charley star photo

FAMILY PORTRAITS: HALLWAY BOWLING + 11/52

Top images:  Satine and Keats in a mean game of hallway bowling.  (Highly recommend this set for indoor play. From here), a li'l birthday suit, and a human bowling ball.

Bottom: two faces of Navia.

 

 

 

FAMILY PORTRAITS / THE 52 PROJECT

 

*

Satine in Contemplation

*

Keats in color (version of this)

*

last year i was inpsired by deb to take more photographs of my own family.  i was so busy with client work and juggling motherhood/pregnancy/newborns the past couple of years, that i haven't documented my own family as much as I'd like, or if i did, the photos are buried in my computer somewhere.

i've also enjoyed looking at others' 365 Project seen all over the web.  I've seen the 52 Project around the web, and was inspired to do my own when i saw my friend elizabeth's 52 project.  i've been wanting to do something similar for so long, but didn't think i could commit to that type of daily/weekly/monthly ritual.  i mean, look. here i am 10 weeks late, er, in, and just now getting it together.  

but perfectionism is for the birds. right?! right! a domestic-mentor-someone inspired me to adopt this motto:  "You are not behind! I don't want you to try to catch up; I just want you to jump in where we are. O.K.?" which is totally appropriate for this situation... so here we are.  jumping in at 10 weeks.

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, {uh, most weeks} in 2013."  

especially since i'm still on maternity leave from client shooting, i've really enjoyed getting out my "real" camera again, instead of just iphone snaps, and giving my family some of the photo-love attention that i give to my clients. we'll see how this goes.  some weeks might be portraits, some weeks might be more of a photo essay like deb's... my goal is just to re-commit to taking photos of my family the way i used to... 

anyone else doing a similar photo project? would love to see/hear about it.

xxo

 

HEY, YOU. STOP GROWING UP SO FAST.

hey, you. stop growing up so fast.

it's been 7 months since i last posted photos of you. though i take them quite frequently, i hardly have time to blog them.  but such is the pace of life today... with three, especially with you and your sister both being so young. life has been whirling by-- whirling! -- i can't stand it -- days whizzing by like bullets and me, observing all that you are and have become and i can't even believe my luck to get to be your mama.

sometimes, when i look at photos of you after you are asleep, my heart breaks into crackling fissures for all the new discoveries i find there in the photos, for fear that i missed them during the day when i was actually with you.  and then i will go and peer into your crib, see your rump in the air, knees tucked beneath you, and i'll reach down, squeeze your plump, squishy fingers with my finger tips, or rub your sack-o-potatoes back...

and for just a second, i'll be sad... sad in that my-heart's-so-full, motherly kind of way, sad that trying to take in all the details of your uniqueness and specialness is like trying to observe all of the stars-- you're bound to miss some. there's just So Much Good Stuff, and life is so full, and so fast, and i can't keep up, and there's three of you now, and, and, and..

I'm trying to absorb, to be present, and mirror back to you all that you are, and all the countless ways that i see you deeply and am on this ride with you, right here, right here with you.

so forgive me, little one, if i miss something.

now, you are talking. babbling, really, listening to your own voice, but i like to think that the other day in the crib you said your first word:  Mama.

MVI 7939 KEATS BABBLING from charleystar on Vimeo.

you are standing up really well on your own and attempted one (unassisted) step. your first. but you are making tracks down the hallway with your walker.

you grab everything. everything!  out of drawers. off tables. glasses off faces. anything you can get your hands on, you want to touch it, feel it, throw it, and sometimes even still, taste it.

you love to explore and you are superfast. and strong! and sometimes, when you're frustrated, you'll just THROW yourself in adorable exasperation, face down, onto the floor, palms slapping against the hardwood.

here you are lately:

your chubby cheeks and sometimes crazy eyebrow:

the wisps of your hair, which flare out on the sides:

your triumphant moves:

gleaming in the sun, that hair, again: 

your strawberry patch birthmark, about to be covered for good by your growing hair until at some future point you might decide to shave your head...

your smirk. the way your toe looks looks like a "thumbs up" symbol:

getting into, under, and behind everything:

and those eyes, which just kill me everytime...

your little chicklet teeth, which came in early at 4 months and have been non-stop ever since...

grabbing everything down,

pulling everything out:

your sweet li'l birthday suit:

(your dad thinks your smile is like Calvin's from Calvin and Hobbes, so we got out the book to compare.)

i love you, keats. every day. for the rest of my life. and then some.

thank you for coming into our family.

 

xxo

 

PORTRAIT /// NAVIA

sweet navia,

you are two now.

you love to sing your abc’s, twinkle twinkle little star, and Christmas songs, even still.  you love  the “Go sleep, Mama!” game, and shouting to wake me. Your favorite color is pink, and now, like your sister, you love asking me how to spell things and writing them down in your adorable scribble. you are feisty and strong, tenderhearted and kind.

you are flitting between worlds, you are quicksilver. You are dancing in discovery, you are twirling towards independence. You are sparkling life, you are stardust, you're a lightning bolt.  And for just a flash, I caught you, froze you in the tall grasses, to burn this and every moment onto my heart for eternity. 

