Merari

Merari.com is up!

2011-06-27T13:30:00.002-04:00

Hi friends!

I hope every had a fantastic weekend. I spent mine putting the final touches on the new Merari Photography home. Blogger has been very good to me, but it was time to branch out into something new.

So, with that said, make sure to change your rss feed settings and follow me to my new home :)

National Geographic {Personal}

2011-06-14T15:51:00.003-04:00

I clearly remember the first time I saw a National Geographic magazine. At the time, I couldn't care less about their insightful articles about current events. It was all about the pictures. Bold, colorful and sometimes jaw-dropping photos of people and places I've only dreamt of seeing. It was so inspiring!

In college as I stumbled unto International Relations and photography, the magazine only became more important to my learning of both areas. Steve McCurry and other photojournalists became my role models and every time I had the chance to travel with my camera, I shot with the hopes of one day making it to National Geographic.

Every year, the magazine holds a travel photography contest. I've never had the guts to enter it because honestly, it's very intimidating to go against thousands of extremely talented photographers! This year however, I decided to take the plunge. I got nothing to lose, so why not!

I am torn on what photo to enter, though and I would love your opinion. I decided to enter one of my Haiti pictures, but I'm very undecided on these three.

Which one do you think I should enter and why? I'd love your opinions! They would be of great help.

And also, if you haven't seen our new Facebook page, check it out and "like" it! You can get all the new updates on some cool things that will be happening soon.

Update {Personal}

2011-06-13T18:30:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone!

Forgive my recent absence from the blog. There's no excuse, but I do have some good reasons for the lack of posts. First off, The last week of school just ended. Thank God! It really is an impossible feat to make kids do anything those last few days. They are already in vacation mode.

Secondly, merari.com is on it's way! I've been working on the new site for a while and it's almost ready to be revealed. Make sure you add your email on the tab to be notified on the grand opening!

Thirdly, the Merari Photography facebook page is finally up! I know it's taken me a long time to get one, but better late than never, right? Make sure you click the "like" button to get updates on the new site and other cool things I have up my sleeve.

Feel free to poke around and see some old stuff you may have forgotten about. Oh! and if you are in any of the photos, by all means, feel free to tag yourself and share them along ;)

And because a blog post is never complete without a photo, this is the place I wish I was spending my summer in. There's something so awesome about a good hammock on a breezy afternoon.

New Home {Personal}

2011-05-23T15:08:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone!

I have very exciting news. For a while now I've been really wrestling with taking my photography business to the next level. I'm finally taking the plunge and branching out with Merari Photography. yay!

I am working on a whole new website, blog and branding. It's been a lot of work, but I know it will be worth it. No more blogger for me!

So keep posted on the upcoming announcements. I'll announce the big unveiling date soon.

Let the countdown begin!
::cue The Final Countdown::

And because a blog post is not fun without a picture, here's the beautiful Miami landscape.

Andres & Megan {Portrait}

2011-05-16T19:10:00.003-04:00

One crappy thing about living in Miami is the unpredictable weather. The climate here is like a bipolar, pms'ing teenager who never gets enough sleep. Such was our nemesis for this photoshoot, but thankfully, the moody climate teenager decided to take a nap and blessed us with beautiful sunlight and a nice breeze after hours of rain.

Andres, Megan and I met up at Bill Baggs Park in Key Biscayne. I had just recently shot this wedding there so I was so excited to find new different locations for pictures. I was not disappointed. Andres and Megan looked incredible and we had a great time talking about weddings and babies. I'm so excited for their November wedding!

This little guy was the cutest! Charlie slept through most of the shoot, but he decided he wanted to make an appearance at the last minute.

Raul & Tatiana & Ayden {Portrait}

2011-05-11T17:21:00.000-04:00

Jaxon's Ice Cream Parlor is an ice cream lover's paradise. Tati, Raul and I headed up for a visit to eat some ice cream and take some photos of Tati's ever-expanding belly aka baby Ayden. I am so excited about his upcoming appearance into the world!

Zoë {Portrait}

2011-04-26T20:53:00.004-04:00

My new little friend, Zoë Ella came into the world just a few months ago. We have cuddled and played and shared funny stories about her mommy. She is quite the character. Always enjoys belly tickles, her mom's yoga ball and letting everyone know her opinion through her little high pitched giggles and roars.

She looked absolutely precious in her mom's old baby outfit.

my favorite!

Anniversary {Personal}

2011-04-18T20:08:00.006-04:00

Today my dear gringo and I have been dating for one year. woo hooo! Time sure does fly. Even though we're postponing our celebration because school and work own us, I got all sentimental and started thinking about all our silly/dumb/outright moronic inside jokes and world traveling adventures we've accumulated over these last 12 months. So to celebrate and since this is after all, a photo blog, I've gathered up pictures from some of our adventures.

In case you were wondering, yes, I always stand on that side for pictures... it's my good side!

Forgive me in advance for some of the odd humor found in these... We watched Arrested Development throughout the year and it was some of the best Netflix/Dinner dates ever. Watch at your own risk... risk of laughter.

This one is for you, babe!

I love you, my hombre. Here's to many more years of adventure and funny comedies on Netflix. :)

Giselle {Portrait}

2011-04-14T12:20:00.003-04:00

Baby Joshua had a great Nautica themed party to celebrate his upcoming entrance into the world. His mommy, Giselle looked absolutely radiant and is so blessed to have wonderful friends and family who were there to wish her and Joshua the best.

These little guys were placed inside the sand and lighthouse bowls. So creepy!

This guy made the best Paella I've ever had. And he has an awesome mustache to boot.

Congrats to Giselle and Matthew on baby Joshua! He's going to be a cutie.

Jason & Carolina {Wedding}

2011-04-11T11:00:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite things about shooting weddings is getting to witness the emotional roller-coaster of the day. From the stress of having your bumper fall off on your way to the hotel (!) to sharing a few moments alone with your brand new spouse before dancing the night away, emotions rule the day. Thankfully, despite the bumper mishap, Jason and Carolina's wedding was filled with nothing buy sweet emotions.

The kids were ridiculously cute.

The food truck tacos were delish.

Photography related Tats {Personal}

2011-04-06T18:51:00.005-04:00

I've always been very "gray area" with tattoos. Never really for nor against. Slowly but surely I've become interested in them ( I blame my gringo who loves the ink) and started thinking that IF I were to get one, what it would be of. I started looking around at photography related tattoos and found some really funny, cute, weird, creative ones.

1 I don't think I would ever have the nerve to do this, but I think it's so beautiful. I love the clean contrast and not to mention, I just love silhouettes of trees. I think it would be cool to do a series of little framed "snapshots" like this one down the back or in the forearm. Maybe even of photos taken by self!
2 Simple, cute, to the point. Don't think I would get something that big on my wrist though.
3 Cute!
4 If you don't get it, what he tattooed is the light meter that is seen in most cameras. It tells you when you are exposed correctly or not. I love it because its different and witty and not that obvious. It would be cool to get this on a smaller scale on my wrist.
5 I have a soft spot for finger tattoos.
6 (lost the link to it, sorry!) ^ Ditto.

7 I would never foget my F-Stops again!
8 I love vintage cameras.
9^ Ditto.
10 Ouch! but very creative.

I'm sure I won't be getting one any time soon, but I always enjoy other people's creativity and art, whether it's through photography or tattoos. Maybe one day I'll grace this little body with one of my own :-)

Which one did you like the most? What would you like to get a tattoo of?

Gabriel & Alexandra {Portrait}

2011-03-28T00:18:00.005-04:00

Gabby and Alex have been shinning stars on the blog and my own personal hating cheerleaders for a long time. They have been great friends to me, and now to my boyfriend who so happens to have a heated man-crush thing going on Gabby... Don't ask... Alex and I most definitely don't!

To my boyfriend's heartache, Gabby and Alex are getting married in October and needed some photos for their save-the-date. We met up at a park for some picture-making and some laughs.

disclaimer: no crazy photoshop editing! just some cropping and great timing for the nice jumping-high effect.

Leandro & Natalie {Wedding)

2011-03-16T20:37:00.008-04:00

From the first time I met Natalie and Leandro, I genuinely liked them. Their cute "cosito" nicknames for each other and Leandro's Argentinian accent always made me smile. As their wedding day got closer and closer, I got a chance to get to know them and their awesome family and friends. Come their wedding day, I was one of the many with happy tears as they said their wonderfully emotional vows to each other.

Big ups to Natalie for letting me hang her dress on a tree! and bigger big ups to her bridesmaids for helping my vertically-challenged self. You guys rock!

Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your beautiful wedding day! You have definitely inspired my romantic tendencies.

