February 8, 2010
There are many wonderful perks to this job as a wedding photographer, but one of my absolute favorites things is that we have the opportunity to meet some really cool people. These are our first Aussie clients! We met up with Jackie and Andrew to do an engagement session for them. She’s also the woman behind the business that had the Amazon Cruise contest we won, so I felt pressure to do an extra good job on the photos. 
Hay muchas ventajas en este trabajo de fotografo de matrimonios, pero una de mis favoritas es que tenemos la oportunidad de concer gente increible. Estos fueron nuestros primeros clientes Aussie! Nos juntamos con Jackie y Andrew para hacer una sesion de engagement con ellos. Ella es tambien la persona detras de la empresa que tiene el crucero al amazonas que nos ganamos, asi que sentia la presion de hacer un trabajo extra bueno con las foto
Seba and I really hit it off with Andrew and Jackie. Or maybe I should I hit it off with them because I’m pretty sure Seba said a grand total of two words. He’s always the quiet one during sessions but this time since we were all speaking English, and on top of that their accent from down under is harder for him to understand, he was extra shy. But when all was said and done we had a really good time taking some pretty pictures in Providencia! Actually, it was so fun, that afterward, I was actually sad — Jackie and Andrew are leaving to go back to Australia in just a few weeks and I wish we had met them two years ago when they first got here.
Seba y yo realmente nos llevamos bien con Anrew y Jackie. O quizas deberia decir que yo me lleve super bien con ellos prque estoy segura de que Seba dijo un gran total de 1 palabras. El siempre es el callado durante nuestras sesiones pero esta ves como estabamos todos hablando ingles, y encima de eso su acento es mas dificil para el de entender, estaba extra timido. Pero cunado todo estuvo dicho y hecho pasamos un buen momento tomando fotos en providencia!. De hecho, fue tan divertido que despues de eso yo estaba un poco triste por que Andrew y Jackie se iban para Australi en solo un par de semanas y desee haberlos conocido dos anos atras cuando llegaron aca por primera ves.
This sculpture is new — and by new I mean, I hadn’t seen it before, which isn’t saying anything. I haven’t been to the park in over a year. But I loved the metallic bars for photos, I could’ve shot the entire session there, it was so cool!
Esta escultura es nueva — y por nueva merefiero a que no la habia visto antes, lo que no significa nada. No he estado en el parque en 1 ano. Pero me encanta las barras metalicas para fotos, podria haber fotografiado la sesion entera ahi, era increible!
This is a definite favorite. Jackie and Andrew were super natural in front of the camera and they just look happy together in every shot. Not hard to photograph at all
Esta es una favorita. Jackie y Andrewfueron super naturales en frente de la camara y ellos se veian felices juntos en cada foto. Para nada dificil de fotografiar
The Dr. Seuss tree in the background is so cool!
El arbol en el fondo es increible!
Seba busted out the 17-40mm for this one to get the super wide shot from the inside of these yellow statue thingys. LOVE how it turned it!
Seba saco el 17-40mm para esta foto para tener mayor angulo desde el interior de las estatuas amarillas. Me encanta como resulto
We’ve been starting to use our 85mm lens more for sessions. Seba always uses it during wedding ceremonies to get nice and up close shots in the churches or wherever, but we rarely take it out of the camera bag during a session. However, we decided that it’s such a great lens, it needs to see more action. Case in point — 2 photos below that Seba also took. He’s my little 85mm Jedi master.
Hemos empezado a usar mas nuestro lente 85mm en las sesiones. Seba siempre lo usa durante ceremonias de matrimonios para sacar fotos de cerca en las iglesias, pero raramente lo sacamos del bolso de la camara durante una sesion. Sin embargo, decidimos que es un lente increible, y que necesita mas accion. Como ejemplo – 2 fotos que seba tomo. El es mi 85mm Jedi
Then I asked Seba if he minded climbing up this thing to grab this shot that I wanted. I’m wasn’t quite tall enough to get up there.
Despues le pedi a Seba si le importaba subirse a una escultura para sacar una foto que queria. No soy suficientemente alta para subirme ahi.
