In this {quite fantastic} line of work, I get to witness lots and lots of love. Couples who can’t stop looking into each others eyes, who make sacrifices so their relationship can grow, who experience life’s trials and happiest moments side by side. So as hard as it is to say *this* love is special, or *that* love is special {because they’re all special}, I do want to say that Deb & David’s love is truly something special :) I’m pretty sure that part of it has to do with the fact that they are amazing as individuals - there are very few kinder, warmer and more genuine people in this world. And when two people like that come together, you sort of get this urge to exclaim, YAY! YOU FOUND EACH OTHER!! because that’s how witnessing this kind of love makes you feel :)

They were married last month in San Francisco, in a quaint chapel at the Presidio, and Scott & I were so honored to photograph their day. After the ceremony, they rented a bus to take bride + groom + wedding party + photographers all over the city for photos. So much fun!

I loved this moment! Deb planned to pin David’s boutonniere on before the ceremony, but since they weren’t doing a first look, on went the blindfold…

This shot below is mine, but Scott totally set it up. He often photographs the guys’ portraits… and sometimes, I dig the setup so much that I just run in and steal a shot :)

Something about this shot totally reminds me of the movie Catch Me if You Can… something about airports (even though this is not an airport) & a 1960s feel (even though this wasn’t the 1960s). Anyone??

The wedding had a creative “Flight 717″ travel theme that spoke closely to the many plane trips they made to see each other during their relationship (a theme they incorporated into their engagement session as well!)

Where did this year go? It flew by in a flash and yet somehow was filled with so many fantastic moments. 2009 was our first full year of business and I cannot believe how it panned out. At this time last year, we had 2 weddings booked for 2009 and you can probably imagine the lament-fest I was imparting on Scott every day (”What if these are the only 2 weddings I have for the whole year? What if these are the only 2 weddings I have EVER AGAIN???”)

But January came and so did the emails. And in February came more. And now at the end of the year I can hardly believe how fortunate we have been to meet and work with so many amazing people. Clients who are now friends, who are supporters, who are some of the most warm and loving people I have come to know in this life. Photographers who are not competition, but comrades, who will give you advice late at night, who are happy to see you succeed, and other amazing vendors who offer both encouragement and inspiration. I want everyone to know that this year was shaped by you (yes, YOU!) and it is because of your support that 2009 has been so fantastic.

I am planning to release a post early next year with The Story, of how I got from being an utterly confused post-grad on the brink of applying to law school, to waking up every day to a job I love. (I am also planning to post The Other Story, which is the one about how Scott and I met :) I have been meaning to do such a post for a long time and have been piecing it together little by little. It may be a tad long, but I definitely want to document it here so I can come back to it every year and remember how it all started.

But for now, please enjoy the year in photos, some of my favorite moments from 2009. Happy new year and see you in 2010!

The opportunity to meet an amazing couple in San Francisco happened in such a fast and fantastic way that I almost can’t believe it.

Just a couple weeks before their session, I get a call from Jeff (in Chicago) who said he and his fiance will be in California and think it would be a good opportunity to do a session with me. I find out they will be in SF, not LA, my heart sinks for 15 seconds, but then we work it out for Scott and I to come up to meet them for the session. On October 2nd, Scott and I drive up to SF, photograph the beautiful couple at the stunning Baker Beach, have dinner with friends (here! it was spectacular!), and then drive back early the next morning for an engagement session back in LA on October 3rd.

It was a whirlwind, but it was a wonderful trip - Jeff and Cherry are beyond sweet and it was so exciting to be able to rendezvous with a couple from halfway across the country. It was also so thrilling and refreshing to shoot in an entirely new and unfamiliar backdrop. I might have been (and still am) a little too obsessed with those twisty windy cypress trees and the perfect backdrop the woodsy area by Baker Beach provided. It was almost as if select trees had toppled down in a perfect fashion, and someone said “we could move these, or we could leave them here because they would look AWESOME in a photoshoot.”

I fall in love with SF a little bit more each time I go - the urban vibe, the cute apartments, the amazing food. I know there are so many other nooks that we have yet to explore and better yet, to photograph around, and can’t wait to go back again soon! If you’re planning a wedding or would like to do a session in the bay area, I would love to hear from you! :)

Special thanks to Hana Chung for recommending some great spots for a session in SF! :)