I have been utterly exhausted the last few days…to the point of falling asleep in front of my computer. Ugh…

But as promised, here are a few shots from the weekend. First up, Kimberly…

And some of the lovely Danielle…

I had a fun shoot yesterday downtown with a cool girl named Stacey. I will be posting pics from that shoot as soon as I get a chance to go through some of them. :)

Tomorrow, I’m gonna hang with Stevie and snap a couple, so stay tuned!!

It’s insanely late, I know…but wanted to recap the weekend before I went to bed…

First, let me say that I was busy as heck, but didn’t have as many photo shoots as I originally planned on. It’s a good thing…but slightly annoying when they cancel at the last minute. But that’s a rant for another post. It’s all good, though…sometimes things work out in the end.

Saturday was spent wasting gas driving up to OC for a photo shoot that never happened. Sad, I know…but I was able to have Mexican food with Laura Stein, who happens to live up there. It’s always pleasant to hang with her.

After making the insane drive back down (people are stupid and should just stay home during major holidays), I finally made it to San Diego and just chilled. Met up with Doug for dinner and contemplated the meaning of life and girls over Hefeweizen and over-priced food. It was good, though.

Sunday was chill, but nice as well. Spent the morning catching up on sleep and projects and then spent the ENTIRE afternoon with one of the coolest and funniest girls ever. Her name is Kimberly…and we were shooting some stuff for her portfolio that she’s putting together. With the aforementioned stupid people all over San Diego, hooking up and getting to where we were supposed to be was a logistics nightmare. We finally worked it out after a few of our plans went bad…and we took some amazing shots down by the convention center and then over at Downing Studios…we even managed to stop for a sandwich in the midst of all the madness.

I’m surprised she didn’t get sick of me after the 7+ hours we were together. That’s dedication for you.

Today was probably the coolest, but slightly emotional, day out of the whole weekend. Memorial day is a day we honor our heroes…and I spent the morning doing just that. I took my dad and my grandma to visit a couple of my heroes…we first visited Pipa over at Greenwood and spent some time under the tree. The few months that he’s been gone seem like forever. It’s still hard to think about the fact that he’s gone. We brought him a flag and some flowers and I spent a few tears.

We also drove out to Fort Rosecrans to visit Uncle Ron. Whenever I drive out past The Point, I always try and stop for a little while…but on Memorial Day, it is really a sight…the Boy Scouts had posted a flag in front of every gravesite…and it was really touching and amazing to see thousands of red, white, and blue banners billowing in the cool, Pacific breeze. Definitely was a special time for me this morning as I stopped and remembered. It’s amazing the stuff we forget and take for granted when we go through the motions of life.

My afternoon wore me out…but I had fun doing it. I got to shoot with one of the coolest girls…her name is Danielle and I have been wanting to shoot with her for the longest time. We made it happen today.

She’s from the Bay Area…and when she called me up and said she was coming down to San Diego for vacation and wanted to shoot with me, I was totally excited. She’s pretty darn awesome and we had a great time dodging waves (not so successfully, I might add), and snapping some great shots. The sun was a little iffy, but we got some amazing photos. Also had a great time just chilling and enjoying the view with her and her beau, Gavin. Really awesome people…and it’s just too bad they live so darn far away.

Anyway, i will post some edits from the weekend’s shoots tomorrow when I get a chance. I have three mid-week shoots this week and a video I need to edit. Crazy times…but no complaints. Keep it real.

So, as promised, here are a few shots of the lovely Erika. Again, we had SO MUCH fun taking these!

And I should add a, “Congratulations,” as Erika will be walking this Sunday at USD.

Woohoo! I remember what it felt like to be done.

Anyway, I’ll shut up now…enjoy.

I think my lack of sleep is catching up to me. But…three-day weekend, baby!! :) The marathon begins!

Actually, it began quite good yesterday…I had a photo shoot with the beautiful Erika last night at Downing Studios. It was the perfect end to a typical, boring workday. I gotta tell you, Erika is awesome. To say “I love working with her,” would be a lie because it’s not like work at all. She is a natural in front of the camera and can turn on the cute or turn on the sexy at the blink of an eye. So I guess I could say that I LOVE taking pictures of her. It’s one of the best things in the world. I’m glad the feeling is mutual and she enjoys having me take her picture.

Anyway, I would have posted pics, but after the shoot I was thoroughly exhausted. So…pics tonight. :)

So Erika was the first in a series of shoots this weekend. I have 6 more to look forward to. Can hardly wait.

My extensive girl watching experience as led me to believe that Texas girls are the cutest. I have yet to meet a girl from Texas that wasn’t hot with that sweet, southern charm.

Kelly Clarkson is no exception.