So while he was shooting that, I stole the 85mm and grabbed this. The lens is MAGIC, I swear. Look how beautiful and sharp Jackie and Andrew look while the background is pure gorgeous bokeh! If you’re a photographer reading this and you don’t have the 85mm, GET IT. It’s one of only 2 lenses we own that’s under 1k but it completely holds it’s own with our L lenses. This is my favorite, favorite FAVORITE!!! They look like models with the wind blowing in Jackie’s hair like that!
Asi que mientras el estaba fotografiando eso, le robe el 85mm y tome esta foto. El elnte es magico, lo juro. Miren lo bella y nitida que se ven Jackie y Andrew mientras que el fondo es un bokeh maravilloso! Si eres un fotografo leyendo esto y no tienes un 85mm, lo debes tener! Es uno de los 2 lentes que tenemos que cuesta menos de 1k pero esta a la par de nuestros lentes L. Esta es mi favorita, favorita, favorita! Se ven como modelos con el viento soplando en el pelo de Jackie!
February 6, 2010
Just an update, I am in Las Ultimas Noticias this weekend. Buy Sunday’s paper to check me out or look at the article online here!
My picture is the biggest, although I do look semi-hideous, but oh well. All press is good press, right?
February 5, 2010
I am ridiculously proud of not only shooting this wedding, but being a part of it. Truly an honor.
Estoy ridiculamente orgullosa no solo de haber fotografiado esta boda, si no de haber sido parte de ella. Un verdadero honor
And because of that, you get 30 some photos That’s way more than the usual 20 that I try to narrow down to, but we shot for 12 hours on the wedding so I have more that I feel make the cut than normal. I know it’s a lot to look at but if you have a minute, scroll through — these wedding photos are worth it. Anita and Alan were pure joy. All day long.
Y a causa de eso, aca tienen 30 fotos mas 
Eso es mas de las 20 que uelo colocar, pero fotografiamos por 12 horas en el matrimonio asi que siento que mas fotos debian llegar al blog. Se que es mucho para revisar pero si tienes un minuto, revisalas — estas fotos valen la pena. Anita y Alan eran pura alegria. Todo el dia
I told you, pure joy. Anita was so happy to see more guests arriving.
Les dije, pura alegria. Anita estaba tan feliz de ver mas invitados llegando
Seba is amazing. I absolutely love this series he took of Alan.
Seba es increible. Me encanta esta serie de fotos que tomo de Alan
When Anita’s dad saw her for the first time his reaction was priceless. “You look so pretty! Seriously, gorgeous, DUDE, how are you so beautiful?!?”
Cuando el papa de Anita la vio por primera ves su reaccion no tenia precio,”Te ves tan linda! Oye, espectacular WEON, pero weon, como tan bonita!!!”
More pure joy. It could not be contained by anyone.
Mas alegria. No podia ser contenida por nadie
I think these next two shots are a good example of why Seba and I are a good team.
I get the big picture…
Creo que las proximas dos fotos son una buena representacion de porque Seba y yo somos un buen equipo.
Yo saco la panoramica
And he zeroes in on the details.
Y el se enfoca en los detalles
Yay! Picture tree! I helped put this up with Amanda (Anita’s sister and law and the first ever bride who trusted us with her wedding pictures). I have to admit, hanging those pictures was probably the only useful thing I did all week, aside from photograph, ummm, basically everything
Yay! Arbol de fotos! Ayude a colocar esto con Amanda (Cunada de anita y la primera novia que confio en nosotros para sus fotos) Tengo que admitir, colgando esas fotos fue probablemente la unica cosa util que hice en toda la semana, aparte de fotografiar, mmmm, basicamente todo
Awww, these made me cry again.
Awww, estas me hacen llorar denuevo
February 3, 2010
I am still coming back down to reality after Anita and Alan’s wedding in Voigue, a tiny island off of Chiloe. I can’t believe we got to shoot such an amazing event! Ever since we’ve been back, I’ve been blabbing to anyone who will listen about what an incredible experience this was.
Todavia estoy volviendo a la realidad despues de la boda de Anita y Alan en Voigue, una pequena isla cercana a Chiloe. No puedo creer que pudimos fotografiar un evento tan increible. Desde que volvimos he estado hablando a todo aquel que escuche que increible experiencie fue.
