The Masina Family: Lehi, UT.

It was an honor and a complete joy to photograph the Masina family. They are dear dear friends of Richie and mine and we haven't seen each other in WAY too long. Naomi is also a photographer out of Utah. Be sure to mosey on over and check her out. She's well worth the gander!

Enjoy!

Sneak Peek: Michael and Kirsten.

Amorology has done it again! Michael and Kirsten's wedding was A.MAZING. I got to help photographer Jamie Hammond with this event and had an absolute ball. The wedding had a Marie Antoinette theme ("let them eat cake" . . . look it up:)) and everything was just gorgeous!! I spent most of the night at the crazy booth (more on that to come soon!) but was able to grab a few fun detail shots as well. Enjoy!

Loved Kirsten's fun boquet designed by Robin from Twigg Botanicals.


There were mini cakes and awesome cupcake stands as centerpieces on all the tables! Definitely the yummiest wedding my crazy sweet tooth and I have ever attended!



More coming soon from this delicious (pun intended. . .har har har) event!

Canlas Wedding: Ian and Nicole.

I had a blast hanging out with my good friend Jonathan Canlas at Ian and Nicole's wedding in May. Beautiful couple, beautiful day, beautiful friends. Beautiful. All of it. Enjoy.





































Thanks Jon! Check out the real deal here.

Today I Love.

Today I love photographer Jen Gotch (found via Sussy Face Nic).

Photo Credit: Uh, Jen.

Cubworld.

It was an absolute pleasure in every way to photograph one of my dearest friends, and favorite musicians, Jake Kongaika of Cubworld. Jake will be using shots from this shoot for promotional material in coming months, so it was really important to both of us that we really created something atypical and captured HIM in these images. I'm very pleased by how they turned out. Well then, without further ado. . .

Awesome.

A friend/blog reader created this and emailed it to me today. Be sure to click here to enjoy all it's glory. I promise that I'm not completely self-referenced! This is just really cool! Thanks Jake for always pulling stuff from my blog and rocking it out!!!

Meet Leo. Again.

There are very few blogs that I visit often. I limit my "blog stalking"--just so you know I HATE that term, LOATHE that term, and in fact, I gagged a bit when I typed it, but there just isn't another term as fitting. INVENT ONE PLEASE! SOMEONE!!!--wait, where was I. . . Oh yes. I limit my (gag) "blog stalking" only to those blogs that TRULY inspire. Leo's is one that I subscribe to and visit often, and today, I want to share it with you.

See Leo.

See Leo run . . .



and run. . .
and run!






Go! Check him out. Be inspired by hanging out on his blog for a while. Finding inspiration in other photographers around you is one of the best things you can do for your craft.

Subscribe to Leo's blog here. . . oh and mine. . . here. :)

Oh and PS. This post . . . well it was TOTALLY unsolicited. I really just dig Leo's work. Plain and Simple.

Rockin' Things Right.

Leo Patrone, me and Jonathan Canlas
at Jon's wedding up in Park City last Sat.
If you haven't checked these two crazy photo ninjas out, go. NOW.
You'll thank me later.

xo,

Natalie

Yeah Mom!

My mom took this amazing photo with a point and shoot camera while visiting Angkor Wat, Cambodia with Gavin back in 2005. Today the image was featured on Planet Earth Daily Photo!

Today I ALSO Love:

Today I love this image, once again by Jonathan Canlas. View the rest of the shoot on his workshop blog, or click the direct link, here.

Today I Love:

Today I love this image by Utah photographer Leo Patrone.

Check it.

Check out this radical shoot by photographer Sean Flanigan. He never ceases to inspire. Oh, and I'm taking guesses as to what this girl has in her mouth.

Stop Already.

Jonathan.
Stop already.
You're killing me.
Perfection.

Photo Credit: Jonathan Canlas: Wiked Cool Utah Photographer. Hire him. I would.

Jessica, Jessica, Jessica.

Jessica Claire has gone and done it again. I tell you people. The way this woman sees light is RIGHT off the chart.

"You CAN'T teach that. You either see it or you don't"
~ Jonathan Canlas.
Jon, do you even remember saying that? Ha ha. . .
well you did, I promise. I have it in writing.

Photo Credit: Jessica, the great, the grand, the very Queen of Light herself, Claire.

On the Agenda/Your Chance to WIN.

Read to the bottom for your chance to win.


My good friend and FANTASTIC musician Jake Kongaika of Cubworld is a comin' to town! He's splashin' in to his home town of Laie on Friday May 23rd. This concert is NOT to be missed. He's been hopping all over the globe and creating quite the name for himself with sold out concerts galore, television appearances and radio spots, but don't you worry, he hasn't forgotten his roots. Jake, I can't wait to have you back on your stompin' grounds!

Here's the concert info: you can also download free tunes there so check it out. There's ticket info as well. Be sure to grab tickets quick . . . this is SURE to sell out fast!!

Out of state? You can join in the fun by checking him out at the following links:

www.cubworld.cc
www.sellaband.com/cubworld
www.myspace.com/cubworld
www.myspace.com/cubworldacoustic

Buy a ticket to the show, comment below to let me know, and I'll randomly choose one lucky winner to receive a Limited Edition Cubworld CD! No anonymous comments will be entered in the drawing.

Sweet Magnolia.