She sung her way into my heart 5 years ago…and I’ve been smitten ever since. I have a thing for girls that can sing…and she definitely can. ;)

But she has this sweetness that just radiates from her. How could you not love her? She sings and she’s cute.

And it’s for these reasons that I will overlook the debacle that is From Justin to Kelly. We’ll just blame it on Justin. After all, the very first American Idol can’t be blamed for what is probably the WORST movie in the history of the cinema. I have yet to see the whole thing all the way through…but I can only take about 10 minutes of it before I feel like throwing up in the trash can sitting next to me.

Besides, I know that goofy guys with fros are bad news.

So here’s a good reason to own your own car (or bike, or pair of roller skates), in San Diego. Not only is it tough getting around, but you have to deal with this…

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So, it looks like a bomb went off in our living room…but the good news is it’s just August’s crap all over the place. :)

For those of you who don’t know August, I feel very sorry for you…August is quite the cool guy. He was our previous roommate/inhabitant of NGS 2.0 and left for Alaska to help his parents build a house. It doesn’t get any manlier than that, going to build a house with your own two hands in the wilderness. But anyway…he’s back and visiting and it’s good to have him around, despite the pile of crap in the middle of the living room.

Friday, went out to Hooters in PB with a couple nice guys. It was good to hang with Dan and Brian and kick back a couple of brews and chew down some fried goodness. Lots of hotties…but the place was packed, so they were running around like mad. But we did see Courtney…

On Saturday, we shot Courtney at Downing Studios. Can’t post any of the pics, unfortunately, because they are for a gift for her boyfriend and I was sworn to secrecy…but believe me when I tell you they are hot. :) I’ve decided that I need a girlfriend that would do that for me. I’m currently accepting applications.

Anyway, Courtney is such a sweetheart and we had a lot of fun. The shoot ran longer than expected, but we still had fun. Good times.

Sunday was rather lazy…spent the morning editing pictures and stressing out…one of our VX-2100s started crapping out. Nothing pisses me off more than things not working when I need them to. I called Sony and apparently these random purple streaks are a normal occurrence and a known problem with the CCD…so needless to say, we were down one VX-2100 for the Village Church program tonight. We made up for it with my other palm-sized 3CCD cam and another backup…but I think we got some great footage anyway.

Brian, my dad, and I shot a choir program tonight at the Village Church in Rancho Santa Fe and it was quite lovely. I’ll be working on that one this week…my goal is to turn it around in a week. I totally think I can do it…that is, if I don’t get distracted. I can’t make any promises, though. :)

I’ll also be sending our poor cam to Sony this week to get that CCD replaced. We’ll need it in the next few weeks for end-of-the-year school programs coming up. Poor little guy.

Hmmm…what else?? I think that’s about it for now folks. Not looking forward to the “W,” But if I can make it through Monday, everything will be okay. I have lots of fun photo shoots with week with pretty girls that will make it all better.

So on Sunday, I was chatting it up with Melissa before the photo shoot and she had accidently left her phone at the club she was go-go dancing at the night before. We both wondered how we got along without cell phones back in the day. We depend upon them so much, it’s obnoxious. Everywhere you go, you see people yapping on their phones…driving, walking around, with those little Bluetooth thingies (which, by the way, I use with geeky pride)…but it’s ridiculous how much we depend on those things. I don’t know what I would do if I lost my phone. I think I would be lost too.

I was standing in line at Sam’s Club on Friday…and while I was waiting for the people in front of me to pay for their jumbo-sized cartons of whowhatsits, I was firing off emails…directions to the calendar shoot on Sunday, emails to models, prospective models, a client we are working with this weekend. Halfway through an email, I paused and looked around and realized I was standing in the middle of a wherehouse sending emails to people and I thought, “Hey, this is the coolest thing ever.”

My friend, Josh, recently picked one up this weekend too and has been discovering the wonder that is the Blackberry. How we ever got along without them is beyond me. I can email, text message, instant message, surf the web, and Google stuff like a fiend. What’s not to like?

Everyone is doing it. The craze is catching on.

So, I’m a little bummed…I totally missed the Hooters bikini contest this weekend…and I’m not bummed because I didn’t get to scope out hot women (I do that everyday…), but I missed out on seeing my pal and favorite Hooter girl, Stevie, take second place in the contest. Congratulations Stevie! (I’m stealing this picture from your page now) :)

I did have a pretty busy weekend of my own. After a fun-filled Saturday morning/afternoon with Lauren, I had a calendar shoot Sunday afternoon with Melissa and Windy. Melissa is a hottie I’ve had the pleasure of photographing before…and Windy made the drive down from Stockton to be in our calendar. Had an awesome time taking their pictures. Also got to work with the beautiful and talented Jennifer Rose. Definitely good times. Anyway, some visuals…

