Cheers to doing whatever it takes for BEAUTIFUL Engagement Photos, including TRESSPASSING | Courtney & Andy | Destination Engagement Photographer

It was last November when I first met Courtney & Andy! As we discussed the details of their Portofino Hotel & Marina Wedding Courtney and I clicked instantly. We wrapped up our consultation and I walked away a little unsure. On one hand I was like that went really well, I think I nailed it, but Andy's demeanor had me questioning my skills. Not too long passed and I heard from them again, and after a few more email/phone chats we put together a package that worked for these two lovebirds. Courtney then confessed Andy was playing a little hard to get, and it worked LOL! As the months passed Courtney and I began texting about the engagement session, and then it quickly turned into randomly texting about our favorite trash TV shows (Real Housewives, The Bachelorette, etc)! We bonded over our secret stashing of bags of new clothes we keep hidden from our other halves, and our OCD tendencies. It was then I could tell this was going to be an AMAZING couple to work with! I guess our secret is out now, sorry Court! Hurry and hide those bags in the back of the closet or under the bed. As we discussed locations for the shoot we talked about the beach, but we wanted it to do be different than every other beach shoot you see out there. One weekend I happened to be shooting in Santa Barbara, and saw a sign for Lompoc Flower Fields. I quickly researched it, Google image searched it, and then texted Courtney and was like listen we can still do the beach but you have to check this out! Immediately she fell in love and began buying outfit upon outfit, I think she confessed to buying 10 like new outfits, don't worry Andy she "returned" the ones we didn't use...And by return, I mean she returned them to the bag, and then put them in the back of the closet lol! The day quickly approached and the occasional text from Courtney would come in, "Are you sure the flowers will still be there?" Or "What if it rains?" Or "Did you see what happened on The Bachelorette last night?" All her texts or emails were appropriately signed "OCD GIRL!" I can't help but laugh, because anyone who knows me can vouch that I'm pretty OCD myself and am guilty of the same thing! As you can tell the flowers were still there when we got up there so we just went with it and had a little fun running through someones flower fields, very careful as to not to damage them :-) As we drove from Lompoc back to Santa Barbara to wrap up the shoot and finish at the beach we encountered a couple of obstacles! I kept seeing these gorgeous fields, with rolling hills, and beautiful cloud covered skies and was like we have to stop and shoot here, but every field is fenced off with electric fences and barbed wire. So I had to get creative, and we had to trespass! We hopped a barbed wire fence only to land into a field filled with cows. Courtney had on a dress and risked showing the passing cars her backside but was most concerned with ripping her new "sexy Bebe dress" lol. We made over without tearing a dress, a layer of skin, or a hamstring! It was all fun and games until a few of the bulls looked like they wanted us gone so we had to make moves to a different area of the field. The end result was not arrest, but some very beautiful shots showcasing the gorgeous fields of Southern California. As we made our way down the coast to Santa Barbara a man filled with anger and road rage decided to pass me going 90 on the shoulder of the road nearly side swiping me and hitting another car. Can I just add he was DRIVING A PRIUS, and no it wasn't Andy lol. However he and Courtney witnessed the entire thing driving behind me! Seriously dude you're not Vin Diesel, and I'm not sure where you're going that fast in that Prius of yours, but you should probably relax before you kill someone. Once our lives were not in danger anymore, we made it to our final destination, the beach and as you can see we captured some really amazing sunset shots! So to make a long story even longer, there's not much we won't do over here at LA Exposures to give our clients some amazing photos paired with an ACTION packed day to remember forever! Stay tuned for their wedding photo BLOG post coming soon!

Blog-Collage-1406833594582.jpg
Blog-Collage-1406833773352.jpg
Blog-Collage-1406833873309.jpg
Blog-Collage-1406833923712.jpg
Blog-Collage-1406834135624.jpg
Blog-Collage-1406834162764.jpg
Blog-Collage-1406834255048.jpg
Blog-Collage-1406834337881.jpg
Blog-Collage-1406834384073.jpg
Blog-Collage-1406834459379.jpg
Blog-Collage-1406834881849.jpg
Blog-Collage-1406835224817.jpg