Stephen & Jess {Portrait)

2011-03-16T12:40:00.002-04:00

Stephen and Jess are having a boy! A boy named Noah. They have been such good friends to me and my hombre and I am so excited to meet Noah very soon.

They had a celebration for Noah for his upcoming birth at the Fruit and Spice Park. I've never been there and it was quite beautiful! Lots of photogenic trees and flowers.

Congrats guys!

Mistakes {Personal}

2011-03-10T19:48:00.006-05:00

I saw this on a blog the other day and I giggled to myself. Maybe it's a photographer thing, but sometimes we totally luck out on an awesome shot that happened completely by accident.

Like I've said before, after all the technical stuff and preparation photography requires a bit of luck. Sometimes luck is on my side.

Here's one of my favortire shots that happened purely by accident.

This one was from Tricia and Ronnie's wedding last year. We had just finished taking the formal pictures on a cruise ship's stairwell. They were called to the top by the boat's captain and I forgot to turn my camera off. I accidently hit the shutter button on my way up and captured this picture. I love the way movement in the picture, as well as their reflection on the glass.

I know it may not be the best photo technically speaking, but I love the movement in the picture, as well as their reflection on the glass.

I'm also sure there's a rule out there somewhere that artistic mistakes just HAVE to be in black and white :)

Do you sometimes get lucky in photography or in your particular field?

Haiti relived {Personal}

2011-03-07T00:32:00.005-05:00

Last night, as I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep, I started reminiscing about my trips last year. It has been a year since I took the opportunity to go to Haiti with my church and document the country and their mission after the earthquake.

I realized that I never took the time to really think about and write about my personal experience of the trip. As I lay there, I couldn't really figure out what I wanted to say about it that hasn't been said before.

We've all heard the stats, seen the pictures, read the commentary on what should be done and how they should do it. What else is there left to say?

I had assumed that going to Haiti would be a life-changing experience. That it would inspire me to find a solution to save it from corrupt politicians and 300 years of failed attempts to prosperity. In all honesty, Haiti was not some big catharsis to self-discovery and marked social consciousness. In fact, it led to a realization that despite our best intentions, our most ardent passion for positive change, we cannot save the world from itself.

Now, I know that sounds like a real downer but in reality I found it to be comforting.

As much as I encourage social activism and fully support the constant work of people and organizations that help others improve their lives, I consider it comforting to realize that we are not in control of others and what happens to them. We cannot stop bad things from happening. We are not responsible for saving the world.

With that in mind, I do look forward to any future opportunities that come my way. I look forward to continuing to strive to find better, more efficient ways of really helping people.

It showed me the arrogance and pride that can seep through something that starts off with good intentions and ends up about us being right, or being some sort of saviors. I just find it reassuring and also humbling that though I am called to help and love others to the best of my abilities, I am in the end, not responsible and quite frankly unable to save myself, yet alone save the whole world.

You can go here and here to read my blog posts and see photos from my trip.

Self & Rajah {Portrait}

2011-02-24T10:31:00.003-05:00

I have loved getting more and more acquainted with my new Nikon D90. It's such a great camera!

Today I was playing around with the self-timer feature (aka, I put on make-up for once and wanted to be a little narcissistic. Hey, it doesn't happen often!). I set it up on a chair facing the sliding door to the backyard since it provides good lighting. I set up my focus point, clicked the shutter button, ran to my spot and posed.

I ran back to see the result, when SURPRISE SURPRISE. Apparently someone had been watching me all along and decided to get into the action.

This is a great example of what a recipe for a good photo can be. Check it:

good lighting + good timing + good luck

The picture would not be nearly as interesting without my stalker back there.

You can never go wrong knowing the technicalities, being prepared and having a plan. But sometimes, sometimes you just get lucky!

Hungry Eyes {Personal}

2011-02-22T17:29:00.003-05:00

I love this dog. She has been acting a little bratty lately. For example, she is not allowed on the couches, but I have caught her plenty of times jumping off the sofa when she hears someone coming. She's not as dumb as she looks. I can be easily irritated with her gassy and trash-eating ways ( boxers are notorious farters) but one look into those eyes and I'm putty in her paws.

Christina & Jeff {Wedding)

2011-02-17T18:34:00.004-05:00

Last weekend, my boyfriend, Steven's brother, Jeff, married a beautiful girl named Tina (mouthful!). I took my new camera with me and snapped some quick ones during the wedding and while the boys were getting ready. It was a little difficult shooting the ceremony due having to remain in my seat, but I tried to sneak around a bit to get some shots.

This is my boyfriend being Mugatu with his mom's two dogs. He's a keeper.

Logan has been a star on the blog before. He is just the cutest ring-bearer! He had a little cold though, so he wasn't feeling his best.

Tina looked stunning.

I sneaked to the back to snap this one. I think it looks pretty cool.

Steven was the best man, the better man. His speech had people laughing and crying. If Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell had a love child, it would have been his speech.

It was a great wedding. And to conclude, I just HAD to post these. We look good! ;-)

Natalie & Leandro {Portrait}

2011-02-07T14:48:00.004-05:00

There is something so incredible about meeting people that I can laugh with. Natalie, Leandro and I had a lot of fun and spend a lot of time giggling during their engagement photoshoot. They are so down to earth and cute that I might have gone a little overboard clicking the shutter, but I love the results! We were able to shoot in a photogenic house in the Redlands in Miami. Add a cute picnic, some pink balloons and yummy sunflair, and you get a happy Merari... oh and some awesome photos :-)

Rajah at the Park

2011-02-01T08:17:00.003-05:00

Check out my first video attempt with my new D90. Let me know what you think! It was a lot of fun to make :-)

ps. My voice is not THAT high pitched... it's just the way we get Rajah to get excited about the park ;)

Cousins {portraits}

2011-01-05T12:30:00.006-05:00

When does it become too late to say Happy New Year? Well, it's already been 5 days, but I'm gonna say it anyway.... Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years. I had the awesome chance of spending it in New York City (Blog on that coming up soon). There is no place like New York for ringing in the new year. It's a fact.

Before I left to New York, a friend asked me to take some photos of him and his cousins. They had not had any photos of them together since they were young and wanted to give their grandma some recent pictures. What good grandsons! We met at a park by my house and had lots of laughs.

Christmas 2010

2010-12-26T17:04:00.004-05:00

This year was a great Christmas. Lots of yummy food, good friends and decent weather. Watching elf with the family has become a new tradition, as well as ripping up the presents right after dinner (we're too old to stay up till midnight now).

My thoughtful boyfriend got me a VHS of the Backstreet Boys! He got it as a gag gift. Little did he know how much I love me some good old boy band music. Ha!

Anyway, hope everyone had a lovely, lazy Christmas! we sure did. :)

Dexter-inspired Cupcakes

2010-12-13T11:44:00.003-05:00

If you follow me on Twitter or have had a conversation with me, you'd know that I am a big Dexter fan. It's one of the best TV shows I've ever seen. The season finale was last night, and to commemorate the show, my friends and I decided to make some Dexter-inspired cupcakes to munch on.

Now, if you've seen the show, the Barbie parts will be a nice inside joke taking it back to season 1, if you haven't seen the show... what are you waiting for???

The cupcakes were made with white cake mix and whipped cream cheese frosting. We used some red food dye for the bloody swirls and melted some white chocolate inside the cupcake. Yum.

Painted fingernails and everything.

Now the hard part comes; waiting a whole year till the next season. Any other show suggestions for me to watch in the meantime?

George {Party}

2010-12-06T21:33:00.004-05:00

Last weekend I had the pleasure of celebrating and shooting my dear friend's dad's birthday (confusing?). His wife threw a fantastic Hawaii-inspired party, with Island dancers and leis!

The incredible cake was created by LeeLee's Cake-abilities. Check her out! She's very gifted in the art of cake-making.

Oh. Check out the last photo, It made me giggle :-)

Happy birthday again, George! Keep practicing those dance moves :-)

I was also trying out my brand new Flash for the first time! It was quite a new experience for me. Can't wait to play with it more.

Rajah & Logan {Portrait}

2010-11-11T11:20:00.002-05:00

I have been a horrible blogger, but I'm back! and I'm making the commitment to blog a whole lot more now. I took a break from taking pictures for a while, but my photo mojo has returned and I'm very excited to start shooting it up again.

This last weekend I had a mini-session with two of my favorite models of all time. They are so good -looking! I baby-sat my boyfriend's nephew and dog for a couple of hours and I took advantage of their good looks.

Lady-killer eyes.

I played around with color and contrast for this one...

Florence, Italy

2010-09-01T16:58:00.004-04:00

I took this on my recent Eurotrip. It's a view of Florence's Duomo and it's gorgeous mountainous backdrops.