On Thursday, after Seba and I spent two days on vacation exploring Castro, we met up with Anita, Alan, and about 30 of their closest friends. We carpooled from Castro to Quicavi, another little seaside town, where we would take a boat to Voigue. But first, we had to load that bad boy up. When all was said and done, I was nearly certain that we would sink. I have never seen so much stuff packed into such a small space. I mean, pretty much the entire wedding, minus the tent, was being transported.
El jueves, despues de que Seba y yo pasamos dos dias de vacaciones explorando Castro, nos juntamos con Anita y Alan y unos 30 de sus mas cercanos amigos. Compartimos un auto desde Castro a Quicavi, otro pequeno pueblo a orillas del mar, donde tomariamos un bote a Voigue. Pero primero teniamos que cargar el bote. Cuando todo estuvo dicho y hecho, estaba casi segura de que nos hundiriamos. Nunca he visto tantas cosas empacadas en un lugar tan pequeno. Basicamente toda la boda, exepto el toldo estaba siendo transportado.
As soon as we arrived on the island, everyone set up their tents, we ate lunch and then we got right to work — and by “we,” I mean everybody else worked really hard and Seba and I photographed them working really hard.
Tan pronto como llegamos a la isla, todos instalaron sus carpas, almorzamos y de ahi todos directo al trabajo, y cuando digo “todos” me refiero a que todos trabajron muy duro y Seba y yo los fotografiamos trabajando
The entire wedding truly was a labor of love. Aside from the fact that Chiloe is already a solid 13 hour drive or more, by the time you cross over on the ferry, everything for the event had to be built from scratch, since obviously an island with 30 families living on it doesn’t have facilities to host an 150 person wedding. They made a big tent, with a floor and everything, built it from the ground up. They also built outhouses in two days flat. I swear, if my camera had broken, these Chilotes probably could have built me a new one. I have never before witnessed such resourcefulness.
La boda completa fue un trabajo realizado con mucho amor. Aparte del hecho de que Chiloe esta 13 horas manejando o mas, para cuando cruzas el ferry, todo en el evento tuvo que ser construido desde cero, obviamente una isla con 30 familias viviendo en ella no tiene la infraestructura para alojar un matrimonio de 150 personas. Hicieron un gran toldo, con piso y todo, construido desde la nada. Tambien construyeron banos en 2 dias. Juro, si mi camara se hubiera roto, estos chilotes probablemente podrian haber construido una nueva. Nunca habia presenciado tanto ingenio
Yes, that’s a refrigerator getting loaded on the boat.
Si, es un refri que estan cargando al barco.
The bride and groom want to get the celebrations started
La novia y el novio quieren empezar ya con las celebraciones.
The “cordero al palo,” lunch was roasting when we arrived. It smelled awesome.
El cordero al palo ya se estaba terminando de asar cuando llegamos. Olia increible.
Can you read that? It says, “Voigue, bkn la lleva,” or “Voigue, cool, it’s the best.” I completely agree.
Lo puedes leer? Dice, “Voigue, bkn, la lleva.” Estoy totalmente de acuerdo.
It’s like McDonald’s, except with cazuela (a typical Chilean dish) coming out the window instead of Big Macs!
Es como McDonald’s pero con cazuela saliendo de la ventana en vez de un Big Mac!
It rained on the campers the first night. I swear, I didn’t wake Seba up yelling because I thought our tent was going to blow away. Not me.
Llovio en la gente acampando la primera noche. Les juro que no desperte a Seba, gritando porque pense que el viento iba a llevar nuestra carpa. No fui yo.
The bride and groom’s tireless uncles worked long into the night with no light, trying to hook up the wedding tent with electricity.
Los tios de la novia y el novio trabajaban sin cansar hasta la noche, sin luz, intentando cablear la carpa de la boda con electricidad.
I’ll leave you with some of the beautiful scenery from Voigue. Enjoy.
Les dejo con algunos paisajes preciosos de Voigue. Disfruten.
January 31, 2010
We arrived in Chiloe on Monday night after an hour and a half plane ride to the Puerto Montt airport, then a 30 minute bus ride into the city of Puerto Montt and from there another 3 hour 30 minute bus ride to Castro, Chiloe’s capital.