 

 

 

 

 

SPARKLING & BRIGHT

i hope you and yours are having a wonderful holiday season.

this is a special christmas for us in that it's our first christmas with our complete family: me, nahch, satine, navia, and now little keats.  every first christmas with a new child has been special, but somehow knowing that we are done, this is it, this is our family, has hit me in a really special way this christmas as i take it all in.  

we're not travelling this year, nor do we have family coming into town. even though i'll miss seeing everyone and sharing this time with my family, i'm also enjoying just hunkering down here at home and discovering what this new "us" is... have to say it's pretty magical. :)

wishing you all warm holiday wishes and a joyful and prosperous 2013!

xxo

 

Portrait // Isabelle

 

 

 

Life Lessons from a Toddler

As I am striving to slow down, be present and soak in all of this time with my Littles, I find that I'm at my best when I follow her lead... when I stop the whirlwind of To-Do lists and mental clutter, and just be present.  My toddler does this so well, and everyday reminds me:

Slow down.
Be Present. 
Stop trying to do so much, but whatever you are doing, do it fully....
Then move on.
And when you are feeling overwhelmed, or tired, or 'hongy' (her word for hungry)?  

Simply grab an orange, sit on the floor, and take in the wonder outside your window.

I guarantee it will be the best moment of your day. 

xxo

WOO HOO I'M IN KINDERGARDEN!

big days around here... KINDERGARTEN officially starts this week! 

satine can't wait to be in "big school" and to have homework like the big kids do. (hate to disappoint her, but i don't think she'll have much homework in kindergarten, but hey, a girl can dream, right?) so we are winding down from Summer and ramping up for Fall. but one thing we're not ramping up for and that's "back to school shopping" for a new school wardrobe. which brings me to my point: 

one day over the summer satine was in this dress above. i bought it from here and it's been great, we've gotten a lot of life out of it.  she loves this dress-- it's her go-to.  and even though i bought it for a special ocassion, i love that she wears it wherever, whenever.  i'm not precious about it and neither is she. if i were, she'd only get to wear it once and then it'd be too small.  besides, there's something precious in itself --and awesome!-- about the dichotomy of her wearing a lovely, silky dress while collecting bugs, playing with catepillars, and doing cartwheels in the grass.  

but i digress.  so one day satine is wearing this dress and she announces, "hey mom! maybe i can wear this dress to the first day of school!  well, i said, probably not, because at your school they wear uniforms.

did you hear that people? uniforms. holy cuteness.

now, i confess that as a kid, i hated uniforms.  hated them in all their creativity-restricting-imprisonment. not that i wore them myself, i just looked with pity upon  those poor souls forced to wear them. oh foolish me.  i must have somehow missed those sweet peter pan collars, those awesome little jumpers, those knee high socks that just scream childhood. i seriously can't stop oohing and aahing at the sweetness of it. 

if i can get satine to sit still long enough for a photo, i'll try to post a pic of the uniform after school starts. but for now, here's to dressing up!

 

STAYCATION

photo by me, from a new & exciting project i'm working on. can't wait to share more!

KEATON, 3 MONTHS

Oh, little one, you've charmed us with your ways...

you are strong now, and you are drooling! you can flip over now and love your tummy time.

you wake up with a smile, a coo, and a laugh every morning... and i love that your happy little face is the first thing i see when i awake.

you are starting to look more and more like your daddy. i think he's pretty stoked about that, and with your handsome li'l face who can blame him?

your sisters absolutely adore you, as do i.  although navia doesn't know the strength of her hugs, and she's made you cry more than a few times with her, um, love pats. sorry about that.  

navia has dubbed you:  "Bah-yeee" (her attempt at "buddy").  it's so cute how she says it, that we all call you that now. Bahyee.    

thank you for coming into our little family.  can't imagine me without you.

 

some self portraits of me and keats...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RUN TOWARD WHAT IS CALLING YOU

my family and i (well, me and the huz) have been doing a lot of soul-searching this week,  brewing over some big decisions.  we are making long and short term plans, laying the ground work for some new directions both personally and professionally. Exciting stuff for sure, although it comes with a letting go of sorts...  

sometimes this letting go of things held dear, even if for the greater good, comes with it's own pinch of heartache. One of the most challenging things about being a parent and a spouse, i think, is achieving a healthy balance for the whole family unit.  in my case, for five individual people. not an easy feat. but as a team, my husband and i strive to ensure that each of us are getting all of our needs -- and dreams -- met as best we can, and balancing it all so our family can thrive. 

anyone else relate?

