This Summer I met some really friggin amazing photographers who were local to me at a workshop in Orange County. I thought it was going to be a regular group of photographers- NOPE! That day I made friends with a badass group of CREATIVES & HOLY SH*T- I was HOME.

Earlier in the summer my Instagram buddy, this badass creative mama- Amanda Canton, who lives in Orange County organized this siick Summer Bridal shoot and little did I know it would be the beginning to some really rad friendships. I don’t think they could possibly know how much each of them inspired me that day or how much each of them made me realize where my place was in photography. These guys would soon become my little photography family.

So back to that time, I called Sue with RootstoWillowSoulshine who at the time, I was just getting to know her and we reached out to another friend Leanna with LeAnna Azzolini Photography . We arrived to backside of the Newport bay area and there stood 3 stunning models. Sue and I looked at each other- SO STOKED! We totally knew right away we were going to have a rad time at this workshop.

THIS WORKSHOP SUCKS! bahaha the coolest hashtag ever to describe the meets up with these guys. AND HEEEYY OHH HEEYYY I got to meet Melissa Rey that day!! Who if you don’t know her, she is a badass creative photographer that makes no apologies for doing her own thang and just making art. I have been following her for a long time and was stoked she came down and hung out with us too! And you guys, I say you guys like there’s this infinite audience or something bahahhaha , YOU GUYS!!! I made some really great friends out of this and I cannot even begin to explain how FRIGGIN cool and laid back everyone was too!!! I met Fatima Elreda, Jasmine Jeanette, Phillippe Villarubia & Zalmy Berkowitz & If you aren’t familiar with their work, UM .. you really SHOULD be! I’ve linked their Instagram profiles so you can just stop your life and follow THEM ALL!

I like love these people- LONG TIME .. xo

Here is the gallery of the OC Golden Summer Bride Shoot

MUA: Nicole Lynn

Bridal Gowns: Gypsy Bride

Models: Jorgen Makena , Grace Russell, Allie

Reclamation Design Co.'s Traveling Dress Project

I have had the pleasure and honor of getting to know and work with Trista, the Owner and Designer of Reclamation Design Co. She is an incredibly talented friend who creates beautiful bridal couture with amazing vintage lace. I really love the versatility of her work and the flexibility of her designs. She even makes these gorgeous dress in maternity sizes!! How can you not feel like an earth goddess wearing one of her dresses!! So back to the story, Trista approached me and ask if I would be interested in joining her team of photographers for this dress project and I was so honored and excited by it and nervous too! After learning of the names on her team I felt like there was ALOT to live up to. This is an opportunity of a lifetime and she asked me to be apart it! My heart was soaring with excitement.

So when I opened up the package with this gorgeous, larger than life, dress I could hardly contain myself. The beautiful vintage filet lace made your jaw drop! I had my daughter stand on our piano bench and hold up the dress so I could take a photo of it... In that moment, I got all sappy mama seeing my oldest daughter holding up the wedding dress... thinking someday will be the day she will be all grown up and we will be doing this again but for REALITY's sake..hopefully not for a LONG TIME..LOL .

Excuse the poor photo... Cell phone photo of Daughter holding up Reclamation Dress.

I had a week with the dress and it was time to hustle. Every day during that week here in San Diego the weather was just so uncooperative. I was hoping to get some golden hour or sunrise shots and that didn't happen for me. I had to work with what mother nature dished me. I text my girlfriend and we just made it happen.

I chose the cliffs as a backdrop because that terrain is just so unique for Southern California's coast and I just love the strength and beauty of the ocean, which to me are just wonderful traits to have. The day of the shoot, the morning seemed like gray skies, I figured, "ok cool, nature's softbox. We will work with it" And what do you know, As soon as we started the shoot, the clouds burned off and I got this super bright harsh midday sun. Well I guess you can't win for trying but we made it work. The light was changing as the sun dipped behind the residual cloud cover so it was interesting to see the change in light in my shots during post processing. Which made it flexible for me to decide if I wanted to edit with a moody preset or a lighter, airy preset.

My girlfriend had suffered some heavy heartache prior to this session so this was sort of her own way to release herself from the past and look forward to her future. She cried. I cried. It was awesome. She looked so carefree and stunning out there. Our time together that day reminded me of how beautiful the human heart is when you set yourself free from anything that holds you back and allow yourself to be happy again. How free and alive you are when you can see the best in the worst of times and not let those bad times define you. It was a day of gratitude and growth for both of us on so many different levels. The sun breaking free out of the clouds felt like a metaphor to something bigger, something greater.. Who knows. We just know we both just wanted to received all of that good energy we were feeling. I enjoyed seeing her pure stoke and beautiful open heart in these shots. Thank you Trista and Leilani for the sisterhood and friendship always. It is so nice to have such rad supportive human beings as friends and I adore you both so much! You believed in me when not many did. For that I have an abundance of love and gratitude. Without further ado. Please have a look at my Reclamation Traveling Dress Gallery . Please comment below on your thoughts on the series !! I'd love to hear what you think!!