I fell in love pretty much immediately. Even in Puerto Montt, commonly known as Muerto Montt (dead Montt, because it’s supposedly so boring), I blissed out sitting in the sun on a rail overlooking the ocean, watching about a dozen people swimming, even though I knew that the water must have been freezing.
Our bus drove us straight up onto a ferry, which took us to the island and as soon as we were on land, it reminded me of Ireland — the climate, the suffocating/freeing feeling that comes with being surrounded by endless expanses of ocean, the green and the windblown.
We’ve been touristing the way we always tourist — zero information, zero plan — just walking. Well, today we switched it up a little and went for a jog. But in between good meals we just wandered and photographed at our leisure. That’s how we always travel. That’s how I like it.
I’m writing this to you on Wednesday night, but by the time you read this we’ll have shot the wedding and have been camping with the bride and groom that we came for! I’m so excited! It’s raining right now, but with a little luck the weather will clear up. It’s been nice the past three days so I have faith.
In the mean time I’ll leave you with a picture. I don’t have Photoshop or Capture 1 on this computer so the Raw-Jpeg conversion was done in a free program and then I used the same software to up the contrast and saturation (Fast Stone Image Viewer, if you’re curious). But, my travel computer is a little bitty netbook so the screen is tiny, and on top of that, is currently uncalibrated, so I have now idea how this even looks. Hopefully not too horrible!
Anyway, citizens of Chiloe, you have been tilt-shifted!
January 28, 2010
I am going to try to keep posting some of these tips for brides once a week, until I run out of useful wedding hints! As I said in the first edition, don’t feel like you are obligated to do any of these things just because you hired me to photograph your wedding!
Voy a tratar de seguir posteando algunos de estos consejos para novias una ves a la semana, hasta que me quede sin datos utiles para matrimonios! Como dije en la primera edicion, no se sientan como que estan obligados a hacer alguna de estas cosas solo por que me contrataron para fotografias su matrimonio.
This week’s tip is 2 part, both parts, involving the groom.
#1. Tell your groom not to stress out when you’re late. Because you will be late. Trust me on this one. Seba called me so many times on our wedding day while I was getting ready that he made me cry. This is a pattern I see. The groom gets stressed when the guests start arriving and the bride is running late or when he’s by himself and things go wrong (and at least a few things will go wrong, trust me on that too) and he starts to call over and over and over again as if being the most annoying almost husband on the face of the planet is going to help her put on her white dress and veil any faster. NOT HELPFUL GROOMS! So my advice to you is to either talk this over seriously with your groom beforehand and warn him that you will be late, things will go wrong, but under no circumstances is he to harass you incessantly about either of those factors. Or your other option could be to have a quick and sweet little phone call a few hours before the ceremony to say, “I love you,” one last time as boyfriend and girlfriend, and then have your bridesmaids take away your cell phone.
El consejo de esta semana tiene 2 partes, ambas concernientes al Novio:
#1 Dile a tu novio que no se estrese cuando estes atrasada. Por que te vas a atrasar. Creeme. Seba me llamo tantas veces el dia de nuestro matrimonio mientras me estaba haciendo lista que me hizo llorar. Este es un patron que veo. El novio se estresa cuando los invitados empiezan a llegar y la novia esta atrasada o cuando esta solo y las cosas salen mal (y al menos un par de cosas van a salir mal, creanme) y empieza a llamar una y otra ves como si siendo el novio mas molestoso en la faz de la tierra fuera a alludarte a ponerte el vestido o el velo mas rapido. No ayuda !!! Mi ocnsejo para ti es, o lo hablas seriamente con tu novio de antemano y le adviertes que vas a llegar tarde, que hay cosas que van a salir mal, pero que bajo ninguna circunstancia tiene que llamarte y acosarte incesantemente respecto a ninguno de esos factores. O tu otra opcion es tener un pequeno y rapido llamado un par de horas antes de la ceremonia para decir, “te amo” una ultima ves como novio y novia, y despues tus madrinas de matrimonio se pueden llevar tu telefono.
#2. If you’re hoping for getting ready pictures of both of you, ask your groom to wait for Seba before he starts his grooming! So many times, no matter how often we’ve mentioned this, Seba arrives and the groom will be 100% ready to go to the church. Obviously there’s not quite as much there to take pictures of as there is with the girls, but when given the opportunity, I think Seba takes amazing getting ready photos. And getting ready pics is also one of my favorite parts of the day to photograph, so it makes me sad that Seba sometimes misses out on that.
