Cup of Joe Photo

Wang / Chuang

Happy Halloween!! Halloween is one of my favorites holidays! Today I'll be setting up a huge Haunted House all day to make kids cry tonight when they try to grab a handful of candy. I think it's a fair trade, and the kids do cry. Ahhhh, the memories of childhood. So, while I'm scaring kids, you can check out my wedding from last weekend. It was at The Ritz Carlton In Laguna Niguel. The wedding was coordinated by the lovely Gail Garceau and the flowers were arranged by Nisie at The Enchanted Florist.

Book of the Week

In light of my 2nd favorite holiday - Halloween - this weeks book recommendation is "Freakonomics" by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. This book has nothing to do with Halloween, actually, but it is very scary (statistically speaking). After listening to this book, my mind began to view the world of statistics as a valid application for my business, specifically the time I spend on tasks and the power of incentives. This book is very easy to follow. The information that is presented is revolutionary. This book is a real mind expander. Enjoy!

Which is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool? What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common? Why do drug dealers still live with their moms? How much do parents really matter? What kind of impact did Roe v. Wade have on violent crime?

These may not sound like typical questions for an economist to ask. But Steven D. Levitt is not a typical economist. He is a much-heralded scholar who studies the riddles of everyday life, from cheating and crime to sports and child rearing, and whose conclusions regularly turn the conventional wisdom on its head. Thus the new field of study contained in this book: Freakonomics.

Levitt and co-author Stephen J. Dubner show that economics is, at root, the study of incentives; how people get what they want or need especially when other people want or need the same thing. In Freakonomics, they set out to explore the hidden side of...well, everything. The inner workings of a crack gang. The truth about real-estate agents. The secrets of the Ku Klux Klan.

What unites all these stories is a belief that the modern world is even more intriguing than we think. All it takes is a new way of looking. Steven Levitt, through devilishly clever and clear-eyed thinking, shows how to see through all the clutter.

Don't Worry Be Happy

Today, determine to imagine yourself happy. Use your imagination to understand that everything in your life is perfectly aligned, because it is. Whether you know it or not, everything you need for happiness today is determined by your attitude. I have often believed that more money, more fame, more possessions would make me happier. Don’t believe it. Start each day this week with an attitude of gratitude for all that you already have. You’ll find it increasing easier to be happy when you determine to be happy!

"It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about." -Dale Carnegie

New Orleans Legs

Three nights in "The Big Easy" during Mardi Gras gave us plenty to photograph. Maybe Parker and I will do a workshop there. Hmmm.

Robert Doisneau

"The marvels of daily life are exciting; no movie director can arrange the unexpected that you find in the street." -Robert Doisneau

Union Station Los Angeles

Sometimes you're just in the right place at the right time and you shoot the right shot...

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Ernst Haas

"A picture is the expression of an impression. If the beautiful were not in us, how would we ever recognize it?" -Ernst Haas

Spaeth / Goldberg

This beautiful wedding took place at The Four Seasons Aviara, in Carlsbad CA. Lisa Lippe and her team at Details Defined coordinated this luxurious event.

Book of the Week

“We shouldn't teach great books; we should teach a love of reading.” B. F. Skinner

Whoa, this book was an unexpected pleasure. THE LANGUAGE OF GOD by Dr. Francis Collins is a wonderful balance of science and faith. He was the head of The Human Genome Project and responsible for breaking the code of DNA (perhaps the greatest discovery of the century). This book for me was meant to simply broaden my perspective on life and science. I hope that you'll find it compelling too.

Dr. Francis Collins, head of the Human Genome Project, is one of the world's leading scientists, yet he is also a man of unshakable faith in God and scripture. Dr. Collins has resolved the dilemma that haunts everyone who believes in God and respects science. Faith in God and faith in science can be harmonious, not separately but together, combined into one worldview. For Collins, science does not conflict with the Bible, science enhances it.

The Language of God makes the case for God and for science. Dr. Collins considers and dismisses several positions along the spectrum from atheism to young-earth creationism, including agnosticism and Intelligent Design. Instead, he proposes a new synthesis, a new way to think about an active, caring God who created humankind through evolutionary processes.

He explains his own journey from atheism to faith, and then takes listeners on a stunning tour of modern science to show that physics, chemistry, and biology can all fit together with belief in God and the Bible. The Language of God is essential for anyone who wonders about the deepest questions of all: Why are we here? How did we get here? And what does life mean?

