What kind of car should I get?

I already have a car - a Honda Civic. It's GREAT on gas! Especially with these ridiculously high prices we're paying at the pump these days. However, I've decided to hand it over to my Mom who doesn't have a car.

Everyday she wakes up early and takes the bus for TWO HOURS to get to work. By car it would only take 20 minutes. With winter surely on it's way (and, believe me, I can feel the cold weather coming) I can't bare the thought of my Mom standing in the cold, wet, Pacific Northwest weather waiting for a bus.

So that brings me to my dilemma... what kind of car should I get? I definitely want something fuel efficient and that I'm not going to get all panicky about if it accidentally gets scratched on one of those hectic days of shooting (trust me, some shooting schedules are SO jam-packed that getting everything into the car becomes a game-show challenge). I don't want to be more concerned about my car than my couple!

Going "green" is also a goal of mine. So far I've only looked at hybrids and/or clean diesel. I have a little while to decide but if anyone has any advice or suggestions I'd REALLY appreciate it!

In the meantime, I look forward to the day I can hand over my warm, safe, reliable car to my Mom. She's always been there for me!

More on Jacklin & Graham

I actually got an email from Jacklin & Graham today while they're on their honeymoon thanking me for making their day so fun. I thought that was so sweet! Jacklin told me some GREAT stories of their adventures so far and I can't wait to see their pictures.

... Jacklin also gave me permission to post some photos if I'd like. I hadn't even asked them!!!! I guess they read my previous post and wanted to let me know it was ok to show some images. So... here are just a few near the beginning of the day:



Jacklin was getting pampered next door to the McMynn residence when I arrived - getting her makeup done by Jayna (she's awesome!) - while her bridesmaids fed her sushi. Once she was all made up, the process of getting into her dress began. Jacklin's bridesmaids were incredible! Jacklin didn't have to ask for a thing!




Jacklin looked absolutely gorgeous!



A horse and carriage brought the bride from her place to Graham's where the ceremony was being held. LOVE that!





Stay tuned for some more images...

The Human Race - Nike 10k Run

I wanted to set some minor goals throughout my marathon training and I figured the Nike 10k run was a good starting marker. I was already up to 6 miles in my training so this race was perfect. Just so that I'm clear (and I know all my friends are tired of hearing me say this) I'm a very slow runner. For me, time is not a goal of mine. I just want to be consistent and finish all my runs without stopping.

Now that I've qualified that, my time for this run was 1 hour, 3 minutes and 55 seconds. Very slow... considering the last 10k I ran took me 57 minutes (that was almost 10 years ago). I'm ok with that!

I'm also ok with the fact that my friends who ran with me, finished before me... and they don't even train! Kerry did it in 40 minutes! That's awesome!

The scenery was amazing as the sun started going down. I actually ran with my point and shoot camera, but, because my goal was NOT to stop, most of the pictures I took were blurry. I saw a LOT of people along the way standing on the side with professional equipment. I bet they captured some unbelievable images! I'd LOVE to see them!

Here are some pictures I took before the race:





Here's me just as the race began:



Me AFTER the race:



A few of my friends after the run:





Our legs were killing us (and my glutes were sore) so we headed to the beer garden. Can you believe they served beer after a 10k run??? Needless to say, I had water ('cause I don't drink) while my friends double-fisted the little plastic cups.

The BEST part of the night was that the band "The Trews" played on the open-air stage then "Theory of a Deadman"! They were AWESOME! What a GREAT night! AND I got some good training in...

Leah & Doug

I wanted to quickly post some images from Leah & Doug's wedding before I hit the road for the Nike 10k run tonight... (more on that later)...

I arrived at the house before the bride arrived which allowed me to get some great detail shots.




Once Leah arrived I could tell she was really nervous but as soon as we started shooting she loosened up and we had a great time! Of course, the champagne helped too...






