A beautiful sunshiney day, two sandwiches from Bay Cities Deli (meatball sub and salami sandwich are my favs!), a six-pack, and the open sea!! My experience in the water is limited – I got so seasick on the ferry from Mallorca to Barcelona I literally thought I was dying… So I hesitated when my good friend Russ Langford, the best digital tech in the world from Royal Capture, asked me to go for an outing on his newly beloved and restored 60’s era boat (can’t for the life of me remember what type etc. it is…. I’ll call it “nice old cool boat.”
But hey, I’m all for busting out of my comfort zone. I totally played it cool and clung to my camera like a security blanket. And all was calm and good… until we got to the choppy waters – holy moly!! I don’t think the waves should ever be higher than my head… that’s my boating philosophy. But Russ was cool as a cucumber and just laughed at me. That’s fine dude. I decided to get in the driver’s seat, and that’s when I really fell in love! I can see how addictive this boating business can be. Especially when the water is calm, the sun is shining on your face, and you’re eating a sandwich while listening to the water lapping up against the boat, and a big old wolf-dog is pawing on ya.
Jane is one helluva gal. I photographed her wedding three years ago, and now her whole extended family has become close friends of mine. She and I cooked up this surprise boudoir shoot while her husband John, a film producer, was away at the Cannes Film Festival… and boy will he be welcomed home!
The shoot was inspired by three main elements: 1) John’s love of black and white film posters from the French New Wave or La Nouvelle Vague, 2) Jane’s gorgeous skin, which made me think of Bouguereau paintings like “Evening Mood” which I once posed for! (a story for another time), and 3) her upcoming transition to being a nonsmoker.
So we wanted to celebrate all of these influences, and the results make me so happy.
I would love to share my favorite most beautiful pics from the shoot, but those entail a see-through scarf and nothing else but a smile!… Credit goes entirely to Jane, who never thought she could do “this type of thing” and wound up going all.the.way. I love it when people push outside their comfort zones. That kind of courage is really attractive.
Tomorrow, I’ll post pics from my wonderful boating outing this weekend!… and soon – the album design from this shoot, an engagement session, my favorite character, photo parties galore and plans for shooting in Italy!
xo,
Christa
Photo: “Her Kiss” – by Unknow. Inspiration is everywhere!… While I was at Rose Pistola in San Francisco about a week or so ago, enjoying a delicious dinner, great company and amazing live jazz… I walked by a photo near the bar that stopped me in my tracks. I stood there taking it in… a grainy black and white print of the back of a couple walking down a cobbled street at night, and boy did it tell a story! The man and woman were both dressed up, obviously on the way home after hours, and the way they embraced spoke volumes and represents everything I love about photography and life!
Our waitress wrote the name of the photographer, Jerry Stoll, on the back of a comment card, but I have yet to find that image anywhere… I’ll keep searching. And speaking of the comment card, on the front was a handwritten poem by City Lights Booksellers co-founder Laurence Ferlinghetti. Once again I was moved, and this time I can let it speak for itself… The photo above is the closest thing I can find to the one I saw in SF that night – enjoy and be inspired 🙂
One grand boulevard with trees
with one grand café in sun
with strong black coffee in very small cups
One not necessarily very beautiful
man or woman who loves you
One fine day
Let’s get married!!… I consider myself a lucky girl to be the sole guest in attendance at the most joyful loving silly wedding celebration ever… held during dress-up playtime at Saturday’s Alice in Wonderland birthday party.
Here’s how it went down: This little girl with the cutest short haircut tugged on my skirt and asked if I could help tie the bow on her “wedding dress”… You’re getting married?! I asked with a smile… Uh-huh she giggled back. To who? I asked the all important question… as she pointed across the garden to her friend putting on a wedding dress of her own.
Well, let’s do this! Playtime was ending soon, so I quickly grabbed a flower for each of them and made up a sweet and simple ceremony on the spot…
…which involved exchanging flowers….
…a kiss…
…twirling and cutting the cookie…
… and holding hands skipping off to the Moon Bounce and happily ever after!
This will always be my favorite wedding that I’ve been invited to and photographed! And I’m seriously considering having a little red heart drawn on my face when I walk down the aisle 🙂
Oh the wonderful silliness of it all!… Alexandra Johnston’s Alice in Wonderland 6th birthday party on Saturday was a flat-out non-stop super-fun crazy-zany hysterically exhausting affair! Everyone had a stupid silly time… Seriously, I think I had just as much fun, if not more, than the kids. I enjoyed tea amongst the little ones at the kids’ table; I flirted with Rabbit; I kicked back with the Mad Hatter; I rocked it in the Moon Bounce; I played dress up; and I did a mean hokey-pokey. Because that’s how I roll.
Oh, did I mention I took a couple of pictures?
Here’s the birthday girl and her mom, the fabulous hostess, Brigitte Johnston.
Silly hats were a must!…
Who knew the zany-ness that was going on outside this door?! The event was held at the beautiful and delicious Mick’s Cafe – my new favorite place to have a bite in the Palisades.
Can you tell which feet belong to the birthday girl?! Uh-huh.
A few details… How badly do I want to take that frog prince home? Oh wait, I already had one or two of those!
… and lastly, your’s truly. xoxo
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post… the most adorable loving beautiful wedding I’ve ever been to and photographed!
A recent trip to wine country… no further explanation necessary 🙂
I love me some yummy empanadas! Especially when they’re in the form of this adorable babe’s chubby feet. David Ortega’s grandma calls his feet little empanadas – and it’s so true, right?! They really remind me of my trip to Buenos Aires last year and my daily morning empanadas (ok, late afternoon, but morning to me). But don’t trust me, take a peek at pics from one hot lovely afternoon with the Ortega family at the South Coast Botanical Gardens and see for yourself 🙂
I’ve never seen a baby smile so often, so big, and so easily. I just couldn’t get over my impulse to squeeze and bite him! Is that what parents do when no-one’s around? Rolls upon glorious rolls….
Okay, this one just makes me laugh silly. He’s such a bruiser here. Lol!