For now, I think we have made some good decisions.   It feels good to move forward, repackage, reevaluate. i'm excited about new directions both personally and professionally, individually and as a family. as the saying goes, sometimes the best decision is ANY decision.  so just the act of deciding itself will open up avenues.

when i've had a week like this, i feel the sea calling me... i know that salty air can wash away the old and bring in the new, can replenish and rejuvenate.  

do you have something that needs to be washed away? something pulling you forward?  
whatever is calling you, run toward it. go. enjoy your weekend.

xxo

MY LIFE IN A INSTAGRAM (april/may)

been a while since i've gone through my IG pics... life is so full, and so superfast for everyone these days that it's hard to get the full impact of the amazingness of a life, all of these wonderful moments, except for in reflection. anyone else feel like that? like, you know it's pretty cool, this moment you're living in...  maybe it measures a 6 on a 1-10 scale.  but in reflection, it's somehow become a 10.5 moment. i dunno, maybe that's just me. but that's why i love looking back on all these pictures... so that i can more fully feel that tenderness, that sweetness, that beauty and joy of life. soak it in a little more fully... (except that my littles are growing up so fast it make me wanna cry! sniff sniff!)

i think most of these are from end of april/may, starting from when Keats came home. and if it weren't for having a camera in my back pocket (the one on my phone) i would've probably forgotten these already. sigh. thank you iphone.

hope you are having a good week!

xxo

FROM NEW SERIES I'M WORKING ON... // sneak peek

WHY I'VE BEEN OFF THE RADAR

INTRODUCING
KEATON EDWARDS STORER
APRIL 23, 2012
9 LBS 11 OZ
 

i can't believe it's taken me this long to mention it here on the blog, but on April 23, i had the wonderful pleasure of meeting my son, Keaton. Born two weeks early, he came in a tangle of surprise, joy, calm, emergency, tears, fears, prayers, laughter and of course, love.  Doctors predicted a May 6th due date, but when the stir of contractions began on the 22nd, it wasn't long before Keats became the fourth person in our family born on the 23rd of the month. pretty cool. must be my lucky number.

so now he's here... my perfect little guy, and the final installment of the Edwards-Storer progeny.  Our family is now complete and me and the Mister couldn't be happier. We feel beyond blessed, especially after the few scares I had during this pregnancy and even during the delivery itself.  I just thank God that he is here safe, sound, and healthy.

So if you've noticed the even more sporadic posting, or if i owe you an email or a phone call, that's why. three. little. small. tiny people. living in my house. i'm still in joyfull bliss and shock i think... and incredibly behind on all things in my life that don't involve changing diapers and feeding.  

But now that I've got three kids -- including a one a half year old and a newborn... i am officially on maternity leave!  because let's face it:  three kids is no joke!  it'salottawork!  not so easy to pull late night editing sessions when you are already exhausted from all-night babythons :)    I'm not sure for how long, exactly... i'm sort of feeling my way through this... but I did clear my calendar of all weddings for 2012 and will only be accepting a very limited number of portrait and children's sessions later in the year.  

i want to be PRESENT, to slow down, to focus on my family and really cherish these next few months.

but here's the other truth: as much as i love being a mom, and as much as i feel SO MUCH HAPPIER when i'm present  in my own life (rather than exhausted and overextended), it's hard to let go of work that i love so much.  i'd be lying if i said there haven't already been countless times since maternity leave that i have been crushed to have to turn down so many amazing jobs... but i am just following my heart and trusting that this is the right move for me/my family, and that work will be there when it's time to work again.

and my goal is that during this time, i will be able to finally get around to editing and framing some of my own family photos (i feel a bit like the cobbler with no shoes: i've hardly any family photos up in my house because i've had no time to edit through them!), as well as working on the numerous personal shoots/projects that have been spinning in my head forever.

so that's it. just a heads up that it might take me a bit longer to return emails and phone calls... that you won't see too many weddings posted here for the rest of the year, but i am excited about what the future holds and how this time of transition will transform me and my photography!

In the meantime, if you would like to book a shoot please get in touch -- I do have some amazing associate photographers and I would love to help you out.

thanks and happy weekend!

xxo

Anna & Colby / Part 2

congratulations, anna and colby.  here's to a long, blissful, happily married life! thanks for letting me capture your incredible wedding day.

for more details and all the vendor goodness, click on over to Martha Stewart Weddings.

 

Anna & Colby on Martha Stewart Weddings / Part 1

Anna + Colby's wedding was an intimate, stylish affair full of great, personalized details and an awesome style of classy bohemian, with touches of backyard Americana and vintage Navajo.  But most importantly, it was a wedding full of love, fun, and joy.  Colby and Anna's sparkling spirits and joyful demeanor set the tone for a fabulous day overflowing with smiles and laughter.

You can see Part 1 of my wedding post below, and then head on over to Martha Stewart Weddings to see and read more about this awesome wedding.

Thanks to Anna + Colby for letting me capture your beautiful day!

... stay tuned for Part 2... 

Published // China's CosmoBride Magazine

Well I can't read it, but it sure is nice to be featured in China's lovely COSMOPOLITAN BRIDES magazine!