Tricia & Ronnie {Portrait}

2010-08-23T14:45:00.002-04:00

Trish, Ronnie and I have been scheduling this shoot for almost two months! We like to blame it on the unpredictable South Florida weather. Thankfully, we were finally blessed with clear skies and a beautiful, if slightly hot, day at Dania Beach. Trish and Ronnie got married almost exactly a month ago, so this is no longer an engagement shoot, but rather a newlywed shoot. Here's to many, many more months of happy wedded bliss and lots of trips to the beach!

Trish and Ronnie {portrait} Preview

2010-08-19T17:34:00.002-04:00

So this is a post-wedding engagement shoot, so I guess it would make it a newly-wed shoot? ::shrug::

Regardless, it was a lot of fun! Here is a sneak Peak. More will come soon. Promise.

My Drive Home at Tobacco Road

2010-08-15T01:48:00.002-04:00

Last week I went to support a local band, My Drive Home, at the oldest bar in Miami, Tobacco Road. I haven't taken my trusted old camera out in a while, so I brought it along with me to the show.

I'm a little rusty. I definitely need to get back to shooting more, so expect more posts coming up :-)

Tricia & Ronnie {Wedding}

2010-07-26T14:53:00.003-04:00

This was such a cool, unique wedding! Trish and Ronnie met, fell in love and decided to share vows in an intimate ceremony on a cruise ship. Romantic! and exciting because it was my first time on a cruise ship (next time i'll make it out of the port, ha). They are so cute and fun and share my love for sarcastic commentary. YES. We had limited time for portraits, but I think we made the best of it after exploring the ship.

Love you guys! Looking forward to our post-wedding engagement shoot this week :-)

Spain

2010-06-28T10:37:00.001-04:00

I had the incredible opportunity this month to travel to Spain on a missions trip. We were able to scrapbook with some lovely ladies during the day. As a past scrapbook hater, I will publicly admit to not hating it anymore :-) We were also able work alongside a band that went to Madrid from the U.S. to perform live concerts throughout the city. We passed out tracks, spent time in prayer and hung out with people around us. It was a very interesting experience.

This was my first trip to Europe and I was not disappointed. I did not take many pictures though. I previously had made the conscious decision to not be in "photo" mode so as to not miss actually experiencing the adventure. Here are some of my favorite shots of the trip.

Nicaragua {Children}

2010-05-11T17:42:00.003-04:00

Children are my favorite to photograph.

Instead of shying away and putting up a guard of self-consciousness like their adult counterparts, children fully embrace the opportunity to be photographed. In every trip I go on, I make a conscious effort to capture children, because as I have noticed, a child is a child, regardless of socioeconomic standing, culture, religion and race. They are effortlessly funny, awkward, unique and pure. Something as simple as seeing their own image in the back of my camera will give them joy.

Perhaps it is a little bit selfish, but It makes me unbelievably happy to be able to provide them some happiness with my camera.

Haiti

2010-03-11T22:24:00.004-05:00

Going to Haiti was an amazing experience. Instead of telling you about it, I decided to let the photos speak for themselves.

A young boy posing behind a LandRover. He attended Concorde, the local church we were sleeping in every night.

A group of men fishing in a lake by the Haiti-Dominican Republic border. The difference between the Dominican Republic and Haiti is immediately noticeable. The street in the DR is paved. The street in Haiti is of dusty, chalk-like material causing for a very bumpy, dirty ride in.

Children knock on windows asking for food, water and money while cars are waiting to cross the border.

People shop and sell produce in an open air market in Port Au Prince. Mountains of garbage surround it and are seen in every sidewalk of the city.

Women sell food on a sidewalk. According to Amnesty International, women and young girls are at higher risk of sexual assault now due to the lawlessness of the country.

Trying to make a living, many people sell hand-made items and food on the streets to passing cars.

Throughout Haiti, many NGOs and Non-Profits pass out food on a daily basis.

Our team worked in the city of Leogane, the epicenter of the earthquake. According to UN Reports, an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 people died from the earthquake and about 80 to 90% of buildings damaged with no remaining government infrastructure.

The ride from Port Au Prince to Leogane is about an hour an a half. Cracked roads and huge pot holes disfigure the streets.

The church we served with was one of the few buildings that didn't collapse completely. The church had a school which was destroyed during the earthquake. While on the trip, we met with Unicef relief workers to help the school get back on its feet.

Men work to rebuild a wall for the church that fell during the earthquake.

A young girl poses where her old classroom used to be. Behind her, five nurses are running a small clinic.

Patients wait to be seen by a nurse. The most common diagnoses were scabies, ring worms, vaginal infections and stomach issues.

Nurses examine a young boy. During a four day clinic, the nurses attended to about 700 people.

A Tent City in the City of Leogane. About 200 people are currently living there in make-shift houses. According to the camp leader, no aid had reached them yet, except for a water tank.

Young boys in the Tent City.

Another tent city on the opposite side of Port Au Prince.

Many people use bicycles and motorcycles to get around.

We drove three hours out of Port Au Prince to meet with a local rice producer. Instead of importing rice to feed the people of Leogane, investing in local businesses can better assist the country's economy.

A shoeless boy jumped into the bus and caught a ride. The number of children living on the streets have grown immensely since the earthquake.

Children play with team members in a home orphanage. The orphanage is run by a family who opened their home to needy children of their community.

A boy sits by a wall and watches cars go by.

Tents are seen scattered around side streets. Many people do not sleep indoors for fear of another earthquake or tremor.

Despite great loss and suffering, there is a big movement of spiritual revival in Haiti. many Haitians have become stronger in their faith and many have given their lives to God after the earthquake.

We believe in not only meeting the physical needs of people (food, health, shelter), but also their emotional and spiritual needs. About a dozen people gave their life to Christ during the week we were there. Dozens more were able to talk about their fears, frustrations, worries and anger. One week is a very short amount of time, but we were able to still serve a community of people as best we could.

Please don't stop praying for your Haitian brothers and sisters and continuing to assist them as best you can.

Haiti

2010-02-16T10:15:00.000-05:00

God is so good to me, friends.

Yesterday I turned the big 2-3. Birthdays have the annoying habit of bringing up the past and pointing at the future. "Look at all the crap you've done instead of this awesome stuff others have done. But don't feel bad, you're just getting closer to death and you still haven't ___ (fill in the blank)___".

Well, maybe that's just me.

This year was different though. Instead of listening to Jimmy Eat World's 23 all day, which was my original plan, I spend my birthday in meetings, writing e-mails and checking flights. And trust me, that is a GREAT thing.

Our heavenly Father always has grander plans for us.

After hearing the heartbreaking news about the earthquake in Haiti, my church has been actively collecting and sending aid to missionaries in Haiti. The Missions department also decided to send a team to assist the missionaries as soon as possible. I immediately spoke to them and signed up to plan the trip and go.

I don't know why.

The news of the earthquake not only shook the ground of Haiti, it also shook my unstable faith. The ever cliche "why do bad things happen?" littered my heart for a while. Dark times clouded by doubt and apathy.

"What the heck am I going to do in Haiti?"

And then, while researching the trip, I stumbled on an article. The reporter described countless Haitians creating a makeshift church to worship God and pray for deliverance. Songs of praise lifted up from the crowded tent village as people in deep suffering had nothing but hope on the Lord. I wept. I repented. The clouds dispersed.

So I will join them, though I cannot even comprehend what they are going through. I will join them in songs of praise, prayers of petition and tears of pain.

I will listen to them, hug them, pray with them and do my best to love them, because honestly, that's all I can do. I hope to make sure this "Haiti thing" is not just a media fad. That their long-term reality will be our life-long burden.

March 4 to March 11 will be a life-changing week.

After weeks of planning, I finally got clearance to go yesterday. I will be joining nurses, doctors, construction workers and pastors in Port-Au-Prince and document our stay. My role is of minimal importance to our work in Haiti, but I know this trip will be significant for God's work in me.

This has turned into a really long post. If you read this all, thank you. And I ask,

Don't forget.

About Haiti. About relief workers. About what YOU can do to help. Please pray for me and our team. and please never stop praying for and actively helping people who need you.

Madeline {Portrait}

2010-02-09T11:06:00.003-05:00

This is one of the cutest babies I've ever had the pleasure of holding. She is so sweet! I had never photographed a newborn before (Maddy is only 6 weeks) so it was quite a learning experience. Most of my clients don't poop, cry and throw up while we're shooting, but other than that, Maddy was a total professional ;-)

she's going to be a fighter ;-)

Paula & Brandon {Portrait}

2010-01-04T10:25:00.000-05:00

I don't really edit my pictures much. I prefer that "natural" look, simply because I don't want you to look back on these pictures ten years from now and see how dated they look. I do make exceptions, though. Paula wanted a "vintage" look for her photos and I gladly took the opportunity to flow the creative juices.