Gus, the 6 month old family pup, was enthralled with all the activity until he got stung by a bee. Poor Gus!



The ceremony was at the United Church on 15th and Burrard. I LOVE that little church! It's so small and intimate and the stained glass windows are amazing! Both Leah & Doug tried so hard not to cry but Leah came prepared with her handkerchief tucked in a "safe" place. She may have thought no one noticed...



After the ceremony we did some traveling around our beautiful city.








Just a little background - Leah & Doug are high school sweethearts and are quite young (23). So it's only inevitable that the groomsmen (who are also quite young) tend to be rather... 'playful'... to say the least. They kept me in stitches with their antics.





The reception was held at the Rowing Club in Stanley Park. The light was amazing by the time the couple arrived so I had to take them down by the water.







Even though Leah & Doug are just beginning their lives together at an early age, it's clear that their love runs deep. They're going to have a life filled with joy and happiness! You can just feel it when you're around them!

Marathon Training

Alright, so here goes... I'm letting everyone know that I've started training for a marathon. I should be ready by the end of November at which time the Seattle Marathon is scheduled (November 30).

However, secretly, I'm aiming for December 7 for the marathon in Barbados... I'm thinking it will be less 'hill-y'. That's a good enough excuse for me. Not to mention the warmer climate and exotic feel of a tropical island in the middle of autumn. Sounds good to me!

Before I started to officially train, I had already been running most mornings for 3 - 5 miles anyway with strength training at the gym thrown in. It's something I've done for years.

I also have to tell you this isn't my first attempt at training for a marathon... I've started a few times in the past only to be thrown off my schedule due to time constraints during wedding season. Events tend to be in the middle of summer - the busiest time of year for photographers. I thought I would be smart this time and begin my training at the end of the season instead and aim for a marathon in the winter (a strategic move considering the possible locales).

Wish me luck! And feel free to hold me accountable! I need all the support I can get!

Jacklin & Graham - Wedding

Jacklin & Graham's wedding day was 'magical' to say the least. It was a warm, sunny day (which has been rare the past few weeks) in Southlands surrounded by beautiful homes and a lot of horses!

Out of respect for their privacy and the current media attention, I won't be displaying any images but I know I captured the spirit of the day! I could feel the love and warmth of family and friends enveloping the couple as they said their vows. After the ceremony, the couple rode in a horse-drawn carriage and we had a chance to escape the camera crews and get some amazing shots at a beautiful, red barn. From there we were able to cruise through the Dunbar area and eventually down to the Vancouver Yacht Club. An old vintage car was awaiting them and I got some great shots with the Vancouver mountains in the background.

I don't think I've ever met a couple so meant for one another than Jacklin & Graham. They know the true meaning of love and have a deeper understanding for how precious life really is. Perhaps part of it is a result of the challenges they have faced early in life. But I get a feeling it goes beyond life experience - it comes from the sense of values given to them from their parents and grandparents. Without this foundation, I believe their journey may have been a little more difficult to bear.

Through everything, they have kept an unbelievable sense of humour and I had SO much fun laughing with them and the rest of the bridal party the entire day. On August 23rd, something I had always known but hadn't thought a lot about lately, came rushing back to me - the importance of strong family values, unconditional love and standing tall in the face of adversity while never losing the joy life has to offer.

Chalane & Patrick - Wedding

Chalane & Patrick's traditional Asian-Inspired wedding was incredibly fun starting with Patrick bravely succumbing to the bridesmaids' demands to show his love and devotion for his future bride.


What struck me the most about this wedding though was the attention to detail. Chalane really took the time to get all the 'little things' just right!







Harumi was Chalane's coordinator and she did an amazing job of keeping it all together.





After the ceremony at Celebration Pavilion in Stanley Park, we made our way to the beach with the city in the background.







We also headed to UBC where the couple met in University. The Koerner Library holds specific memories for the 2 of them...


What an incredible day! Congratulations Chalane & Patrick!