Matt & Elysse | Palm Springs Photographer

Last fall when I first met Elysse and Matt I knew this wedding was going to be amazing. It wasn't until a month later when we did their engagement shoot at Griffith Observatory did I know just how awesome these two were! They were fun, friendly, and soooo in love! Lugging along their new little puppy Scout to the engagement shoot added a unique fun touch to the engagement shoot!! Fast forward about 6 or 7 months to the wedding day! How can you go wrong when you choose an amazing venue like the Riviera Resort & Spa? As you can tell from the photos, we spent most of the day laughing, joking, and having a lot of fun with everyone in the bridal party! One of the funniest and most memorable moments was when I told all the bridesmaids to keep a straight face with no expression. Unsure exactly what I meant by that, Elysse's friend Kristin explained it as "RESTING BITCH FACE." I couldn't help but laugh, and as you can tell from the photos neither could they! Up next for their shoot were the groomsmen. Normally groomsmen, unless intoxicated, are pretty tough to make smile, and have a good time with. Not these guys! Between nicknaming one of them a nugget (Razmin), and cracking jokes left and right, these guys were nothing short of HILARIOUS and fun! BTW-side note, each of the groomsmen came up to me throughout the course of the night, separately, letting me know that I had successfully come up with a nickname for Razmin that they would continue to use! Everything about this wedding went seamlessly! I can honestly say this goes down in my TOP 10 favorite weddings that I've had the privilege of shooting! I've never had so much fun editing photos after the wedding as I did with this group either! The many expressions from every single member of this bridal party were priceless, especially Matt during the ceremony! :-) It's always the "tough guys" who surprise you and can't hold back the tears! With an assist from both Tim and the lovely Harleene, we were able to capture every loving, laughing, and candid moment. Let's not forget to give major kudos to Artisan Events for a job well done with the event decor, floral arrangements, and most importantly coordination! I couldn't have asked for a better group to work with on both sides of the camera!

Dorsey002.png
Dorsey003.png
Dorsey004.png
Dorsey005.png
Dorsey006.png
Dorsey008.png
Dorsey009.png
Dorsey010.png
Dorsey011.png
Dorsey012.png
Dorsey013.png
Dorsey014.png
Dorsey015.png
Dorsey016.png
Dorsey017.png
Dorsey018.png
Dorsey019.png
Dorsey020.png
Dorsey021.png
Dorsey022.png
Dorsey023.png
Dorsey024.png
Dorsey025.png
Dorsey026.png
Dorsey027.png
Dorsey028.png
Dorsey029.png
Dorsey030.png
Dorsey031.png
Dorsey032.png
Dorsey033.png
Dorsey034.png
Dorsey035.png
Dorsey037.png
Dorsey036.png
Dorsey038.png
Dorsey039.png
Dorsey040.png
Dorsey041.png
Dorsey042.png
Dorsey043.png
Dorsey044.png
Dorsey045.png
Dorsey046.png
Dorsey047.png
Dorsey048.png
Dorsey049.png
Dorsey050.png
Dorsey051.png
Dorsey052.png
Dorsey053.png
Dorsey054.png
Dorsey055.png
Dorsey056.png
Dorsey057.png
Dorsey058.png
Dorsey059.png
Dorsey060.png
Dorsey061.png
Dorsey062.png
Dorsey063.png
Dorsey064.png
Dorsey065.png
Dorsey066.png
Dorsey067.png
Dorsey068.png
Dorsey069.png
Dorsey070.png
Dorsey071.png
Dorsey072.png
Dorsey073.png
Dorsey074.png
Dorsey075.png
Dorsey076.png
Dorsey077.png
Dorsey078.png
Dorsey079.png
Dorsey080.png
Dorsey081.png
Dorsey082.png

L.A. meets London | Lauren and Sam | LA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

What happens when you have a bride from LA and a groom from London? Well obviously they are going to get married at The London Hotel in West Hollywood, CA. Such a great way to bring two families from two different countries together. Lauren and Sam had a very intimate pop-up wedding in a gorgeous suite at the hotel with only their closest family and friends! There wasn't a dry eye in the room when the ceremony concluded. Between the laughing, the crying, and the crying from laughing I couldn't help but shed a tear or two myself! There wasn't a face in the room that wasn't glowing with excitement! When it was all said and done as I went to say my goodbyes, there were no handshakes, just hugs! The amount of love and joy filled the room, and left me smiling ear to ear!

Blog-Collage-1397604305349.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397604444760.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397604498670.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397604537660.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397604643616.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397604824793.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397604890175.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397605011542.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397605055777.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397605130124.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397605175047.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397605273800.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397605321864.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397605407522.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397605450790.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397605482953.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397605555191.jpg
Blog-Collage-1397605591966.jpg

Carrie & Nick | Venice Engagement Photographer

The first time I met Carrie she was with her Mom, and sister at the Brideworld LA Convention Center Bridal show in January. After chatting with her Mom, I learned she wasn't just planning one of her daughters weddings, but 2 of her daughter's weddings within an 18 month window. That's no small task for any parent. So we give major kudos to this Momma! Chatting for 15 minutes or so I encouraged them to walk around the convention center see what else was out there in the world of wedding photography. Within about 2 hours they had seen it all, and Carrie came back to book her July 5th Marriott Marina Del Rey wedding with me! Carrie and her fiance Nick live in that area just a few blocks from Venice beach. They spend a lot of time over in the area and frequent a lot of the local hangout spots, which I learned during the couple hours we spent together during the shoot. As we walked around we got to hit some of their favorite spots, and use them as unique backdrops for their shoot. Whenever I think of Venice Beach my mind quickly goes to the many "Doctors" who are in, or the hundreds of peddlers, not to mention the numerous crazy people running around the boardwalk. This time I couldn't help but see the beauty, the love, and the connection between Carrie and Nick, showing me a completely different side of Venice. Anyone can smile and say cheese for the camera, but the camera doesn't lie and these two did way more than that. Just looking at these pictures you can tell how much fun they have together, and how in love they are. Cheers to both of you for showing me another side of Venice Beach! Let's just say that doesn't happen very often!!!