After much experimenting and trial and error, I think I pulled off some vintage-y looks. I did everything from the classic black and white to an edgier "Lomography" look. Let me know which one is your favorite!

2010.

2010-01-01T13:26:00.003-05:00

Alas, a new year... nay, a new decade has come. Though it seems silly to assume that the change of a number will immediately lead to change in ourselves and in the world, a new year still provides a convenient time for reflection of the past, and the encouragement and hope needed for the future.

2010 was great. I was able to fulfill many life dreams and goals. I got my Bachelors, I was able to visit my family in Honduras, I saw many dear friends get married and have babies. Heck, I went to Africa and bungee jumped! Sure, there were many moments of stress, pain, hurt and overall craziness, but in the end 2010 proved to be a year worth revisiting.

I'm not masochistic enough to do the ever painful new years resolution. It's silly to assume that just because December 31st becomes January 1st, things will change. I do however like to take some time to reflect God's blessings from the last year and thank Him in advance for the ones of the following year.

But what the heck... Here are some of my "resolutions" for 2010. They are mostly goals, dreams and things I am looking forward to.

What are some of your resolutions for 2010?

Light {Portrait}

2009-12-09T15:30:00.009-05:00

Thanks to Jimmy Eat World for the inspiration.

Francheska {Portrait}

2009-11-17T08:00:00.002-05:00

I really love taking photos of adventurous people. When Francheska's mom contacted me about taking pictures she epecifically said that her daughter was not into the usual "Vizcaya", puffy dress, heavy make-up look. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I just really appreciate people who like to do things differently.

Francheska was a total professional. I didn't have to coach her and she was more than willing to do anything for a good shot. GLORY.

I think it definitely paid off.

I don't know if you've noticed, but I am a HUGE fan of sun flare. I think that's why I like this picture so much.

Jenelle plus baby {Portrait}

2009-11-11T22:52:00.004-05:00

Jenelle, baby and I did portrait session last weekend to capture what we call in the business, the "pregnancy glow". Okay, maybe they call that in every business. We hope to send these over to her husband who is currently serving abroad in the military. I have a feeling he's going to like them ;-)

my favorite: Blue Steel

Berchman & Lauren {Engaged}

2009-11-09T21:32:00.003-05:00

This last weekend I headed over to Black Point Marina to shoot some engagement pictures for Berch and Lauren. Not only is this place cute and photogenic, it also has special meaning to the couple because that is where Berch proposed. Cute!

They also incorporated some personal props into the shoot, like Berch's guitar (he's a musician and worship leader at Christ Fellowship Church).

The weather was less than perfect, but I think we were able to get some good shots.

Alexandra {Portrait}

2009-10-27T09:30:00.002-04:00

This past weekend Alex and I headed over to this cool abandoned place by my house. She wanted a "city" look, and nothing embodies that better than lots of graffiti, right?

It was quite interesting and funny seeing her walk through broken glass and piles of trash to get some shots. She's a trooper. At one point, we were trying to get away from a couple of guys playing Paint Ball. We didn't do a good job at it because I got shot right in the heart by a yellow paint ball. Honestly, who shoots a short girl walking around with a camera and a white shirt yelling "Don't shoot!"? At least it wasn't my camera, but I'm still bitter about it, haha.

Well, it was all worth it because we were able to get some good shots before getting shot, Pun definitely intended. All for the art, right? ;-)

Miscellaneous {South Africa}

2009-10-26T11:00:00.002-04:00

I know I'm probably overdoing the whole "Africa" posting, but I just HAD to post these. I promise they're the last ones ;-)

I just love the way that little boy was looking up at the older one.

Any "Lost" fans out there? Tell me that's not where The Others live.

Penguins are my 2nd favorite animal and I got to see them really up close! I was happy.

Some people have asked if I plan on selling prints of any of my "Africa" posts. I never really thought about it, but if I see enough interest, I'll do it ;-)

if you are indeed interested in purchasing any of these prints, let me know!

Nature's own {South Africa}

2009-10-14T20:54:00.004-04:00

Landscape photography is not really my forte, but seriously, with views like these, I couldn't take a bad picture even if I wanted to. I can't say it enough, South Africa is hands down the most gorgeous, breathtaking place I've ever seen. What do you think?

Souls {South Africa}

2009-10-07T07:53:00.004-04:00

Kids are my favorite. All they require is a smile of recognition and you have a free pass to take their photo. In fact, in Africa, I was usually chased about by a mob of kids who wanted their picture taken. They're so open and vulnerable that its easy to see their soul through their eyes and smiles. It made my job that much easier.

In the few days I was there, I was able to connect with some of the kids from the FROG center in Cape Town. Talking with some of the local volunteers I was able to get some information about their backgrounds. The sad truth is that even though these children do not personify the stereotype we have concocted of what an African child should look like or live like, they come from abusive homes and drug-infested communities where teen pregnancy and drug-related violence runs rampant.

In all honesty, at times I questioned the purpose of my trip there. It did not seem like an important matter to do a Vacation Bible School for a week for some kids. After speaking to the local volunteers, they were able to clarify the ultimate purpose of the trip.

We were there for their "Spring Break". One week were these kids would have to fend for themselves. With barely any adult supervision and productive activities, any kid is bound to get into trouble. That vulnerability that makes them such great subjects for photography also makes them easy victims to drugs, teen pregnancy and violence.

We were able to offer these kids an alternative to getting into trouble. With a couple of hours of the day we provided a safe place for them to play, learn and eat. We were able to show them that despite their circumstances, there are people that love them and care about them and their well-being, both physical and spiritual.

I wish my time there would have been longer, but I am so thankful that God provided the opportunity for me to do this. My hope is that despite the short amount of time I shared with these kids, that a seed was planted. I don't know if I will see any of them again, or if they'll even remember "that short girl with the camera" but I pray that God used me for His glory. I pray that I was able to influence something worthwhile in the lives of the children I met.

That, I believe, is really the ultimate purpose.

Day 2 and 3 {South Africa)

2009-09-26T09:30:00.005-04:00

I can't believe I've been here for three days already.

Yesterday was a very eventful day. Day two and three are "tourist-y" days. We woke up very early and headed out toward Boulkrans Bridge, South Africa. The biggest bungee jump in the world.

That's right. Bungee jump.

Now as most of you know already, I am not fond of heights, let alone jumping off the biggest bridge in the world. But I wasn't planning on jumping, so I went along for the ride.

We drove for about 5 hours north to get to the place, and it was monstrous. My stomach flipped a couple of times just by looking at it. All the sudden I decided to do it. Why not, right? How many times am I in South Africa in the biggest bungee jump in the world?

So I jumped. I can't believe it. It was the weirdest feeling in the world. Waiting around was the worst. They take you to the bridge and they have a DJ playing music (its great to keep people calm). They workers are extremely nice and give you all the details you need to know. Finally it was my turn.

They strapped me up and gave me a pep talk. Two workers walked me over to the edge and that's when it hit me. WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING HERE?

but it was too late to back down. They counted down... 3... 2... 1... and I jumped. And I fell. And I started screaming. And I felt the weirdest feeling I've ever felt in my life.

About two seconds after the drop, it finally hit me. "Oh my God.... I'm falling into an abiss!" My body started twirling around like those ballerinas in music boxes and I bounced up and down on the bungee strings for about 4 other times. The scariest seconds of my life.

Finally they started lifting me up and one of the workers came down to stap me to him and took me back to the surface of the brige. I was shaking. My hair was a mess. But i was so happy I did something I never in a million years thought I'd do.

4 others from the group jumped too. We bonded. There's also a pretty cool video of the experience that i'll post later.

Today the team went to a whale watching festival. I and a couple others decided to stay behind because of the hurricane-like winds and rain.

But for now, i'm still reliving the fact that I jumped off a bridge.

Day 1 {South Africa}

2009-09-24T12:24:00.003-04:00

I'm here! and its awesome.

We arrived last night dead tired from two days of flying. As previously stated, I had the unfortunate luck of sitting to all of the people I did not want to sit with. Oh well. At least my luggage and I made it here safely.

Today we woke up, headed out to a grocery store about a quarter of a mile away from where we're staying to buy some food for the next couple of days. We've mostly spent the day recuperating from the trip and getting to know the members of our team. Right now, its 6:30pm, I'm sitting in an internet cafe, checking some emails, facebook, you know... the important stuff. So far, I'm having a blast.

I hope to be able to write again tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Africa, here I come!

2009-09-21T23:35:00.004-04:00

The time has come! and I am so excited/nervous. I have two LONG days ahead of me. Check out my flight itinerary.