*This photo is from Sarah and Michael's wedding, which was featured on Snippet and Ink -- check it out to see more photos-- and was also a First Place Winner in PDN's Top Knots contest 2011...   so it's nice to see it getting some love in China. Thanks Cosmopolitan Brides!

 

 

the joyful wondering /// maternity

 

so many friends are pregnant right now, inlcuding myself...  

i'm 33 weeks now, on the home stretch.  but whether you are 6 weeks, 8 weeks, or 20 weeks, the joyful wondering is the same. i see it in my clients faces, i feel it in my own heart, this background track that begins to play on constant repeat in a pregnant woman's head, like some cherished lovenote between

Me
and You: 

Who are you, little one? Who will you be?  Who will you become?

Who will I become?
 

i close my eyes and listen for your soft whispers... 

 

 

 

 

MaeMae Paperie Trunk Show // dreams, stories, paper

see that big gray beauty above? Underneath it's cover, it holds the dreams, stories, and paper of MaeMae Paperie's new and soon-to-be launched WEDDING COLLECTION!  now if you are already familiar with Megan's stationary, you will understand me when i say she had me at "pony" -- her adorable logo for MaeMae Paperie.  But this new wedding collection line knocked me off my feet. With several invitation suites to choose from, Megan has a story behind each one, each with their own characters, backstories of the couple, what their pets are, their hobbies, their dreams.  

If you're in Southern California, check out MaeMae Paperie's Trunk Show tomorrow, Saturday, Mar. 17th, at Urbanic in Venice Beach.

Here's the info:

And if you can't make it, stay tuned for the upcoming issue of Utterly Engaged.  I was lucky enough to spend the day photographing Megan as she showed me around her studio, gave me insights into her inspiration and process, and showed me the gorgeous new wedding collection.  Gorgeous! Can't wait til you see the photos in Utterly Engaged.

Have a great weekend everyone!

xxo

 

 

 

my life in an Insta-gram

one of the downsides about working as a photographer, is that i hardly ever want to pull out my "big camera," (as it's become known around my house) to take photos of my own life when we're just hanging out. and isnt' that when the best photo ops occur?  as soon as that black beast is in my hands, i'm in "work" mode  and out of the moment that inspired me to want to take the photo in the first place.

thank goodness for iPhone + Instagram. 

here are some highlights from the past month or so:

- satine lost her first tooth -- and a second one 2 days later!  
- the bun in the oven is cooking away. i'm 32 weeks now.
- navia grace is 15 months, more and more engaged and alert and curious with wonder about every. single. thing. and such a sweetpea. 

are you on Instagram? come find me & say hello. my username is:  charleystar
Let's connect! 

LIVE IT UP // happy weekend { kids portrait }

 

It's a holiday weekend-- live it up & get crazy!

many of my friends will be heading off to WPPI, but i'll be home nursing my fast-growing baby bump and partying with my Littles...

whatever the weekend brings you, hope you enjoy!

xxo

 

 

MAY CUPID BE GOOD TO YOU // his point of view

 

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 Lovers don't finally meet somewhere.
They're in each other all along.
-Rumi

The Rumi quote above is one of my faves. not only because it is beautiful and potent, but because it was the first love poem my husband ever gave me. i pretty much knew i was done for at that moment.   yup. 

so to my love, happy valentine's babe. and to all of you... hope you give and recieve a little extra love today. doesn't have to be anything fancy or contrived, just maybe an extra long cuddle with you S.O.,  some extra giggle & squeeze time with your Littles, a call to your folks, or maybe just some extra special pampering for yourself.

may cupid be good to you.

xxo

 

MAY CUPID BE GOOD TO YOU.

 

 

 

 

 

 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY. MAY CUPID BE GOOD TO YOU.

xxo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DON'T FORGET TO DREAM // kids + family session

be quiet, and learn the whispers of your soul... 
for that's where dreams are born.

 

 

 

 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 

that goes for you too, dreamer.  

for ME, too, i should say... been feelin a little out of sorts lately. 

think i need some quiet time to stare off into the mist, to listen to the silence and reconnect to those quiet stirrings inside that make me feel centered, purposeful and on track.

hopefully that's just what the weekend will bring.

hope you are enjoying your day.

xxo

 

 

Spread Your Wings, Butterfly // newborn shoot

Listen/Play:  10 Butterfly

 

Butterfly...
close your eyes, butterfly
Fold your wings
Dream sweet dreams, butterfly.

sweet baby aiden, 

you sweet little boy... 

when i first met you, you were a loved little lump in your mommy's tummy. 

look  at you now, you sweet butterfly

you are the smile upon your mother's lips,

the tenderness in your father's caress,

every inch of you a miracle...
 
the tuft of your hair 

the landscape of your feet

every crevice revealing the promise of your great journey to come...

the sweetness of your rumpled, perfect skin

 

you are the joy in your parents' hearts

the sweet coo ringing in the ears 

Butterfly,
close your eyes, butterfly,
fold your wings,
Beautiful things,
Butterfly 

 

 

When you feel 
the sun warm on your face again
you will fly...