#2 Si estas esperando tener fotos de ustedes dos haciendose listos, dile a tu novio que esoere a Seba antes de empezar a hacerse listo. Muchas veces, sin importar que tan seguido hemos mencionado esto, cuando Seba llega el novio ya esta un 100% listo para ir a la iglesia. Obiamente no hay tanto de que tomar fotos como en el caso de la novia pero cuando se ha presentado la oportunidad, creo que Seba toma fotos increibles. Y fotos haciendose listo es una de mis partes favoritas del dia para fotografiar, asi que me hace triste cuando Seba pierde esa oportunidad.
January 27, 2010
Life in Chile as an expat isn’t easy at first. Or even at last. There are challenges and trials and tribulations and all that jazz. After 5 years here, and probably a combined 30 years in Chile between my closest group of gringa girl friends that live here, I think I can pinpoint one factor that makes life happier. And unsurprisingly, it’s the same factor that keeps women around the globe happy in their relationships with their significant others.
Have a life outside your boyfriend/partner/husband/fiance. It sounds so obvious, but honestly, in Chile, it’s easier said than done. I’ve talked a million times about how making friends with Chileans is difficult because of the lots of factors (an untrusting culture, the fact that they go to high school and college in the same city so in general they keep the same group of friends from a very young age, it’s hard for a Gringo to read a Chilean etc). Many Gringas tend to cling to their significant other — it’s natural, you’re alone in a foreign country and he’s both the reason you’re here and the person who loves you more than anyone else on the continent, literally.
And Your So-Called Life outside your significant other will hopefully involve you pursuing your passions/trying to figure out what your passion is — not teaching English. Unless, of course, being a teacher is something you actually want to do. If you’re only a Meeees (the Spanishized way of pronouncing Miss and what profesoras de ingles are generally called by their students) because you think that’s all you can do in Chile, you’re barking up the wrong happiness tree, my friend.
I shouldn’t have made the title of this post so definitive because I don’t have the answer to all of life’s happiness in Chile or elsewhere. And I’ve said it before, if you’re a happy person in the U.S. or wherever you currently live, you’ll figure out how to be happy in Chile, regardless of the circumstances. But, I have definitely noticed a trend amongst my gringa friends — the ones that seem most well-adjusted to life here are the ones who have their own career, or a start of it, at least. I don’t think that’s because teaching English is so horrible. Well, it might be, I don’t know. I’ve never done it. I digress. I think that’s because if you’re teaching English because you feel like that’s your only career option. One of life’s biggest decisions has just been made for you without your input. Lack of choices make for very angry Gringas.
We grew up in the land of “You can be anything you want to be when you grow up!” regardless of how ridiculous that statement actually is. So to land in the country of, “You want to be a bilingual secretary? Only if you studied Bilingual Secretarianism! Regardless of your qualifications. MWAHAHA,” is a shock to the system.
But, finding a job in Chile, that will hopefully lead to a career, can be done. Or you can just start your own career, like me. Both take time, patience, hard work and a lot of schmoozing. And it’s worth it. Don’t sacrifice your own goals just because you’re in a foreign country. You’ve already moved away from your home country. That’s more than sacrifice enough. We don’t want anybody becoming a martyr, now do we?
Hey everyone, we are down here in Chiloe and LOVING it so far. This place really is magical, now I get what all the fuss is about. Tomorrow we’re off to a tiny island, aka The Land of No Internet, but I wanted to quick post about a good cause we’re participating in so that if you feel the urge, you can too.
The California Cantina is hosting an auction with 100% of the proceeds going to help Haiti. We donated photo session to the auction so go bid! The auction is tomorrow, and even if you don’t have a lot of money to spend they’re raffling off cool items too so you could win something. Plus, the California Cantina has some good gringo food if you’re into that sort of thing.