Tuesday, September 22

Departs: 12:20 pm from Miami, Florida
Arrives: 3:27 pm at New York - Kennedy, New York

Departs: 5:40 pm from New York - Kennedy, New York
Arrives: 7:15 am at Amsterdam, Netherlands

Wednesday, September 23

Departs: 9:55 am from Amsterdam, Netherlands
Arrives: 9:15 pm at Cape Town, South Africa

OUCH. Thankfully I have a fully stocked Ipod and a couple of books to tie me over. I'm just hoping I won't have to sit next to a smelly person - young annoying child - obnoxious plane "talker" - a couple on their honeymoon. ::fingers crossed:: No offense if you're any of the above ;-)

I want to thank you all that have supported me with your donations/prayers/conversations. Its just incredible that I am able to do this. Its been a life-long dream of mine and to see it come to fruition is inspiring to me. I plan on updating here as much as possible with pictures and little tidbits. I was given a video camera for the trip, so you better believe there'll be a sweet mini-movie when I return.

I ask that you continue to pray for my team and I as we embark on this journey; for our safety and for us to be able to serve the community we'll be in with passionate hearts.

If you have some time tomorrow morning, feel free to holler. I'll be in the airport for quite a while with nothing to do. We'll chat it up ;-)

Stay tuned!

Kevin {Video}

2009-08-25T16:50:00.002-04:00

My first video creation ever. Enjoy!

Kevin from ChristFellowshipMiami on Vimeo.

Ariana {Portrait}

2009-08-17T15:39:00.004-04:00

My first Loving South Africa photoshoot was with Ariana. I'm not very experienced with toddlers, so it was a different experience, but she was a great model! She was a total pro, striking poses left and right.

We took a stroll down a little beach for our photoshoot.

Loving South Africa Revealed!

2009-08-13T11:03:00.005-04:00

What better way to raise funds than by doing something I love?

Chriss and Mike {Engaged}

2009-08-10T16:25:00.006-04:00

I'm so excited to be shooting couples again. I've been occupied with events and my "other" projects, I was craving to do another romantic shoot. Chriss and Mike are getting married next year and they asked me to shoot their engagement pictures. They're adorable... and total sports for walking around Byscayne Beach with me in 90 degree weather.

ps. How do you like the bigger, bolder, more awesome-er sized pictures? (yup, I just made that word up right now).

Loving South Africa Teaser

2009-08-04T16:51:00.005-04:00

I'm going to South Africa!

I couldn't come up with a better opening sentence than that. I have been given the incredible opportunity to go to South Africa on a missions trip. I'll be going with a team and we'll be hosting a Vacation Bible School for some very deserving kids. This is a dream come true!

The trip is right around the corner. We leave September 22 and come back August 4. The trip is $2500. Yikes! Since I have such a limited amount of time to raise funds, I have created project Loving South Africa.

Cute, huh? I want you all to share in the experience with me, because honestly, not many of us get a change to do this. This is just a little teaser, so as soon as I have all the details set, I'll explain the project in full. In the meantime, have you ever done a good fundraising activity? Share! ;-)

CORRECTION: we come back October 4. haha. Thanks Kristel ;-)

Kevin

2009-07-29T12:17:00.002-04:00

I know I had promised a preview of the video about homelessness and The Caring Place i'm working on, but to be completely honest, I totally forgot!

The only taste I can give you is a still (photograph) I took. I was lucky enough to meet Kevin and he was kind enough to talk to me about his experiences and allowed me to photograph him for the video. I know what you're thinking... photographs for a video? YES. You got that right. This video is going to be awesome.

For now, meet Kevin.

The Caring Place

2009-07-23T21:27:00.005-04:00

For about six months now, I've been spending my Sunday mornings at Christ Fellowship's The Caring Place Downtown. It's all about serving people, especially those that are in need of the most basic of resources. They provide shower facilities, breakfast and lunch, clean clothing, and job search assistance. They also provide spiritual support. Volunteers hold a worship service for anyone that would like to attend. It's uplifting to see individuals who have overwhelming struggles still passionate about worshiping Christ.

I had a change to talk to a couple of guys and they were kind enough to share their story with me. I'm creating a video of that soon so I can share it with all of you :-)

Rivers. Homeless for one month.

Randy. Homeless for three months.

Brett. Homeless for two years.

Every night in Miami-Dade alone, approximately 1,300 men women and children experience homelessness. As the economy continues to struggle, foreclosures become more rampant and people continue to be laid off, the numbers of homeless people continue to increase. The clichéd statement remains, we are all a couple of paychecks away from being homeless. We could all be a Rivers, or Randy or Brett.

Lets thank God for our blessings, and help our brothers and sisters who need our assistance.

Earth Angels.

2009-07-20T13:37:00.006-04:00

Last Saturday I had the privilege of volunteering with Earth Angels. Earth Angels is the brainchild of Jorge Wood. He rounds up families that are staying at the Ronald McDonald House and takes them out for a day every month on various field trips.

Earth Angels is a magnificent program. I had the chance to speak to different parents who told me that Jorge and his team of volunteers make a huge difference in their lives.

Every day is a battle for most of these families. One, two, sometimes even three members of a given family suffer from grave illnesses that require long-term medical treatment. Some even travel from different countries seeking better health care.

What Jorge brings to these families is an escape. He offers these families a chance to enjoy a day out as a family, a day to forget their worries. This month, they went to the Seaquarium.

Helping people through art.

2009-07-15T22:50:00.007-04:00

Art is awesome.

I grew up in an environment where imagination, creativity and innovation was highly encouraged. By the time I was ten I was playing the piano, flute and violin and was involved with a school art program. However, due to my slightly rebellious (and stupid) nature I veered off from art for a while deciding instead to focus on being a teenager and later, world politics (lame).

Now at 22 I can play perhaps two classical pieces on the piano, "Mary had a little Lamb" on the flute, and I can still sort of remember how to hold a violin. ::hangs head in shame::

I picked up photography in college, and it was love at first click. I hate to say it but photography is an art that requires little skill. Maybe thats why I like it so much, haha. Yes, there is a lot of technical aspects to it and a good photograph requires a creative eye. I admit it though, its a bit more difficult to learn an instrument than to work a camera.

Regardless of it being a "lazy" art, I am extremely thankful for photography. Its become not just something to do, but a way to experience daily life. Life behind a lens is quite different than life with no lens.

Thanks to my creative background and my love of photography (among other things) I was given an opportunity to intern at Christ Fellowship (CF). What a blessing! I'm surrounded by ingenious people who create not for the sake of creativity but for God's glory. I'll be creating and producing some awesome videos that will be used for the church and its mission. I've learned tons of cool stuff in the last week about video-making and branding. I am also learning how to see things differently when it comes to thinking visually.

I was given my first project this week and I am super pumped about it.

CF has developed a non-for-profit called Caring for Miami that is working all over Miami-Dade County to bring assistance to the under-resourced. My first project is to create a video that will convey what Caring for Miami is all about. It has always been a passion of mine to work with and help the less fortunate. Not only is it my mission as a Christian, but it also makes me happy! thats what we in the business call a win-win.

I was always told that art could help people but in my slightly rebellious and stupid nature, I was skeptical. I've seen the light! Now I can say that I am extremely blessed to be able to use my artistic skills and my passions to help others. That is definitely something to jump over a chair about. ( I had to tie in the random picture somehow... ).

Any ideas for the video concept? share!

Comfort

2009-07-09T08:00:00.003-04:00

Sorry for the current slacking on the blogging. I've had my hands full lately. I promise I will come back with a good one. In the meantime, enjoy this ( I-don't-know-what-to-call-it) that I made yesterday. My mom is a huge fan of this verse and she's always made sure I never forget it. It always comforts.

I printed it out so I can keep it in my sweet new office at my new exciting internship (but more on that later, I promise).

The Motherland.

2009-07-01T16:30:00.008-04:00

I don't know if any of you know this, but I'm an alien.

No, not the green, bug eyed, creepy kind, but the brown, immigrant creepy kind. I was born outside of the U.S. and lived in many different places. Of all those places though, the one that is most dear to me is Honduras. I spent the majority of my early childhood there and any good memories that I have of my childhood in general took place there.

Honduras is not exactly a tropical paradise. Its considered the second poorest country in the western hemisphere behind Haiti. Illiteracy rates and child mortality rates are high. It has suffered through dozens of natural disasters, wars and military coups. Which brings me to the point of this post.

Honduras has been going through incredible stress during this last two weeks. Allow me to recap:

- On June 28th the elected liberal president, Manuel Zelaya presented the country with an option to vote for a referendum (a vote to either pass or reject a proposal) that would allow an appointed committee to make amends to the Constitution (because of Zelaya's questionable past and alliance to Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, this was obviously worrisome).