 

 Spread your wings,
Butterfly.

 

Spread your wings,
you will fly...

 

-Elizabeth Mitchell & Lisa Loeb 

THREE.... IS A MAGIC NUMBER // personal

a few posts ago, i mentioned that i had a big project in the works.  

HUGE.  

as in, so big i'm feeling too big for my britches.

Literally.

... The fact is that I'm 25 weeks preggers with baby #3 -- a boy! He'll be the final piece to our family puzzle.  We are beyond thrilled... and slightly terrifed. : )  it's hard to imagine juggling the schedule of family life and my photography... but i'm ust taking it one step at a time.  We always wanted 3 kids, and with 2 daughters already, having a boy seems the perfect completion to our family.

thanks to erin for taking these photos! erin has been one of my second shooters for a while now, and she is super talented.

To see how we told the girls, and what Satine's reaction was, check out the video. a bit long, maybe, but her reaction at the end is pretty priceless.

 

So.

Three kids. cray-cray.

I can't believe that it was such a short time ago that I took  these photos when my little Navia Grace was born... 

Or that she'll be just 18 months when her brother is born...

Or, the fact that this entire blog started as a personal love letter to my first born, Satine... when she was just a newborn, when i had time to document moments like this,  and was blogging photos like this one,

when satine was about 2 1/2, basking in the light, before this blog morphed into more of a professional blog for my photogaphy.  before life was so... full.  i was about to say hectic, but the 'hectic' is just a new normal, so let's call it full.

Life is great and big and full and crazy... and about to get even more so come May.  

Bring it on.

I feel so blessed to be sharing this journey with navia and satine and nahchey, and know that our little baby boy is only going to increase the love.   Even when i'm dogbone tired and can't imagine fitting one more thing into my day and wishing I had a nanny, maid, chef, assistant, personal trainer, 3 office assistants and 18 more hours in the day, I know it's worth it...  that ultimately, my heart is most full with my family.

for us, three IS a magic number.

xxo

May Your Naughty Also Be Nice

wishing you a wonderful holiday season, filled with family, friends and loved ones. 

Here's to good food, lots of cheer, a little bubbly, and festive outings... but even more snuggling in...  and maybe some pillow fights.

thank you to all of our clients, vendors, friends, and supporters for making this a great year!
see you in 2012!

xxo

*photo credit: erin saldana.
(thanks to erin, who second shoots many events for me. so glad to *finally* have some photos of my own family with *me* in them. a rarity.)    :) 

still life // holiday shoot for Loup Charmant

i'm in new york city now, my old stomping grounds. feels great to be back with family and friends. 

especially enjoyed shooting this holiday still life for Loup Charmant. here's one of my faves:

hope you have officially kicked off your holiday and are snuggling in -- or venturing out -- with loved ones.

xxo

The Tenderness // Featured on Moment Junkie

Thanks to Moment Junkie for featuring one of my images from Jen and Jason's wedding.  Check it out.

kid portaits // client shout out // small shop

Huh? What's that you say? Small Shop?!?

Yep, that's right. our client Sage Raval has started the most phenom art experience for kids:  Small Shop. something i wish i'd had when i was a a kid.

you see, even when i was a freshy in college trying to find my peeps in this strange new world, i'd wonder around campus feeling like the outsider i was, and then I'd spot some cool kids hangin out, and i'd think, "who are they? they're so cool and interesting looking, i wanna hang out with them. i wanna BE them... those are my peeps!"  (see, total loser-freshmen vibe, but that's seriously the way i felt.) well turns out those peeps were the art students.  the cool kids, in my book.

i never had any formal training in art -- i'm a DIY girl in that department.  but if i had one do-over or parallel life to live, i'd go to art school! Fun, right?! i'd learn how to draw and paint and do sculpture and screen printing and and and and...   i mean, doesn't everyone need to know how to draw beyond stick figures? besides, you could kill in Pictionary! 

well, now that i'm all growed up with kids of my own... it turns out i have now found my way into the visual arts through photography, and graphic design before that... but i still wish i could take formal art lessons. art is just cool. 

But ya know what's even cooler?
Private art lessons.
In your home.
For your kids! (ok, you can probably hover if you want and pick up a trick or two). But seriously, no driving? no hauling my Smalls into their car seats and fighting traffic and rushing to get back home in time for dinner? Sold already.

That's what Small Shop offers.  They will send a fine artist out to your home for individual or small-group art lessons for workshops, special events, or on-going weekly lessons. 

Small Shop was founded by our client Sage Raval. She's uber-awesome, and an amazing artist herself.  Check it out.

and so fun seeing some kids portraits by yours truly up on the site here and here.

more info here.

 

 

 

 

commercial shoot // Look Book for Loup Charmant

 

 

ok, i know it's winter. 

but with winter comes HOLIDAY! and surely some of you are gearing up to travel some where warm and tropical? maybe you're packing your bag with resort wear instead of sweaters and scarves?

besides, here in LA, Loup Charmant's seasonless pieces fit into your wardrobe year round.  so, as i catch up on blogging all my photoshoots from the past few months, i thought it was a good time to share the shoot I did for Loup Charmant's Look Book.  I was happy with the airy, ethereal look of how it all came out.  