Follow your Passion

Today, take some time to really think about the direction of your life. Are you happy with the career you’ve chosen? Would you change it if you could? You have the power to create your dream job. Write down what you really want to be doing and tell somebody your goals. If however you’re happy, keep doing what you love!

"Are you bored with life? Then throw yourself into some work you believe in with all your heart, live for it, die for it, and you will find happiness that you had thought could never be yours." -Dale Carnegie

New Orleans Infrared

The devastation after Katrina was so much more than I expected. I literally felt sick for the 3 days we were shooting there. However, I look back and I realize that it was one one the most important photographic experiences I've ever had. It has made an indelible mark on my soul that I shall never forget.

Annie Leibovitz

"When you are younger, the camera is like a friend and you can go places and feel like you're with someone, like you have a companion." -Annie Leibovitz

Basketball Hoops

These hoops were standing on a playground in a New Orleans suburb. The park had sustained some very high winds and there was a lot of debris around. There were absolutely no children around to play. This tweaked shot represents how I felt in the lonely playground.

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Robert Mapplethorpe

"The more pictures you see, the better you are as a photographer." -Robert Mapplethorpe

Massone / Redmond

I shot this extraordinary wedding on August 11th, 2006 at The Montage Resort and Spa. Jeannie Savage and her team at Details Details coordinated the event seamlessly. The floral design was meticulously arranged by Christopher Aldama at Fiori Fresco. High-def video was recorded by Elysium Productions. This was a super fun and flawless day!

Book of the Week

As today is Becker's official birthday, I'm dedicating this book recommendation in his honor. THE AUTOMATIC MILLIONAIRE HOMEOWNER by David Bach is an awesome book for anyone who is renting. According to a 2003 report by the Federal Reserve, the average homeowner is 34 TIMES RICHER than the average renter! Read (or listen) to the book and change the course of your life. Becker did, and you can too!

In The Automatic Millionaire, David Bach shares the secret to becoming a millionaire.

The Automatic Millionaire starts with the powerful story of an average American couple (he's a low-level manager, she's a beautician), whose joint income never exceeds $55,000 a year, who somehow manage to own two homes debt-free, put two kids through college, and retire at 55 with more than $1 million in savings. Through their story you'll learn the surprising fact that you cannot get rich with a budget! You must have a plan to pay yourself that is totally automatic, a plan that will automatically secure your future and pay for your present.

What Makes The Automatic Millionaire unique:

You don't need to make a lot of money
You don't need a budget
You don't need willpower
You don't need to be that interested in money
You can set up the plan in an hour This one little audiobook has the power to secure your financial future. Do it once, the rest is automatic!

Happiness for all

Sundays are beautiful. I usually go to church and relax a bit. Today, I was totally inspired by a guest pastor at our church. He really rocked me. He is a tremendously talented speaker. One of the very best I've ever seen. He inspired me to become the best public speaker I can be. I'm coming to find out that I'm happy when I'm inspiring others. This pastor made me happy, and many others this morning. Today, perhaps you can make some time to shine a little sunshine on someone in your life. Be a blessing to others, it will always come back to you in joy.

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” Buddha

“Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” Abraham Lincoln

Aruba

While in Aruba, I just couldn't pass up capturing this peaceful scene. Photography helps me remember how blessed I am to travel to so many gorgeous places.

Herb Ritts

"I think a lot of the time these days people are so concerned about having the right camera and the right film and the right lenses and all the special effects that go along with it, even the computer, that they're missing the key element." -Herb Ritts

Phoenix Renaisance

Jousting is an old time sport. I tweaked this image to reflect it's place in history.

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Irving Penn

"A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective." -Irving Penn

Miller / Jackson Wedding

This was a totally fun wedding. It all took place at The Laguna Cliffs Marriot in Dana Point CA. The wedding coordination was done by Carolyn Chen and her team at The Special Day. The beautiful flowers were arranged by Square Root. Daniel Boswell of dvArtistry did the most insane video edit of the day (I've ever seen) to project during the reception. Finally, how many weddings does The Amazing Spiderman show up to? Really? Enjoy!

Book of the Week

This book rocked my a few of my friends! It's so good, I've listened to it a few times. THE E-MYTH REVISITED is a must read if you have your own business. It's especially important if you're just starting your business. The author gets right down to it from the start. He explains why so many small businesses fail and he gives you a map to build and start thinking of your company as a "World Class" business.
Let me know what you think!