-The opposing party, the Nationalists, along with the military arrested Zelaya and exiled him to Costa Rica, declaring that Zelaya had signed a resignation letter (which Zelaya adamantly denies).

Honduras is in chaos. Violent protests for and against the military coup are rampant. Schools and many work places have been closed indefinitely and critics of the coup as well as journalists have been arrested or have "disappeared". My family members that live there have shared eyewitness accounts of police brutality against civilians and the lock down of the country by the military.

Central America has a violent history of military coups and corrupt governments. Regardless of what side is right, the point of the matter is that the people are suffering. Individuals are being killed, arrested and tortured. Civilians are having their lives violently interrupted by the political apparatus. The international community has condemned the coup and the U.S. has suspended military relations with Honduras but the country is still in chaos.

I'm not writing this to make an argument for or against the coup. This is simply to inform others of events that are going on. People are scared. The very least we can do as human beings is to be aware.

These are some photographs taken by my cousin's friend, Wilfredo Fuentes. As a photographer I'm a firm believer that images are sometimes more eloquent than words. They provide glimpses into things we cannot experience for ourselves.

These images capture the circumstances of political unrest and therefore some of these images are violent.

(click to enlarge)

In your daily drive to work or school, give a thought to these people. Pray for them, their safety and their government. Be aware.

Church, Pictures and Cards.

2009-06-29T13:59:00.004-04:00

This Sunday morning my sister and I headed over downtown to attend our church. The service was great! I love my church. After the service we decided to walk around downtown, grab some lunch and shoot some pictures. We're dorks.

the Freedom Tower

this is my "Pouty Knightley" look, lol.

Our exploring was cut short due to Miami's wonderful weather (and when I say wonderful I mean horrible). Within 5 minutes the sky went from clear and sunny to hurricane-like winds and rain. UGH.

Today a wonderful friend/designer and I ordered my first ever business cards! I'm so excited. Business cards make me feel legit (perhaps too legit to quit?).

Anyway, there's a lot of creative juices churning and I have a couple of projects coming up. I will be sharing them with you soon so stay tuned ;)

Elienai and Christian.

2009-06-25T14:23:00.001-04:00

These two beautiful people are getting married in exactly 57 days (which I know thanks to Eli's daily tally on her facebook statuses). Eli had her bridal shower this last weekend. Not only was the shower perfectly beautiful, the location was picture-perfect. I stole Chris and Eli away for 5 minutes and took some impromptu shots outside.

Enjoy!

Nuclear weapons, peace and Lance Armstrong

2009-06-22T22:14:00.004-04:00

I am finally done with school!

Thursday I turned in my last research paper. It was for my security studies class and I based it on Neorealism and nuclear weapons . It was pretty awesome if I do say so myself. I echoed the sentiments of this famous International Relations scholar/crazy guy, Kenneth Waltz, who believes that nuclear proliferation (the rapid production of nuclear weapons around the world) will lead to a form of world peace. There's a lot more to that, but that's pretty much the gist of it. Anyway, its really interesting stuff if you're into that nerdy type of banter. Check out some of his writings if you have some time to kill and some brain cells to develop :-)

here's my favorite.

Speaking of nuclear weapons, now that I have more time on my hands I started going to the gym which makes my body feel explosive (pun highly intended yet not entirely witty). I'm very motivated to lose the "freshman 15" I gained during all of my college years. I took up cycling for the first time ever and the trainer religiously believes that we are all Lance Armstrong's clones.

I don't know... maybe I should leave cycling to the professionals. I don't think the "Lance" look flatters me.

Later this week I'll be posting up pictures of some events I shot this last weekend (I promise they'll be a little better than the one on this post).

Good Things.

2009-06-13T12:49:00.008-04:00

Here's some stuff that's going on.

1. This upcoming week will be the last of my baccalaureate career. Two finals and I'm done! Oh joy!

2. I was just laid off at work. They felt bad I would have a bachelor's degree and they could not provide me with a raise, so they let me go instead. That logic is just outstanding.

I'll admit that at first I was quite upset about the job loss but I've reached the conclusion that in actuality it is a blessing in disguise. I did not enjoy working there but I was comfortable (is comfortable such a good thing anyway?). With no school and work obligations I can put all my focus pursuing activities I actually enjoy such as my photography, art, music, reading and community service. I will also be spending more time developing relationships, with family, friends and God. (thank God for living with the parents and having savings in the bank).

3. A friend offered me an internship position with his awesome church working in the creative arts ministry. It's something that greatly interests me so I'm praying about it (but I'm leaning towards "yes!"). It would definitely be a great learning opportunity.

4.I had been in the process of applying for the Journeyman program with the IMB. I was ecstatic about it but for various reasons it was put in the back burner. I've been thinking about it a lot lately and some friends have brought it up again for consideration.

I have this gut feeling that pieces have been falling in the right places, leading to the somewhere I need to be. I have to take some leaps, but I've never been good at jumping.

Its an exciting, scary time. Pray for me.

Skirt and Ducks.

2009-06-10T22:01:00.005-04:00

My sister's new skirt + my new lens = amazing light/cute ducks = impromptu photo shoot :)

She totally tried the ducks which led to a fight not long after this shot. haha.

3 year-old model.

2009-06-08T20:03:00.005-04:00

I've known this David since he was in the womb. He's Tank, Monkey and "David!!!" as his mom constantly calls him (or better said, yells as she runs after him). He loves cars and I have a feeling he's a bit OCD because he arranges said cars in perfectly neat lines and take 3, exactly 3, cars on every trip. We spent Sunday morning together and I was able to snap some moments. In the future, I hope to catch more of his amazing facial expressions, but for now I am satisfied with the few silly moments I was able to get.

He enjoys showing off the "guns".

They grow up so fast.

NWSA Senior Showcase

2009-06-03T13:38:00.010-04:00

My little sister is graduating tomorrow. I'm incredibly proud. It has been a long four years for her and attending a strict art school an hour away has been a daily struggle. She has grown immensely: physically, emotionally, academically and artistically of course. It's great to see her hard work pay off.

Her class displayed their last school art work this last weekend at a nifty downtown art gallery. There were some great pieces, but in my biased opinion my sister's was the best ;-)

(her boyfriend, our brother, and her best friend)

(all the artists designed their own little logo. My sister's is the little monster. Fourth row, third column).
<> This dress was gorgeous.

When she's happy, I'm happy.

this one has nothing to do with the show, but I thought it was interesting.

Well, I'll be posting the graduation pictures this weekend, so stay tuned!

Genius

2009-05-22T18:30:00.003-04:00

I don't normally post videos here, but this deserves to be the exception. I've never done time lapse or stop motion photography, though I've always wanted to try it. This just inspired me to do it.

Death Cab for Cutie - Little Bribes from Ross Ching on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday, Kristel!

2009-05-18T20:16:00.002-04:00

My dear ol' friend turns 24 today, wooo!

Though she and her hubby reside in NC now, they're still dearly special to me. Not many people let you vent about anything and actually listen not to mention lend you their car for road-trippin'.

Thanks for your friendship, K. Lo! (or is it K. Ace?)
You're an incredibly beautiful, talented and competitive person, haha. Can't wait to sit down and gossip... I mean... talk with you again ;-)
I love ya.

Simple Persuasion

2009-05-12T22:28:00.007-04:00

Friend: So have you ever thought of moving?

Me: Definitely. I'd love to go to New York. All the jobs I'd love to do are there and so is NYU, not to mention I have friends there already.

Friend: Cool. So why don't you?

Me: ... I dunno.

Friend: Go.

Me: Okay.

We will see. Moving is not an arbitrary decision but one based on a wise, thought-out plan that incorporates one's responsibilities, abilities and realistic expectations.

Then again, maybe I should just go! ;-)

Prom and circumstance

2009-05-06T23:38:00.003-04:00

My 'little' sister attended her High School Prom this last Saturday. Needless to say, she looked like a beautiful grown young woman, and I felt old. Wasn't just a week ago that we were playing dress up and dancing around our living room to the sounds of Fantasia? Well, maybe it was a week ago... dancing around is surprisingly fun.

Anyway, as I felt like a middle-aged mother of three (not that there's anything wrong with that... right, mom?), my sister glowed. I had to grab the opportunity to photograph her. Its so amazing to observe a life go through all its milestones: birth, first steps, first words, first day of school, first tooth lost, first heartbreak, first moment of complete bliss. The sudden jump from childhood to adulthood. Perhaps younger siblings are God's preview to one's children, but without the birth pains, headaches and sleepless nights.