18.jpg
22.jpg
32.jpg
42.jpg
52.jpg
62.jpg
72.jpg
82.jpg
91.jpg

Little Grace Cheetwood | LA FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER

Man oh man does Daddy have his hands full with this little one! Little Grace is definitely gonna be a heart-breaker when she's older! Good thing she takes after her Mommy Jenna, right Drew? HA! It's been nothing short of amazing watching this little girl grow, it seems like just yesterday she was a little bump in her Mommy's belly! Fast forward the year and here she is on her first birthday posing like a little model, walking around a chair playing hide and seek with the camera. As luck would have it Grandma and Grandpa were in town from Michigan to celebrate her 1st birthday, so we couldn't not take a picture of the whole family. As we reached the part of the shoot for the cake SMASH, that's where things got a little sticky. Grace wanted nothing to do with cake, but we still managed to get some really cute fun shots as she did everything in her power to avoid contact and keep herself clean! Mommy and Daddy tried putting her hands it, putting frosting on her nose, and at one point I think the entire cake was being put in her face. Nothing seemed to work, Grace just didn't like the cake. Then as we were wrapping up she dove right into her cake, just kidding she fell face first into her cake accidentally, giving us the money shot you see here! In case you can't tell, she definitely didn't like that!

17.jpg
21.jpg
31.jpg
81.jpg
41.jpg
51.jpg
61.jpg
71.jpg

Christine & Omar | Los Angeles Wedding Photographer

WOW! That's really all I can say... When I first met Christine and Omar they pulled out a look book for their up and coming fashion lines. At first I was unsure why, minutes into the consultation it all came together. They didn't want cheesy, plain, ordinary wedding photography. They wanted something to take your breath away, something that looked as though it belonged in a magazine. I was totally on board and ready!!!! One of the first things Christine said to me was, "I know what I want, I know I'm high-maintenance, and I will probably be one of the most difficult brides you've ever worked with." I was instantly IN LOVE! No disrespect Omar LOL! She was instantly my favorite! I couldn't wait for the wedding day. I couldn't have asked for better weather for the day of, nor 2 more beautiful venues! The ceremony took place at Neighborhood Church in Palos Verdes. Another gorgeous spot for photos was the reception venue, The Portofino Hotel & Marina in Redondo Beach. I can't help but smile every single time I look at their photos! Every time I see them I think I'm looking at a magazine!

1.jpg
2.jpg
3.jpg
4.jpg
5.jpg
6.jpg
7.jpg
8.jpg
9.jpg
10.jpg
11.jpg
12.jpg
13.jpg
14.jpg
15.jpg
16.jpg

Eileen & Vonny in LOVE! | Lake Tahoe Engagement Photographer

What can I say but boy can you feel the LOVE between these two!  Eileen first contacted me just after Christmas when she found me on YELP for her Los Gatos Wedding, just south of San Francisco.  After a few conversations, things just clicked, and we knew we had to work together!  Once we began talking about locations for their engagement shoot, ideas were flying.  Vonny took Eileen to Tahoe to last year to feel, touch, and play with snow for the first time since she had never been to or seen snow before.  We decided it would be an awesome place to shoot their engagement session.  After months of talking on the phone, we finally got to meet face to face Valentine's Weekend for the shoot.  Perfectly planned there was snow on the ground, unfortunately between the crazy winds and intermittent rain, the shoot was a little challenging.  We were able to get some pretty amazing photos  if you can overlook the goosebumps HA HA HA!  (Eileen joked with me about Photoshopping out her goosebumps)  I couldn't be happier with the way the shoot turned out, but most importantly I really love looking at these photos because its pretty clear these two are madly IN LOVE!  Not only do they know how to have fun with one another, they make each other feel so special, and both light up around one another! I absolutely can't wait for their September wedding!

traneng001.jpg
traneng002.jpg
traneng003.jpg
traneng004.jpg
traneng009.jpg
traneng008.jpg
traneng007.jpg
traneng006.jpg
traneng005.jpg
traneng010.jpg
traneng011.jpg
traneng012.jpg
traneng013.jpg
traneng014.jpg
traneng015.jpg
traneng017.jpg
traneng018.jpg
traneng016.jpg
traneng019.jpg
traneng020.jpg
traneng021.jpg
traneng022.jpg
traneng023.jpg
traneng024.jpg
traneng025.jpg
traneng026.jpg