Loup Charmant (The Charming Wolf) is a vacation-inspired women's loungewear line of intimates to dresses. You can check out more of the line here, here, and here.  

happy weekend!

xxo

 

 

Jennifer and Jason on Style Me Pretty // weddings

check out Jen and Jason's wedding which Style Me Pretty featured the other day.  (Thank you SMP!) such a beautiful day with a beautiful couple. the girls of bash, please worked their magic on all the details and everything-- including the sunset-- came together in a day of pure bliss. when i get more downtime i'll feature more images on my own blog, but for now, check out all the details and creative team here.

snuggle up

happy thanksgiving everyone!

so much to be grateful for....

hope you all are filling your bellies and spirits with warmth & love... and when the food coma sets in, that you are snuggling up with friends + loved ones.

xxo

 

Published in Lucky Magazine // Press

Did you see our girl/client/friend Alli Webb of DryBar in the September issue of Lucky Magazine (portrait taken by yours truly)?

i still get so dorkily excited to see one of my photos in print, hee hee.
Congrats to Alli and DryBar on your continued success and hair-blowing awesomeness!

xxo

 

 

Bride's So. California Editor's Choice Award

been meaning to post this for a while...  big thanks to Brides Southern California for the Editor's Choice Award for 2011! I'm thrilled!

xxo

a sweet hello // food photography sneak peek

hello blog world.

it's been a while since i've updated here.  i've had some fantastic shoots over the last couple of months, but work and just life in general have kept me so busy i haven't had time to update. then i got so behind it just felt daunting.  know the feeling? 

so today is just a quick little 'hello again' to get things rolling.  i'll update soon with lots of pretty photos and a big project i've been working on.

in the meantime, a little bit of sweetness for you from a recent food photography shoot...

hope life has been kind and lovely to you.

xxo

 

let the winds dance between you // jen and jason sneak peek

 

jen + jason. sneak peek.
click on photo to enlarge.
(chuppah designed by bash, please.)

 

 

perfect days look a li'l something like this

remember when you were a kid and you could spend hours upon hours at the seashore?  perfect days, right?

if you're trying to reach me, i'm out of town for a little bit, doing exactly that...watching my daughter chasing waves, running from waves, and letting the sand fall though our fingertips...

 

hope you are enjoying + and soaking up the last days of summer.

 

xxo

 

 

Upcoming Gallery Show /// Summertime

so... if you read this blog at all, you know that I shoot weddings. and kids. and events, portraits, and a sprinkling of commercial work.

but when i get the chance, i shoot for myself. and sometimes, i actually have the time to conceptualize/think about what I want to shoot enough that I can execute my intention with some degree of success. And sometimes, i show that to people. And those people show their people and sometimes they like it, respond to it, and invite me to put it in an art show.

sometimes...

as in NOW.

At the Duncan Miller Projects Gallery, a projects space of the Duncan Miller Gallery. Yeah-yeah! so excited.

 

(click to enlarge)

The show is "Summertime" and i'm so excited and honored to have 2 pieces included.  It is a group photography show curated by the amazing Aline Smithson (seriously, if you know her you *will* love her), who is an amazing photographer herself. hello. AND, double whammy, she writes one of the most popular photo blogs around. So if you love photography at all, or are just photo-curious as to what's happening in the fine-art photography world, THIS should definitely be on your radar. 

And, you should come to the show!

Because it'll be fun.
and it's all about Summer.
And there'll be a fab food truck there.
and there will be fabulous photos to buy by lots of talented photographers (i am in very good company) with a range of styles.

And maybe, just maybe,you might be inspired by something.

Pretty good combo, right? 

Hope all you LA peeps can make it!

Here's the skinny:

S U M M E R T I M E
a group photography show

Duncan Miller Projects Gallery
1716 1/2 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405

Opens Thurs, July 21 7-9pm

runs through Sept 3rd.  

xxo

 

beautiful poetry /// things that inspire me

the work of Etsuko Ichikawa. {via the Anthropologist.net)

Adoration.

I love the way you look at me.

Well, not me. Him.

I love the way she looks at him.  

i was shooting this event and saw the lovely ms. elizabeth in a look of pure adoration of michael as he worked. CLICK! 

Ah, love... ain't it grand? 

{and uh, no, she is not a groupie, that's her man!}   :)  

///

i never got around to posting images from the Bow!Bash!Blow! event so you might see a sprinkling of them in the next few posts.

hope you all are having a great week!

Believe! // sneak peek Leigh's Birthday

...because what goes better with Summer than birthdays and magical thinking?

Happy summer everyone!

(and Happy Birthday Leigh!)

xxo

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Summer everyone!

a li'l bit of sugar // sneak peek Rome's 1st Bday

Oh Rome, you little drop of sugar, you.... 

happy birthday.
happy year.
happy life.

so glad i was there to capture your first birthday. thanks for staring at me with your big blues and melting my heart.

more to come....

