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.
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- @dregonzrob, hahaha, eating wall paper, that's a new one. Dog whisperer dato coming your way :)
- @lanapuckett, when we get back I'll have to introduce you to @gabrielrodriguez, @sebamilla and @sebastiankaulen!
- @dregonzrob, you need the dog whisperer!!!
- Brian McBride is announcing his retirement from the game today. He will go down in history for me as my favorite U.S. player ever. LOVE him.
- Caroline and Tommy should probably stop being this hot or somebody's going to catch on fire. http://tinyurl.com/2feozcy
- Writing w/ @imnotobsessed tomorrow early! Love catching people up on their daily dose of gossip and I <3 @inosherry, my online co-worker :)
