First  off-

THE 50!!!!

I am so excited to be finally ordering this lens, I could cry.  This lens, in all it’s glassy 1.2 glory, is so pretty.  Yay!  Hands down, as if you couldn’t already tell, this is my favorite purchase.

Then of course I bought this Heliopan UV Filter, in order to protect the new lens, Of course.  The price hanging over this 50mm makes me nervous so the filter was a no-brainer.

Another item, that took me way too long to obtain, The Photoflex MultiDisc 5-in-1.  Hello Bounce!  That’s all I have to say about this- Hello Bounce!  Cause it’s 42″ of it!

Meet my second favorite purchase- The new Transciever TT5 by PocketWizard.  These came out last year and are simply amazing.  Much more efficient and reliable then past models, from what I’ve read that is.  I’ll keep you posted on my results after using them on a few shoots.  To give you an idea of what they can do, check out the company’s link to their you tube video-  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=831L0RvFd2Y.

And this is my new power source.  If you are an event photographer, you will love this.   I feel as if I am constantly waiting for my flash to recycle in order to move on to the next shot.  The Turbo 3 Battery Pack by Quantum is going to be a huge help on this.  It can be used for my lights or my camera.  Now if I want to shoot one after the next during a fantastically emotional moment, I can.  Just make sure you match up the right cord for the unit cause it doesn’t come with one.

OOOH and batteries.  So not exciting but it’s a regular purchase for me.  One can never have too many rechargeable batteries and in my opinion, these are the best.

That’s it . . . Ha! That’s it, as if I just bought a few $5.00 items. Well worth the price tags though.  As my business grows so will my equipment, so will my knowledge, so will my confidence and on and on and on.  New toys keep it interesting for me and allow me more control and freedom.  So once a year, I treat myself.  You should too.

For more information on my photography,

please go to www.JenCastlePhotography.com

Jack just recently turned the big 01!  He’s now an expert at crawling, standing, clapping, and is slowly mastering the art of walking.  He and his family live within the beautiful hills of LosFeliz and they called me up about a month ago for this first-time portrait session.  I have to say, I’m so pleased we decided to hold the session within their home because it was the perfect backdrop for this fun and sophisticated family.  Their home was gorgeous and Jack seemed to be completely at ease.

He’s definitely not a shy boy . . . here he proceeded to give us his best stand-up delivery routine.  I didn’t understand a word of it but he had me in stitches!  He would often crack himself up as well.  So cute.

When he started to get a bit cranky, mom and dad had the perfect solution . . .  I mean what baby doesn’t love a wireless telephone?  Once we had him dressed again we moved on to the backyard and what a gorgeous yard it was . . . .

My favorite shot of the fam-

Happy Birthday Jack!

]]> http://www.jencastlephotoblog.com/?feed=rss2&p=1092 1 http://www.jencastlephotoblog.com/?p=1086 http://www.jencastlephotoblog.com/?p=1086#comments Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:51:31 +0000 Jen Castle Photography http://www.jencastlephotoblog.com/?p=1086 Last night, in an attempt to create the perfect movie night, Joe and I made popcorn, poured wine, grabbed our pillows, flipped on the flat screen and attempted to search through our Netflix list in search for the perfect movie.  Nothing was working out for us.  We had either seen it, hated it, or had no patience to try it.  So we did something we don’t normally do, we resorted to pay-per-view.  Well there wasn’t much there either and as I was beginning to foresee blockbuster in our near future, it then popped up on the screen- “Babies.”  Everybody loves babies right?  Well at least that’s what the tag-line read.  I had remembered hearing about this film and how beautifully it was shot so I explained the concept of it to Joe, he agreed, and away we went.  It has now become one of our favorites.  Minimal dialogue but you’re on the edge of your seat through the whole experience- four new babies, four places on earth, one year . . . it’s mesmerizing and I highly recommend you check it out.

Thank you to Thomas Balmes, the director, for bringing us this young and colorful package of inspiration.

And after viewing, if you find that you’re suddenly in the mood for a baby portrait session of your own . . . well, you know where to find me.

www.jencastle.com

You’re the man I long for throughout the day, the friend that I miss when the gossip’s a gushin, and the element of fun that I always crave at a party . . . all of that and a bag of hot!

I am very thankful for you and am so looking forward to celebrating your day with you.

I love ya baby, Happy Birthday!!!

Now I ask ya, what better way to kick off the celebration then with some home made personalized cookies and a singing cat? . . . . .

Baby Alina was one of my youngest models.  Weighing in at one week and barely any pounds, her parents had asked me to come over to their home in order to get a few early portraits of her.  I fell in love with her instantly and was mesmerized as I watched she and her parents bond in front of my lens.  After all, at just a week old they barely knew each other and I felt so privileged to have been invited to document.