 

xxo

Hazy Daze // fashion shoot

from a fun little shoot i did with the amazing JLG!.

i want to shoot more fashion.  just putting that out there...  :)

xxo

 

double double // a maternity shoot

i met deanna at my mom's club.  she was the cool one with the tattoos. bird tattoos that looked like they were taking flight.  deanna is a graphic designer (my kinda girl) with an adorable son named jasper about the age of my oldest daughter.  we'd seen each other semi-frequently at playgroups when jasper and satine were younger, but then our kids started preschool & we went back to work.  you know, life happened and we didn't see each other that much.

then i heard she was pregnant again.  with TWINS.  she contacted me to ask if i'd shoot her maternity photos. i was already on maternity leave myself, having just had this little nugget, so i had to push back... and push back... and push back until finally i felt like i was ready to start shooting again. luckily, deanna waited on me and i was so glad i got to shoot her.  i think we did this shoot right at about 38 weeks -- a bit later than i normally shoot maternity, but i thought she just looked incredible.  i couldn't believe she was carrying TWO little bundles in there. i mean look at that perfect. round. belly. Amazeballs!

 
I told Deanna to bring something of Jasper's if she wanted, so he could "be in the shot," too, since he couldn't be there. So she brought two of his little dragon blankies, and i put them on either side of her in the bg.

 

 

a dreamy little shoot i did /// sabrina portraits

Play me //  Sabali

 

 
 

xxo,

charleystar

 

 

 

PDN Top Knots Winner! // 1st Pace, Candids

after yesterday's sad post, i wanted to share some HAPPY news: 

i'd heard i was a finalist in PDN's Top Knots contest... but had no idea I'd won FIRST PLACE in the Candid's category until i recently picked up the magazine. What?!! So cool!

PDN is the Bible of photography magazines, so you can imagine what an honor it is to have my work recognized.  Yay! Thank you PDN!! (and thank you, Sarah and Michael for letting me photograph your wedding and to Bash, Please for the beautiful event design).

My winning image is below.  To check out the other winning photographers, grab the May 2011 issue of PDN from the news stands, or check it online here.

{and if you want to see my image from last year's contest, take a peek here and scroll to the Portraits category. :)  }

A Kiss From Mom

Thank you PDN!

xxo

'Til Death Do Us Part

Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

-Psalm 90:12

 

Tears.

Tears to proclaim my love as much as to proclaim my sorrow.

Tears to cleanse, tears to remember. Tears just because you feel like weeping, or you don't know what else to do. Tears because you think, irrationally, that if you cry deeply enough, you can hold on, you can bring him back.  Tears because in the middle of some laughter or distraction, some small tenderness of the past creeps in, catches you off guard and says to you: Oh, Yes.  This is real. This is not a dream. He is gone...  and you remember the wonderful man that your father was.  And what he did for you. And what he meant to you.  And you are crushed. All over again.

*

This has been my life for the last month.

My father passed away on Monday, April 18th, 2011.

A month ago today. It still startles me, even now.

And yes, in between the weeping, there has been sweetness, tender memories, the kindness of friends.  There has been tears of laughter, and immense gratitude for who my father was and that I was lucky enough to have him in my life for as long as I did. 

But it is a new reality now, for my Mom, my sister and I.  A reality with a gaping hole. 

*

I know this is a heavy post for (what has become) a "professional" blog. But it's always been personal, too.  I considered not writing about it, the passing of my father.  Mainly, I don't want what I write here to serve as some complete encapsulation of who he was to me, or how i feel about his passing...for I will never be able to put into words all the nuances of this tranformational event.  But to not acknowledge it at all seemed disingenuous. And I think writing about it is somewhat carthatic, so thank you for allowing me to indulge that need...

I've been thinking about how to translate this...  how do I learn and grow and do something positive with this?  And can I pass along anything to others who have yet to lose a parent or loved one?  I don't know. I'm not sure I have enough distance to offer anything useful to myself, let alone anyone else.  Besides, in the end, everyone will face this aspect of life and will need to deal with it in their own time and way.

BUT... I will say.. that I am SO SO grateful for the memories I have, and that some of those memories are captured in photographs, how healing its been to have them to look at.

This past Christmas my Dad came out to meet my new baby girl, Navia.  Since the whole fam was here, we wanted to take some photos.  My friend and photographer Roman Cho graciously came over to take them. We all wanted the end result of having the photos, but I can't say that any of us were that enthused about the process of actually taking them. Non of us really felt like doing it... we'd have rathered been Christmas lounging.  But we dragged our feet and did it, much to Roman's encouragement.  And thankfully so, because none of us knew just how cherished these photos would become. 

 



I'm reminded of my friend Deb's post about this... that there never is a perfect time, and it's ALWAYS the perfect time.