In this audio edition of the totally revised underground bestseller, The E-Myth, Michael Gerber dispels the myths surrounding starting your own business and shows how commonplace assumptions can get in the way of running a business. He walks you through the steps in the life of a business, from entrepreneurial infancy, through adolescent growing pains, to the mature entrepreneurial perspective, the guiding light of all businesses that succeed, and shows how to apply the lessons of franchising to any business, whether or not it is a franchise. Finally, Gerber draws the vital, often overlooked distinction between working on your business and working in your business. After you have listened to The E-Myth Revisited, you will truly be able to grow your business in a predictable and productive way.

Be an Observer

Sunday again. I recently took my daughter Mikayla to a couple of art galleries. She's twelve now and we had a blast talking to one another about our favorite pieces in each gallery. We were both inspired and encouraged. This week, take a loved one to a gallery. Connect with one another and enjoy the experience!

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”
Thomas Merton

Infrared Maui

While I travel for weddings, I make it a habit to shoot images for myself. Specifically landscape images. I love to shoot infrared for tropical island settings. These were scenes I came across as I drove around the island. I had to break my rental car agreement (if you know what I mean) to get the shot of this remote church. I do whatever it takes to get cool shots. Don't be safe while capturing your images (unless you're traveling with small children or a very pregnant spouse), they're just potholes on a very narrow road...

Edward Weston

"Photography suits the temper of this age - of active bodies and minds. It is a perfect medium for one whose mind is teeming with ideas, imagery, for a prolific worker who would be slowed down by painting or sculpting, for one who sees quickly and acts decisively, accurately." -Edward Weston

Mexico Graveyard

While in Mexico, Becker and I sought out this graveyard that he had seen off the freeway. We were able to shoot for about 20 minutes until we got kicked out. Two white guys with expensive cameras in Tijuana in an old graveyard. That's exciting! Live on the edge a little... These tweaked images represent how I saw the environment we were in.

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Alfred Stieglitz

"It is not art in the professionalized sense about which I care, but that which is created sacredly, as a result of a deep inner experience, with all of oneself, and that becomes 'art' in time." -Alfred Stieglitz

Alex & Ben Engagement

OK I thought I might take this opportunity to show an example of an engagement session that wasn't at the beach! I actually shot these last year, but it I loved this couple (and it's my blog) so now, you get to enjoy them too.

Book of the Week

This is another unbelievably powerful book! You really need to HEAR this one. Byron Katie in her book "Loving What Is" does a series of recorded interviews with participants in her live programs. With the audio book, you really understand the power of revelation the participants become aware of through their voice intonations and often tears and laughter. This is a life changer. Find out "whose business you're in".(This is a self awareness book, not a business book.)

Out of nowhere, like a fresh breeze in a marketplace crowded with advice on what to believe, comes Byron Katie and what she calls "The Work". In the midst of a normal life, Katie became increasingly depressed, and over a 10-year period sank further into rage, despair, and thoughts of suicide. Then one morning, she woke up in a state of absolute joy, filled with the realization of how her own suffering had ended. The freedom of that realization has never left her, and now, in Loving What Is, you can discover the same freedom through The Work.

The Work is simply four questions that, when applied to a specific problem, enable you to see what is troubling you in an entirely different light. As Katie says, "It's not the problem that causes our suffering; it's our thinking about the problem." Contrary to popular belief, trying to let go of a painful thought never works; instead, once we have done The Work, the thought lets go of us. At that point, we can truly love what is, just as it is.

Loving What Is will show you step-by-step, through clear and vivid examples, exactly how to use this revolutionary process for yourself. You'll see people do The Work with Katie on a broad range of human problems, from a wife ready to leave her husband because he wants more sex, to a Manhattan worker paralyzed by fear of terrorism, to a woman suffering over a death in her family. Many people have discovered The Work's power to solve problems; in addition, they say that through The Work they experience a sense of lasting peace and find the clarity and energy to act, even in situations that had previously seemed impossible.

Seeking silence in our busy world

Ingrid and I are exercising our Spirits. We started practicing the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. It's blowing my mind actually. It's the simple practice of being quiet before God to meditate and journal one's thoughts. I have been so busy "building my empire" that I have neglected to really nurture my soul these past several years. I have begun an exciting journey and I encourage you to make time to nurture your Spirit.

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.” Mother Teresa