For more information regarding baby portrait sessions with Jen Castle Photography, please click on this link: www.JenCastle.com or call us at 323.449.0721

For their engagement shoot they wanted something with a city scape feel to it so we headed downtown to explore the streets as well as a few hotels.  As far as the hotels go, we started with the brand spanking new and very modern LA Live Marriott then headed to The Figueroa for a bit of class and culture.  Both of these hotels are gorgeous and provided us with a wide  spectrum of texture, light, and color.

This is my favorite shot of the night.  I saw these taxis, lined up, in the corner of my eye and quickly moved them over that way.  The cab drivers were very generous and allowed us a good five minutes on their hood- Thanks guys!

As you can see, we all had a good time.  They were so natural during this shoot, they really were the perfect models.  It wasn’t hard for them to open up and be themselves in front of my lens, partially  because we all get along so well which is why I always advise people to not only go with a photographer who’s style you love but to also make sure you get along well and have similar personalities because that is the key to you (the subject) finding comfort, confidence, and ease in front of the camera.

Thank you Mary and Dan for a fantastic time on the town.  My team and I anxiously await the wedding!  Cheers to you both.

For this shoot, we had two locations- Manhattan Beach and the family’s home which was located steps above the beach (just the way I like it) and like any good home with a young child, there was a separate corner with a fantastic collection of toys. Jayden preceded to show me as many of them as she could.

Soon after we got started, the bubbles came out.  Now I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the bubbles that were being used but they were industrial strength bubbles.  They didn’t break for nothing or nobody!  In fact, Jayden had a stubborn bubble on her head for about 5 minutes afterwards.  I kept on shooting of course, cause I thought it was cute.

You wouldn’t know it from these pics but Jayden was not feeling up to the formal portraits on this day.  So I had her play on her parents lap, asking them to continue looking up at me and I have to say, I think this is my favorite family portrait to date.  They’re all engaging with me and all are completely at ease.  (Yay!)

Every now and then, during my baby shoots, we’ll take breaks for snacks or stimulation . . . below was a series of snack shots that I usually put the camera down for but this time, and you’ll quickly see why, I kept on with my shooting.

So funny.

So impressive right?!! She’s not walking yet, but she could still manage to do a hand-stand!

(Thank you, I’ll be here all week)

For additional information on Los Angeles Baby Portraits

Please go to: www.JenCastlePhotography.com

I am in love with her ring, so original and so delicate (great taste Marcus)

The day was very bright but a bright day can also bring rich color.  I think this is my favorite from the portraits.  I love the way the light is striking her eyes and . . . (of course) the color!

They’re adorable aren’t they?  Congratulations Jennifer and Marcus.  Here’s to a bright and (colorful) future!

To see more from their day, click on the slideshow below; a montage of  moments set to their song- “Just The Way You Are,” by Billy Joel.

Last night they defeated their greatest rivals (The Celtics), won their 16th NBA championship, and Kobe Bryant earned his fifth title.  It was a fantastic night.  The Celtics and the Lakers have met in 12 NBA finals and the Lakers have now won three out of those twelve.

GO LAKERS!

Here they are, proudly featured on the new Wheaties box.

Anyone who knows my style knows that I am all about the story.  Who is the couple I am shooting today, what do they enjoy, what is around the room that exemplifies that, and what traditions or  rituals are they carrying with them.  The day can go by in a flash but that is always my main goal; to capture who they are as well as the events.  The shot below was one of those moments for me.  There was so much going on in the hotel room while the bride was getting ready so I was happy when I caught this moment between Maid of Honor and the crossing bride.  She has such a look of love and confidence as she gazes up at her best friend . . .these are the moments I love.

Another favorite moment for me is the first time the bride puts her dress on, the first time her girls see her in it,

and the first time the couple sees one another.  Amy and Ryan decided on doing their “first looks” privately, before the ceremony.  There was nobody around but them and the cameras of my crew.  I always get a little teary at this point.  It’s such a great moment to be a part of and is always emotional.  For more photography documenting their “first looks,” please see the slideshow below.

It was a gorgeous day at the Descanso gardens, everything was in bloom and delicately placed amongst a lush green backdrop.

The reception was directly adjacent to their rose garden ceremony, making it real easy for my crew and I.  We were set up and ready to go in no time.  Below is another favorite of mine: the first dance.

And before we knew it, the day had ended.  It goes by so fast.  This was my final shot.  I wanted one more, just the two of them, taking the day in beneath this lamppost that I had newly fallen in love with (it was more the light then the lamppost but you get the idea).

For more photography from their day, please play the slide show below.  Congratulations again Amy and Ryan!