A favorite of mine, and the perfect ending to the movie, High Fidelity….

I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) by Stevie Wonder

Shattered dreams, worthless years,
Here am I encased inside a hollow shell,
Life began, then was done,
Now I stare into a cold and empty well

The many sounds that meet our ears
the sights our eyes behold,
Will open up our merging hearts,
And feed our empty souls

I believe when I fall in love with you it will be forever,
I believe when I fall in love this time it will be forever

Without despair we will share,
And the joys of caring will not be replaced,
What has been must never end
And with the strength we have won’t be erased
When the truths of love are planted firm,
They won’t be hard to find,
And the words of love I speak to you
will echo in your mind

I believe when I fall in love with you it will be forever,
I believe when I fall in love this time it will be forever

I believe when I fall in love with you it will be forever,
I believe when I fall in love with you it will be forever

I’m so glad that I found someone to believe in again,
I’m so glad that I found someone to believe in again

God surely answered my prayer,
God surely answered by prayer,
You know God surely answered my prayer,
You know God surely answered my prayer,
God always will answer your prayers,
Believe in one who will answer my prayer,
Thank you God

Come on, let’s fall in love,
You’re the woman I’ve been waiting for,
Come on, let’s fall in love,
You’re the girl that I really adore,
Come on, let’s fall in love…

I just wanted to share this video with you about Mia’s progress over the last 2 years. This is a wonderful story! If you’d like to see the photos I took back when she was just a little pea in the NICU as well as some earlier updates, go here.

Sue hosted a baby shower for my sister a few weeks ago and I got to see her again. She came in at the end when Kara was opening gifts, and she just smiled at all of the women and worked the crowd like a pro. And she has an amazing smile.

Ok, before I get in too deep on this first dance recommends thing, I think I am going to amend the title of these posts to be “Love Songs”. There are so many out there, but not always ones that are great to dance to. Although they still might be wonderful first dance songs, they also just might be songs you listen to as you snuggle up with your honey.

Without further ado, here is my second recommend. I discovered Mason Jennings recently and have become a big fan. He writes beautifully and I love his melodies as well. Here is one of my favorites of his many love songs.

Be Here Now by Mason Jennings

Be here now, no other place to be
Or just sit there dreaming of how life would be
If we were somewhere better
Somewhere far away from all all worries
Well here we are

You are the love of my life

Be here now, no other place to be
All the doubts that linger, just set them free
And let good things happen
And let the future come into each moment
Like a rising sun

You are the love of my life
Yeah, you know you are

Sun comes up and we start again

It’s all new today
All we have to say
Is be here now

Be here now, no other place to be
This whole world keeps changing, come change with me
Everything that’s happened
All that’s yet to come
Is here inside this moment
It’s the only one

You are the love of my life
Yeah, you know you are

Sun comes up and we start again

It’s all new today
All we have to say
Is be here now

music: Little Trip to Heaven by Tom Waits.
(I recommend viewing all slideshows with “HD” on. View in full screen mode for greater detail.)

I’ve blogged a bit about what a huge music fan I am. In fact, when I send my clients their final product (album, CD, prints, what-have-you,) I also include a CD of music for them of some of my favorite love songs. I like the idea that they pop it into their player as they browse their images, or just play it on a lazy Sunday hanging out with their new spouse.

But when my husband and I were planning our wedding, we had a hard time finding a great song that was different. I mean, every artist out there is spilling their guts over love: finding love, losing love, unrequited love, finding “the one”…you name it. So why is it so difficult to find that great love song to dance to at our weddings? Perhaps we just need a little guidance from others.

I’ve decided to begin a series of posts where I recommend a favorite love song. They may be new, ‘alternative’, ‘unique’, or classics; my tastes vary quite a bit. If I help one person find that perfect song, I’m a happy girl. Otherwise, I’ll just be spreading some good music around.

Now comes the hard part…which to premiere! I thought I could post the one my husband and I chose, but it was pretty personal and may not appeal to as many, so I’ll do that one later. Instead, I thought I’d share the one my sister and her husband chose (off my “greatest love songs” compilation, thank you.) It’s by one of my all-time favorite singers, a woman I had the pleasure of seeing perform before she passed, and a person who has one of the greatest voices I’ve ever heard: the one and only, Nina Simone. This one is Seems I’m Never Tired of Loving You.