Her boyfriend, Steven, rocked that corduroy suit! He got "best dressed" at Prom, ;-)

Invisible Children Event

2009-05-02T23:07:00.007-04:00

About a week ago a friend introduced me to the Invisible Children:Rescue event. It was wonderful to see hundreds of people gather in support of a great cause. If you have not done so, I highly recommend the documentary the event is based on. It's incredibly touching.

Some wonderful musicians brought their instruments and played some Coldplay.

The volunteers wore white t-shirts with a cross on their chest.

They created a banner with hopeful messages.

Many volunteers bombarded media outlets for coverage and we made the news!

Lauren's Bridal Shower

2009-04-29T02:48:00.004-04:00

These pictures have been a long time coming, but due to finals and other recent obligations I've been unable to post them. Now that I'm on 'vacation' I have a bit more time to edit photos ( they're getting a bit backed up ) which means more blogging! yay.

My dear friend, Lauren is getting married in 3 weeks. How time flies! She and her soon-to-be husband, Rey, were some of my first models ;-)

These are the long awaited bridal shower pictures. It was held at Puccini & Pasta. Wonderful food, wonderful people, crappy lighting. Obviously the place was not made with a photographer in mind, but regardless, I was able to manipulate some light around to get some decent shots. Enjoy!

Invisible Children event tomorrow!

2009-04-24T23:16:00.004-04:00

A wonderful friend brought this event to my attention and asked me to volunteer as a photographer. I read up on it and saw the documentary it is based on ( you can watch a rough cut of it here). I signed up immediately.

In a nutshell its all about bringing awareness to the plight of children in war-torn Sudan.

If you live in the South Florida this is a wonderful thing to be involved in. What better way to spend a Saturday evening than bringing awareness to a worthy cause?

Please sign up and join us!

Answer.

2009-04-20T19:51:00.006-04:00

Time. Movement. Pace. Quintessential questions of existence, meaning and purpose. The whys and how comes.

The who, what and where, but most importantly the why. How come?

Sooner or later, here or there, the because is revealed.

Question.

Little Dolphins training.

2009-04-15T16:32:00.003-04:00

About a month ago a friend of mine gave me the opportunity to photograph an event the organization he works for was throwing. They invited different youth groups from around South Florida to play in the Dolphin's training facility. Nice! Here are some of the pictures I took. "Big ups" to my sister for helping me out ;-)

Ps. I created a new watermark! I think it looks spiffy, no?

the many faces of...

2009-04-14T16:54:00.005-04:00

I found this cool website that allows people to "put" their face into a famous person. Fun, right??

I look disgustingly creepy in them, but hey, it's all for fun.
enjoy.

CF Worship Concert

2009-03-29T15:11:00.003-04:00

I know I'm a bit late in posting these, but to be honest, I completely forgot about them! Thankfully I 'ran' into them today while I was uploading other pictures into my computer.

About a month ago, a local church in Miami, Christ Fellowhip, held a worship concert were all the worship leaders of the different campuses gather and play songs they themselves have collaborated in composing and writing. These are some very talented people and they put on a very entertaining and moving show. I can't wait to attend again next year.

the cliched "hand-raised-in-worship" photo ;-)

check out some more pictures over at Candidly Elegant Photography.

David and Jessica

2009-03-25T23:31:00.002-04:00

Last year I received an email from a friend of a friend. Jessica had seen some pictures I took at two friends' wedding and she liked them. She was on the hunt for someone to photograph hers and she had me in mind. I was very excited yet I warned her that I wasn't a professional, but simply enjoyed a hobby. She reassured me that she wanted me and with that, Jessica and David became my first wedding clients. Their wedding was this last Sunday at The Bamboo Gallery in Davie. I couldn't have asked for a better couple. Everyone was extremely nice. Jessica even cooked lunch for us as she was preparing for the wedding!

Thank you David and Jessica for taking a chance on me. I hope you enjoy the pictures!

my favorite.

Rose petals.

I love puns.

I bet you've never seen a hookah at a wedding.

I <3 Family

2009-03-23T16:38:00.005-04:00

I have finally found a bit of time to post some pictures of my vacation. Due to some of my family member's shyness, I was compelled not to post the "embarrassing" ones. I know, I know, I'm such a nice person. All in all, it was a wonderful break from routine and I was thankful to spend most of the time with my grandmother and my cousin's new baby (first of the new generation!). There are many family members missing from the pictures (there's 22 of us cousins from my dad's side!) since many of us are all "grown-up" and have things to do. Here's just a taste of my time. Enjoy!

primos Daniel and Sofia

primo Yaro (his dad just bought some land up in the mountains and we went exploring. We found a 'house' that was left a bit... undone).

prima Andrea

Prima Ana with her new bundle of joy, Josue

Josue (his eyes really are that dark!)

Tia Erma (my dad's oldest sister) and cousin Ricky (he's a tall one).

Tia Alicia and Josue. She is his grandmother.

Yaro again. We realized we were old when by 3pm we were ready to nap.

Prima Melisa and Josue. She's super excited to be an aunt.

My grandparents home. I get nostalgic just looking at this picture.

My dad's mom is an amazing woman. She and my deceased grandpa raised 7 kids on a pastor's salary and all of them turned out alright, haha. I miss her.

I can't wait to go again.

Home Again

2009-03-21T02:04:00.004-04:00

I'm back! Week-long vacations leave much to be desired. Nevertheless, I can't complain. Yes, it was short, but it was oh, so sweet. Now I'm back home buried in articles, PowerPoint presentations and essays. This is why I am unable to go into detail about the trip and why I haven't yet posted pictures. I will however write about and post tons of pictures in the coming week. For now, I leave you with this one ;-)

We don't have greens and blues like that in Miami.

Vacation update

2009-03-17T13:32:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone!

I hope you are all enjoying some well deserved vacation time. I´ve been sitting in front of a computer for two hours writing a 6 page paper and creating a PowerPoint presentation. It´s not exactly the way a vacation is supposed to be, but I´m still having a fantastic time. God willing, I´ll be back home Thursday night and by then I will have a chance to post the tons of pictures I´ve taken and write a bit about what I´ve been up to.

Till then!

Spring Break has arrived

2009-03-12T08:35:00.004-04:00

Well, technically it doesn't begin until Monday, but I got a little ahead of myself and took a couple days of extra spring break time. I'm leaving today to Honduras to visit some of my lovely family members. I'm so excited about it that instead of sleeping last night I went over my packing list a couple dozen times to make sure I didn't miss anything (I'm sure I still did).

Due to the vacation, I'll be on a blogging hiatus until my return next week. In the meantime, check out my new pimped out blog! I had no idea that html coding and web design was so time consuming and complicated. I think I did pretty good for a rookie. What do you think?

Have an exciting/relaxing/enjoyable/productive Spring Break!

Alexandra and Gabriel

2009-03-10T11:33:00.005-04:00

When I first picked up photography, I shyly asked a friend if she and her boyfriend would mind modeling for me. Alex and Gabby were gracious enough to comply. A year or so later, we decided to do another shoot over at Pinecrest Gardens. Unfortunately, we failed to realized that the park closes at 5, so we were only able to shoot for half an hour. Still, we were able to get some awesome sun flair shots and headed over to a nearby park for some more photos. check them out.

Brandon & Paula

2009-03-09T11:03:00.018-04:00

I've been wanting to go to the Design District for some time and when the opportunity came up to head over and take some pictures of this lovely couple I grabbed it. Its quite an interesting place. It was easy to take photos there since there are lots of picturesque places, not to mention the people that were modeling for me are quite good-looking. Check out the pictures .

ps. I saw Slumdog Millionaire this weekend. I loved it! I now want to learn a Bollywood-type dance.

Alexandra & Paula

2009-03-06T17:36:00.009-05:00

Yesterday some cool friends were awesome enough to go with me to Miracle Mile in order for me to practice some night shooting. Night photography is complicated. I don't have the right equipment to take the best pictures, and I'll admit I had a rough, frustrating time trying to take some decent pictures. Check them out and let me know what you think.

Amanda

2009-03-03T10:00:00.005-05:00

I love this girl. She's pretty, she's smart and she has a pair of beautiful blue eyes. We met up by some railroad tracks on a very hot afternoon. She suffered some burns all for the art ;-)

I really loved the field we found. There are not that many by where we live. I think I'll shoot there again.

Check out the pictures!

Kat

2009-03-02T13:17:00.004-05:00

I had the best time shooting Kat at the Tamiami Airport this weekend. She was amazing enough to put on her wedding dress and get down and dirty for some pictures. Check them out.

Daylix

2009-03-01T01:00:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I met up with Daylix at the Tamiami Airport for some photos. She is such a cool person! I met her through Kat, whom I also took some pictures of (but those will come soon).

