what kind of experiences the person who left that comment must have had — if by some small chance you’re still reading, I hope you’ll speak up!
Anyway, Seba and I absolutely loved the city. Again, we could totally live there if it weren’t for the cold.
A lot of our first impressions might have just come from good luck and timing though.
We arrived on a Saturday night and immediately headed out to meet with Fned and hubby. It just so happened that a celebration called “White Night,” was going on (an idea copied from Paris). This meant that all the museums and public buildings stayed open to the public until super late and then there were also other “cultural events,” happening — like a fog machine in the street accompanied by techno music, or a display of old casette tapes with their insides ripped out.
The next morning was the marathon of Brussels (which was the original reason we had booked a flight but I didn’t end up running because my knees are still a little wonky and I hadn’t trained at all). I was so inspired seeing people coming over the finish line — they ended up in one of the most beautiful plazas we’ve seen in Europe so far, and there were tons of people cheering them on. Witnessing a few people finish who looked SO happy and proud of themselves — rightly so — made me more certain than ever that I have to run a marathon at some point!
We thought it was because of the White Night and the marathon that there were so many people out and about but again, according to Cloe, the city is always a pretty happening place. Truth. The next day, a dreary rainy Monday, the streets in the center of town were just as full.
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- holy aftershock. really strong. but blink and you miss it quick.
- @leonardofarkas donated $200 million and delivered supplies himself to #chilequake. Donate. http://tinyurl.com/yhetfb6 Chile needs you.
- @markdubya, we are at $556 so far. costs $980 to build one temporary house. There are people living in tents - people need to keep donating!
- @jorgeweigand, no me gusta!!!! igual da miedo cuando la gente ya esta tensa...
- @leonardofarkas, gracias por ayudar a levantar Chile. Eres admirable y ojala que la gente con plata aqui siga su pasos.
- @kgseymour, never a better time to order the Papi on the beach picture :P thanks for the RT!