Darling, you always needed
And your tenderness is needed too
And it seems that I’m never tired
loving you, loving you
never was a feeling stronger
aching for the sweet things you do
and it seems that I’m never tired loving you
should the mountains crumble to ashes
and the rain should cease to fall
and if the river stopped its flowing
you’d still be my all in all
and if the clouds cover the sky
so the sunlight won’t come through
then I will never, never, never, never, never,
never, tire loving you

What kid can resist playing in the “sandbox” at a beach wedding?

This is the time of year for wedding album designing! Here is a design I just sent to print of Lindsay and Ben’s wedding this summer. There is still a little time left if you would like your album finished before Christmas, so contact me right away if this is you.

music: Electric Love Letter by Langhorne Slim
(I recommend viewing all slideshows with “HD” on. View in full screen mode for greater detail.)

Sometimes, I find it difficult to put words to the photos I take. And this time is one of them. At first glace, this may appear like an engagement shoot with a happy couple. But they have been married for over 4 years. And they have recently faced their biggest challenge yet…cancer.

Roberta is 32 years old, a beautiful Brazilian woman who is full of life and so loving and affectionate. She discovered some lumps in her neck a short while ago, and as a result, the last month has proved to be her most difficult in her short 32 years. The diagnosis? Lung cancer, stage 4. Treatment? Radiation and chemotherapy which began last week. The result? God willing, a long wonderful life together with a few children running around at their feet. The immediate result? Lots of fatigue, nausea, loss of hair, loss of appetite, heaps of prayers and definite uncertainty.

When she asked me to take some pictures of her and Scott, I knew it was the most wonderful thing I could do for them…pretty much all I could do. She said she would also like some of herself and when she touched her long, dark hair, she said “and of my hair.” And then tears. But Roberta is full of strength and faith and an incredibly positive attitude and these pictures show so much of her, and so much of the love she and Scott share.

And some of just Roberta…

I’m constantly amazed at how powerful photography can be and how much joy it can bring to people. It gives back so much to me when people are so thankful to have pictures of themselves, their loved ones, their special moments. I feel very blessed that I can be a part of something so rewarding.

My sister and her husband are having twins…and my cousin and their friend threw a great baby shower for them. A few details from the party with a “two peas in the pod” theme. This cake was amazing!

Where do I begin? First of all, it’s the coolest thing to see two of your favorite people getting married! This was a very personal “job” because Laura is one of my best friends. We met in San Francisco, lived together for several years and kept in touch when I left the Bay Area. After spending some time in Idaho, Laura never left, met George and the rest is history.

Laura is a Chapel Hill native and always imagined she would get married on the beach. Emerald Isle was a special place for them and it was an easy decision to make this place their wedding location. They rented a gorgeous beach house and all the festivities were held there…with a sandy beach ceremony, of course.

I love shooting people I know well because you can really feel free to be there for all the intimate moments and feel part of it as well. I got to  help out around the house preparing for the wedding, share a sip of champagne with her before she walked down the aisle and most importantly, document her special day (alongside my other wonderful friend, Emily.)

This wedding was a family affair for sure! The officiant was Uncle Robert from Oakland. Laura’s sisters were the bridesmaids. My husband and another friend of George’s stood up with him (my man is the taller of the two groomsman and a favorite subject of mine) even though we were all sad his twin 1o year old boys couldn’t have been there as his attendants. Laura’s childhood voice teacher performed at the reception. Laura’s dad, Dave, and his band rocked the party later and I was so moved when I saw her and George dancing with her dad singing the first dance song…a very cool moment. And of course, the photographers were myself and Emily, both close friends. Other friends and family  helped with decoration, place cards, dress-steaming, makeup, late-night bartending…you name it.

Another treat was getting to shoot at a beach! Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the Tetons and the mountains, but it’s always fun to shoot at new locations. The color of this day was amazing. I usually convert a fair amount of photos to black and white, but the beautiful, muted colors of the beach were hard to erase.

Enjoy a large helping of photos from the day. I am so happy for Laura and George and it was wonderful having all of our friends and their families together to celebrate this occasion!