More in the Picasa Gallery. :)

Good morning! Or, should I say “Good afternoon?” Nothing like spending a lazy Sunday morning paying bills in your underwear. And if that’s just a visual you didn’t need, then my apologies. :)

Speaking of underwear, I got to spend another fabulous day yesterday with a beautiful woman. Lauren from Murrieta drove down yesterday to shoot with me. We had an amazing time, as always! She is such a sweetheart and cute as heck. We always have a lot of fun together …

Anyway, here are some shots for your viewing pleasure…

Isn’t she a cutie? Looking for to next time, Sweetheart! :)

Heading out for another fun-filled afternoon of photography this afternoon for another calendar shoot. More later!

Well, maybe just the hair. Haha. Don’t you just love blasts from the past? I stumbled upon some old pictures and thought I would scan them in for posterity.

I don’t know who would want to see them…but I think you will have a nice laugh. :)

First, here is my junior prom picture. My date was hot…but dude, what was up with my tux?

Then there was Senior Prom. This is me and my buddy, Tommy, awaiting our gorgeous dates. Or something like that…

Again…what is up with my hair. Hey, it was cool back then, okay!

Then there were the good, old show choir days. Here’s me rockin’ a solo out. Because, that’s what I do…

Gotta love the blue sequins.

And then, to end on sort of a sentimental note…here’s one of me and Pipa…

And yes, it’s really me.

Definitely good times.

So I updated the portfolio galleries with some new stuff. After the fun shoot at the Kragen Auto Show last week with the Zoom Girls…and the Super Bowl Bikini Contest at Nicky Rottens…I’ve decided to start an Event Photography portfolio. Right now it’s pretty huge…lots of fun pictures. I might have to make the event photography gallery it’s own slideshow. But we’ll see…

I’ve also added a behind the scenes gallery. I have lots of fun at my shoots and I think the pictures prove it. There are some candid moments, me looking like a moron, and other good times.

Check them out.

So I walked out of the office today and it was like walking into a huge blanket. Man, it was a hot one today! That only means that summer is almost here…and it’s gonna be a hot one!! :)

I even busted out my fan for the first time in a while. It’s 85 now. Phew!

Anyway, gotta get some stuff done…thinking maybe a little guitar before I have to run errands. i just finished goofing off on MySpace…nothing like a little good old-fashioned silliness.

Later…

It honestly feels like I have been up forever…which I know just ain’t true…

But the longer I lay in bed, it kept feeling like I was laying there forever…which again, I know isn’t true. I woke up at 7 this morning and I honest-to-God, could not sleep anymore. What’s wrong with me?

So being the productive guy I am, I woke up. I’m putting together some cute clips to post from OLD, old videos. There’s one of me untying Ashley’s bikini top (that one needs some explaining, but I will keep you in the dark for now…) and then there is the time Danny and I were on the Tonight Show for 2.5 seconds. It was the greatest day ever. More clips to come…when I have time to edit, render, and all that cool cheese…

Speaking of cool cheese…happy birthday, Flor. :)

Yesterday, I shot our Miss June, Deserae, up at Windansea. Both were definitely present…the sea and, uh, the wind. We had to keep shooting between the rocks to prevent hair flyage. But we had a great makeup artist working with us…one cool guy by the name of Miguel Andrisani. He made the trip from LA to work with us this weekend and it was a blast working with him and Deserae. Rayray’s hubby came along and expertly manuvered the reflector for some gorgeous light. I only have two edits to share since I’ve been exausted as of late. But here they are…

And here are a few of Miguel doing his thing…

Anyway, getting ready for round two, the second photo shoot of the weekend. Talk to you later…much to do, lots of crap to get together, all that stuff. See ya!

It wasn’t always roses, candy, and other sweetness. I admit, there were times I rolled out of bed in the morning and thought of doing the whole, “Mom…*cough*…I don’t feel well…*cough, cough*…”just to get out of 2nd period AP English. There were times when the days were SO lame and SO long. But you know, as much as high school, or even junior high and elementary school, sucked…it was always a safe place to be.

I could show up in the morning and my worst fear was failing a pop quiz in calc…not getting shot in the quad.

This is one of those “WTF,” sort of moments for me when I not only wonder what the hell happened to our society that our kids can’t even feel safe going to school to get an education…but how in the hell kids get guns in the first place…and then get ideas to use them on other kids. Sure, there were people I couldn’t stand in high school…but I’d never shoot them. That’s what the stinkeye is for.

So I continue to be astonished and amazed at how we as a society are falling apart piece by piece. Eventually, I hope our own stupidity stops rubbing off on our kids. I mean, for the effing love…at least give them a fighting chance to learn, grow…and most important…live.

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