Details below:
TEMA: Beneficio en Ayuda para Haiti
CUANDO: Jueves 28 de enero, 2010, a partir de las
19:00 horas
DONDE: California Cantina Sports Bar, Las Urbinas 56, Providencia
AYUDANOS A ENTREGARLES UN POCO DE ALIVIO A LAS VÍCTIMAS DEL TERREMOTO EN HAITI
CALIFORNIA CANTINA DONARÁ A FUNDACIÓN AMERICA SOLIDARIA:
$1.000 por el consumo de cada Copa de: Vino, Pisco Sour, Champagne y Sangría, $500 por el consumo de Cerveza Corona
También tendremos una rifa con espectaculares premios y donaremos el 100% de las ganancias.
VEN A DISFRUTAR UN MOMENTO AGRADABLE APOYANDO ESTA NOBLE CAUSA
Más información (sí, se habla español):
SHELBY HIGGS, shelby.higgs@gmail.com, 09 811 4018
ADRIEN LOPEZ, adrienlopez@yahoo.com, 07 478 1273
DAN WORTH, californiacantina@gmail.com, 08 223 8298
January 26, 2010
I always wind up with a couple pictures every wedding and every session of Seba and he of me. I never know what to do with them. Now I’ve found a home for them on the blog.
By the end of most sessions, our clients have laid down, sat ground, climbed on things and generally acted ridiculous. So have we.
Seba couldn’t believe what I was doing with the dress. I made this face to show him that I’m perfectly sane.
Haha, Seba isn’t used to being with the girls during the getting ready process. He was scared
One of our lovely brides, Carolina, is a photography addict. So she had a camera during their whole session and she kept trying to take pictures of me! I believe she took this shot at the moment when I said, “Enough is enough! I’m here to photograph YOU, woman!” :P
January 24, 2010
MYTH.
People write all the time that they want to move to Chile because they wanted a “slower paced, ” South American lifestyle. That’s a lie. Nobody really wants a slow paced South American lifestyle. They want customer service and basic societal comforts to continue working as they would consider to be normal while they live a slower paced lifestyle.
To find a hostel in Chiloe we were hard-pressed. Lots of places had already booked and nobody was answering their phones. When we finally did find a place that looked quality we called to make a reservation. The person who does reservations was out to lunch. We called back two hours later, well after lunch time. She still wasn’t there and no other staff member was capable of making reservations. The person who answered the phone told us she would call us back later. The evening passed. We called again. The morning and then all of the next day passed. When we called again two days and about 17 calls to Chiloe later we were finally able to make our reservations. When things like this happen, I wonder if the people who want a slower paced life would get annoyed.
Nobody actually wants to sit at a restaurant and wait 45 minutes just for a waiter to greet you, take your drink order and then bring it to you another 45 minutes later. Nobody wants to have to argue 20 minutes just to get the mail woman to get out of her chair and look in a cubby 1 foot behind her. Nobody wants to have to chase their wedding vendors down just to get a few simple details taken care of.
Seba and I are house hunting. At one point we were prepared to buy and couldn’t find anyone to take our tens of thousands of dollars. Nobody could be bothered to be in the office during normal business hours. Since then we’ve been searching on PortalInmobiliario, the biggest real estate website in Chile. I have emailed or called about at least 30 places. Of those, I would say a grand total of 4 have responded back. I realize that this country isn’t known for it’s efficiency, but it actually shocks me that people who presumably want to sell their apartments, won’t take two seconds of their day to respond to an email. I don’t think this is what people mean they want when they refer to this so called relaxing and slower paced life.
So let’s get a few things straight. You want a slower paced life. But you do not want the peons who serve you to have a slower paced life. Because when everybody lives like that, things don’t work. FACT.
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- @emilyinchile, super excited, you and Rodolfo are going to look hot and I also can't wait to see the inside of our top secret location!
- @invisionphoto, thank you! It was an absolute blast to photograph!
- UGH. I haven't slept since we got back from our trip and my to-do list is still neverending. Post-travel blues!!!
- @iminphotos, UGH, so awkward! But I guess it's a feeling I can remember to try and NEVER make my clients feel like that!
- Latest wedding. LOVED IT! http://www.kylehepp.com/2010/02/alan-y-anita-voigue-fotografia-matrimonio-chiloe.html
- Wow. Just wow. I am HORRENDOUSLY awkward in front of the camera. And the awkward newspaper photographer did not help things.