Those photos are now the last photos I have of my father, and the last photos we have of our family together. I would be heartsickened had I thought about taking the photos, and hadn't made it happen.  {Thank you, Roman.} 

And during the services, we used a photo that Annie McElwain had taken of my dad years ago.... I'd always loved the photo, but now it had taken on a new level of importance. Annie captured the gentle essence of my father perfectly . I'm so grateful to her that I have these photos.

And I hope this doesn't come out wrong or inappropriate or like a sales tactic. It's not. I'm just saying. Grab your point and shoot. Grab your cell phone camera. Anything.  Just capture some memories while you still can....

The second thing that I'm reminded of... being that I primarily shoot weddings... is the phrase from the traditional wedding vows:  "Til Death Do Us Part."

'Til Death...

Do us part.

Whether you are a spouse, a child, sister, brother, friend... with all of our relationships... it's NOW until DEATH, and we never know how short or long that period will be. So how are we using our time? How loving are we being within our relationships? I know I'm certainly not living every day like it's my last.

My Mom and Dad were happily wed for 45 years.  Maybe there were some small bumps in the road, but for the most part what I witnessed was love, devotion, committment, friendship, loyalty, dependability, partnership.  In my eulogy of my Dad, I talked about how Mom and Dad still kissed like high school sweethearts... so much so that it was kinda embarrassing sometimes. 

But so much of the wedding industry (self included) stresses the wedding DAY. the details, the design, the dress, the photos.  So very little attention is given to the VOWS that you are making.  What are you actually COMMITTING to?? What does it MEAN to be a wife-- a great wife? or a great husband? And then, most importantly, how to continue nurturing and developing your marraige? I would love to see more attention devoted to this aspect.

An enduring love.

So I'm left asking myself, how can I love better? I've thought countless times about myself as a mother (how to be a better one), but probably not as much as I should about how can I be a better wife/partner/friend/supporter to my husband? And how can I be a better me, in general, in all of my relationships?

So many wonderful things were said to me about me Dad... he was such a good man... such a good father... such a good husband... such a good friend. He was so honest and had so much integrity.... I know I was so blessed to have him for all the years I did and, when not in my darkest hours, I am comforted by that.  And I'm inspired to do better, be better: more kind, more gentle, more loving, more true. 

I love you, Dad.

And I pray that I can make you proud.

 

life support japan

i posted about life support japan at the end of my post here, but wanted to let you know that a new gallery (and maybe the last?) installment of prints was just launched-- life support 5 -- with prints donated by even more photographers, including yours truly. you can see my 8x8 print below, and you can purchase it here.

                                                                                                     Summer (The Chase)

read more info here.

if you feel so inclined, please check it out...

xxo,
thanks.

a strange, tender sensation

Sabrina

 

a quarter of 2011 is almost gone.  i can't believe it.

i've been a bit MIA on the blog (as well as facebook and twitter), floating through the days, mostly lost in this, but also just trying to balance it all, cut down on the noise (no time), trying to be more present to the tasks at hand -- be it family, client, a shoot, or just the day to day tasks of running a business (or a home).

with all the devastation in japan, the incredible loss... it has left me feeling my own mortality in a way i never ever have. my heart has ached for their loss and celebrated each small triumph.   then i watched this movie (have you seen it? great, but depressing), and it echoed the sentiment about the fragility of life and scarcity of time..

i'm left in an ethereal state, accutely aware of life's haunting tenderness... aching beauty... sorrowful preciousness.

it's a strange, tender sensation. 

you never know what tomorrow will bring.

hug somebody. hold them tight.

i can't hold my girls tight enough, appreciate my husband deep enough, see my parents, my sister, often enough.  time is so short. i've been feeling that so profoundly lately. 

take the beauty in.

i met with a new client this week, a bride and groom, and all i could notice was the way he looked at her when he talked to her. i wish i'd had my camera to capture that glow, that love, that adoration beaming from his eye.

at a location scout a woman scoffed how she hated having her picture taken, who's the grump? she said after seeing the test shot of herself, and all i could see was her beautiful glow, her aged gracefulness looking dead ahead into my lens, her clear strong spirit shining through.

i had 2 maternity shoots in the last 2 weeks-- two beautiful mothers carrying 3 babies.   two of them, twin boys, are now out in the world already, beginning their journey anew...

then i met this bright spirit, Sabrina.  She'd commisioned me to shoot fun, whimsical, ethereal portraits of her for her new website. sabrina is the kind of girl, that, you can tell, makes her little path in the world a little bit brighter.  i like her.  i loved photographing her -- we had so much fun!

the shot above is one of my faves. it makes me feel happy, and hopeful. :)

*

hope life is being kind and gentle to you today...

xxo

==========================================================================

P.S. for anyone wanting to still donate, or donate more, for japan, consider this photography community's response, LIFE SUPPORT JAPAN, organized by the amazing Aline Smithson and Christa Dix (and pick up a fantastic print by some amazing photographers), or check out FOR JAPAN WITH LOVE, organized by the incredible girls of Utterly Engaged and Ever Ours.