Photo Credit: Lauren, DUH

I got an email today from Lauren, a reader of mine out in Tallahassee, letting me know about the launch of the wedding portion of her website. If you ever have some exciting photo news and need a voice on the world wide web, please don't hesitate to let me know, no promises, but I'll do my very best to lend a hand.

Congratulations Lauren and Happy shooting everyone!!

xoxo,

Natalie

Congratulations Are DEFINITELY In Order.

I want to congratulate my friends Amelia and Justin Lyon of Amelia Lyon Photography for their recent nomination as BluDomain's photographer of the year. Voting will be in June. Mark your calendars if you will, but don't you worry, I won't let you forget! They SOOOO deserve this honor. This steaming team shot Heather's wedding a couple of years ago. They rocked then, and I'll tell you what, they rock even harder now. It has been so inspirational to watch them grow as photographers. They honestly have been probably the single greatest inspiration in my own journey toward photographic wonder and awe. . . ha ha ha. . . but really.



The winner will be taking the crown from another friend of mine and BEYOND notable photographer, Jasmine Star. However if the crown must be passed, Justin and Amelia are a deserving pair.

What's in YOUR Bag Ed Pingol?

I am so excited to introduce you to my friend Ed Pingol. I met Ed at the Jonathan Canlas Workshop here in Hawaii in March, and I got to meet his sweet wife Monica (the other half of Ed Pingol Photography) at WPPI a couple of weeks later. They are a darling couple and a powerhouse of a photography team. Ed is known well throughout the industry for his mad ninja skills with the external flash. This guy knows his junk.



Monica and Ed were just awarded 2nd place in Sacramento's best photographer of 2008 competition. Congratulations guys! I'm very happy for you.

So, let's get right to it:

Me: So my darlings, what's in your bag? Start with camera body.
Ed and Monica:

• canon 40d: the workhorse and back-up times four. . . we have four of these. Two a piece. And just a side note, you cannot not have back up gear. You're shooting a wedding that happens only once ("knock on wood!"). You have to have back up!

Me: On to lenses, what lenses do you have?
Ed and Monica:

• canon 10-22 F/3.5-4.5 USM
• canon 17-55 F/2.8 IS USM
• canon 70-200 F/2.8 IS USM
• sigma 30mm F/1.4 USM equivalent
• canon 50mm F/1.4 USM
• canon 60mm F/2.8 Macro
• canon 85mm F/1.8 USM
• canon 100mm F/2 USM
• canon 135mm F/2 USM

Me: Ok, well since you guys are "the stuff" as far as external flash is concerned, tell me about your flash system.
Ed and Monica:

• st-e2 infrared transmitter
• canon 580ex speedlite, the work horse! Two of these guys.
  
• nikon SB-28 speedlight, cheap and awesome flash! We have 5 of these babies.
• 32 rayovac 15 minute AA batteries for flashes, remotes and well... that's it.
• AlienBee B800 Flash Unit, to increase ambient light in large halls. We have 2 of these.
• 5 Pocket Wizards to trigger anything i need to be triggered.

Me: 5 Pocket Wizards huh. . . you could probably trigger a space station if you wanted to. . . you should try it sometime. Totally. So a lot of my readers have questions about gear, well more specifically about the cost of gear. They're wanting recommendations on good cheap gear. What would you tell them?
Ed and Monica: Save your cash and buy right the first time. It'll hurt a bit but it really is the way to go. Remember, lenses are the eyes of your camera. Make sure your camera can see 20/20 especially if you're planning on shooting a wedding.

Me: So how about the Canon vs Nikon battle to the death? What's your 2 cents on that?
Ed and Monica: It really doesn't matter... both have very good cameras. Either way, you really can't go wrong. But you know what our preference is! (cough.... Canon!.... cough)

Me: What's in your computer room? I heard something on the wind recently that led me to believe you've gone back to PC. Is that true?
Ed: I used to be a mac dude, but I'm one of those rare people that went back to PC's, it's true.
Me: Why?
Ed: It's cheaper and you can build a custom system for a fraction of the cost.

• dell xps 710 ferrari series tower with liquid cooled dual graphic cards with 2 digital output each.
• quad monitors. "argh argh argh!!!" (barked like Tim the Toolman Taylor).
  

Me: How many weddings do you shoot per year?
Ed and Monica: we have a cap of 35 weddings per year for 2008 and tentatively 30 for 2009+.

Here's a sample from a recent shoot from Ed Pingol Photography. Be sure to click to enlarge:

Ed and Monica,
Thank you for giving us the scoop.
You two are splendid in every way, and I
can't wait to see you again very soon!
xoxo,
Natalie

Don't miss previous issues of What's in Your Bag?

Michael and Anna Costa
Jasmine Star

If you have any follow up questions for Ed and Monica, please feel free to comment below and I'll be glad to compile them, get the responses and do a follow up post. Let's not inundate them with emails. They were ever so kind to take the time to dish in the first place!

Also please comment below and let me know which photographers you'd like to hear from in a future issue of What's in YOUR bag?

Ok all ya'll.
This is me signing off until Monday.
Have a good weekend.
Happy Shooting!
xoxo,
N

Today I Love:

This RADICAL image from Stuck in Customs. Be sure to go check it out here to see the original color perfection!

Shadow.

Look who shadowed me at Nate and Sam's reception Sat. . . Oh and just FYI. . . Nate and Sam are friends of ours, Raleigh was INVITED to the wedding.

To all my brides and grooms to be,
I will not bring my 4 year old along to shoot with me at your wedding.
Just FYI.

xoxo,
Natalie