I don't know if you've noticed, but lately I've been redirecting you, my reader, to view my pictures in my flickr page. It's just so much easier to upload photos there than here. I will continue blogging about my photographic adventures, of course, but I will be constantly redirecting you to my flickr account, so you might as well bookmark it ;-)

A big thank you to Daylix for being such a sport. It is not fun to run around in heels through grass in hot, muggy Miami weather.

With that said... allow me to redirect you to the rest of Daylix's pictures!

Pictures.

enjoy!

Bear9

2009-02-26T10:02:00.003-05:00

My favorite local band played a great show last night at the FIU Frost Museum. They always put on an entertaining show. I'm extremely proud of my friends and their creative accomplishments! I am in love with their music, specially "Wall in my Heart". I've played it a couple dozen times on their myspace (check it out).

If you are wondering what that hoodie is all about, all the band members wear bear hoodies. I'm not sure how this came about, but hey, if the Red Hot Chili Peppers can wear socks on their privates, these guys can wear bear hoodies in a more public body part ;-)

Danny's Xylophone.

The lovely audience.

If you're curious about the band, you have to go to over to my flickr page to see them in action. Check it out and let me know what you think.

and go show Bear9 some love!

Models Wanted

2009-02-24T15:18:00.002-05:00

I've been itching to do a photoshoot lately, but i've been putting it off due to some school work. Thankfully, I will have some breathing room this weekend, which means there will be room to scratch that itch and go out and shoot. I'm really excited. I have some ideas in mind. Anyone want to be photographed?

Decisions

2009-02-18T22:31:00.008-05:00

They scare me. Do I not trust my instincts? Is it due to fear? Am I unwilling to take responsibility for the eventual consequences?

I don't know. It could be all of the above. It could be none.

I like to hear friend's advice before committing to a decision. I strive to take the best advice. My grandma gave me good advice once: Don't take anyone's advice except for God's. In the end, His is the one that really matters.

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In His arms Hell take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear

May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.

Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer

Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

These words were inspired. They are full of promise, of assistance, of guidance. How wonderful to know that despite fickleness and indecisiveness, our Lord will shield us and bear our burdens. What a privilege it is to pray, indeed. Unfortunately I need reminding once in a while.

We need to bring old hymns back.

(if you're reading this through reader, go to my actual page and listen to the hymn. It's inspiring!).

Drive-by

2009-02-17T11:07:00.002-05:00

If people can text, eat, and shave while driving why can't I shoot some pics?

Ok. Only when the light is red ;-)

New Header

2009-02-16T22:56:00.003-05:00

I like it. My sister says it's cliche. What do you guys think?

dos dos.

2009-02-15T23:29:00.014-05:00

What a weird number. One more digit closer to 30. 30 is the new 20, right? I realize the cake above only has one 2. My dad figured there was no need to be redundant (but I just think he was just being cheap).

Here are some pictures, as promised, of my birthday weekend. They were taken with my Sony Cybershot. I've been experimenting with it to get more "juice" out of it. Good pictures don't have to come from fancy SLRs. Not that I'm saying these are good. Whatever. Just look :-)

My sister and I headed to the Coconut Grove Arts Festival today. I find pleasure in surrounding myself with all forms of art and people passionate for them. It inspires me.

[She inspires me]

My sister had a couple paintings for sale. Hopefully someone likes monsters enough to buy a painting of one. We found an artist that made a huge camera. It was beautiful.

We noticed a huge group of people standing around. Being the curious (nosy) person I am, I walked over to see what the commotion was all about:

Apparently people greatly enjoy staring at big butts. And with that gigantic butt, I ended my birthday celebration. Thank you dearly to everybody that remembered! and if you didn't... you've been blacklisted till next year when you can redeem yourself ;-)

Here's to 22 being better than 21.

Friday the 13th

2009-02-13T10:40:00.004-05:00

I promise this blog has nothing to do with scary/halloween/Jason. I just couldn't/wouldn't come up with a better tittle. I also know this is supposed to be a photo blog of sorts, so I apologize for the lack of photos lately. I promise I'll start posting up more pictures soon :)

In the meantime I have some things to share.

I have started twittering. Joining one more social network won't kill me, right?
I lost my phone a couple days ago. I bought it with my first paycheck from my first real job a long time ago. It was vintage. I am not able to buy a new one any time soon, so if you want to reach me you can do it through email. I check it like every ten minutes... it's a disease.
I don't have money at the moment because I just bought a plane ticket for Honduras. I'll be visitng family during Spring Break. So excited!
I will be going to this tomorrow. My sister has some art work displayed. I'm so proud!
Check out these amazing award-winning photographs!
I turn 22 on Sunday. I'm kinda indifferent about it ... It's not an exciting number. We'll see.

That's it. Hope you all have a great weekend!

alleged unhealthy love

2009-02-11T00:45:00.003-05:00

I have what some people would call an unhealthy obsession with John Mayer. I see nothing unhealthy in enjoying a musical artist. I've seen this cat in concert thrice... in different states. I've photographed him. I follow him on twitter, read his blog and most unbelievable of all, I actually buy his CDs. Completely healthy fan behavior.

I don't know what it is about him that I like so much. Could it be his wit? his musical talent? his 6'2 frame? his womanizing ways? The way he whores himself to the media? that he dresses up as a bear? who knows... maybe its all the above. How can I not love a man that hangs out with Trick Daddy?

He was on the Ellen Degeneres Show on Monday and they did a hilarious rendition of LadyGaga's Just Dance.

It made me laugh, as expected.

I think despite all the TV shows, witty banter and slick physique, the thing that I truly love JM for is his music. Others will agree. Some (lame) others say it's overrated and made for prepubescent girls to swoon over.

They could be right, though I will never admit it. The underlying truth is that there's a moment of my life connected to any John Mayer song out there. Relationships, parties, friendships, milestones, heartache. Hearing a song of his will immediately transport me to a time, a place, a memory. It's like he describes the emotions I find difficult to describe.

That's what real music is to me. Something more than the background noise of daily life. Real music connects with the soul, with emotions, with memories. It will transport you to the time when you first heard "slow dancing in a burning room" and you wept because it meticulously described your failing relationship. (not that it happened to me or anything....).

Perhaps its total coincidence and a bit lame that this specific singer/songwriter has added so much to the last 5-6 years of my life. It could be weird that I somehow connect myself to someone I've never met simply because we've shared similar emotions. Regardless, I still see nothing unhealthy about that ;-)

Plus, if the Jonas Brothers like him.... why shouldn't I?

Zeal

2009-02-09T21:04:00.004-05:00

I love Zeal. It's an amazing blessing to be a part of a group of people that love God. A group that can fellowship and worship together. Sometimes I get frustrated, angry, annoyed and feel like giving up and moving on. Then I remember that despite my frustration, anger, annoyance and quitting attitude there is one thing that matters, that solely matters.

It's not about me. It's not about my shallow, fickle feelings. It's not about how the stage looks or if we have an activity for people to do. It's not about if 20 or 60 people come. Yes, it is wonderful to be able to decorate and create things. It is a blessing to serve big crowds of people. That is not what matters.

God matters.

Whether He's worshiped in a fancy church with big screens, loud contemporary music and cool lighting effects or where a couple of people sit together and talk about Him, what matters is that He matters.

I get lost in the chaos of the details and lose focus on the main goal. Thankfully God's kind enough to point me in the right direction over and over again.

New interests

2009-02-02T09:40:00.002-05:00

This past weekend instead of doing productive things, I spent the majority of my saturday afternoon working on my blog. I made a header from scratch (shout out to Sandra and Ashley for letting me use a picture of their legs) and tried to make it nicer. I don't know if I succeeded in that, but it did help me to realize that I greatly enjoy design. I may not be good at it, but its so much fun to brainstorm ideas, think of logos and experiment with shapes, colors, fonts, pictures, etc.

I should have realized this four years ago when I started college, but C'est la vie. Maybe I'll get another degree in design. Or maybe this is just a fad in my life and I'll get over it in a couple weeks. Anyway, let me know what you think of the new blogsite. It's still a work in progress.

Veil me

2009-01-29T14:04:00.007-05:00

Lately I've been bombarded with weddings and everything related to them. I'm not complaining, because I honestly enjoy helping friends find their dream dress, veil, shoes, etc. Its an honor to be a part of such a joyous event and to experience the annoying decision-making process brides go though. In any case, I was helping a friend look online for some veils. While researching I came about these particular veils called birdcage veils. I fell in love! They are so chic, simple and glamorous.

The best part is that they are a lot cheaper than your usual veil and easy to make, too! So one day (way in the future), when I elope (no wedding headaches for me, thank you very much) with my future fiance in a romantic and exotic place, I would love to don one of these :-)

(photos are not mine, but randomly found through google)