In photography I’m lucky to know other photographers that are willing to share, inspire and help to push me along when sometimes you don’t want to pick up the camera.  I’m part of a little photography group that have decided to do a monthly photography challenge.  I’m sure you guessed this month is WATER.

It’s already gotten me to blog my first blog post since October 2011. Check the blog post right before this.  Yup, I was major slackin’ but thanks to this group I have to at least blog every month.  Here’s what I’ve decided to post as my water picture.  Now head over to check out Karma Hill’s blog here.  But don’t stop there.  Continue on to the link she posted and you’ll get the see the whole groups water interpretation.  Don’t be shy..drop us some love!

I got to shoot 5 local directors here in Hawaii.  They direct a lot of the local commercials.  They have so much talent and found time during their busy work schedules to create local films.  Honored to be the set photographer for these guys and honored (and a little nervous) to shoot this shot of them.  I couldn’t sleep the night before thinking I’ll need to direct a bunch a directors but we had a lot of fun and a lot of laughs.  Glad that they are creating films locally.  Catch “6B” and “Paradise Broken” at The Hawaii International Film Festival.  You can buy your tickets on-line here.

From L to R:

Ryan Kawamoto – director of “The Back Door,” Roy Kimura – director of “Redemption, ” James Sereno – executive producer, Jay Hanamura – director of “Last Sixty,” and Nathan Kurosawa – director of “Vacancy”

Much Mahalo to the awesome BTS team that helped me make this shot happen:

Gaffer, Keoki Smith

Props, Cedric Fujita

Hair/MU, Laura Aguon

BTS, Mathew Mederios

Additional support, Marilyn Mick & Sasha Dominy

TEAM

Stylist/MU:  Kat DeLeon

Hair:  Sarah C Obringer

Lighting/2nd Shooter:  Keoki Smith

Mucho Mahalo to the team for making it happen!

I got a beautiful calligraphy invite in the mail one day for Aunty Toni’s annual Tea Party.  It was going to be held on the Big Island in Waimea.  Bought my tickets early because I knew it wasn’t a party to be missed.  This year was especially special because Aunty Toni’s daughter and my good friend Mapuana Mataele was going to be there too She’s also a fantastic photographer and I knew we’d get great shots and have great fun hanging out.  All the guests got a little goodie bag and got white lace gloves too.   It was so fun to have everyone put them on and act so dainty.  I loved it.  It was hard with my camera in hand but I still loved it.  I can’t wait for next year’s tea party.  Aunty Toni said it doubles in size every year.  No matter what..trust me, it’ll be fabulous. 

The Reed Family

Aunty Toni getting ready.  I just loved her cute slippers.

So many chocolate covered strawberries to go around.

Everyone got a goodie bag full of Hawaiian gifts.

Then Kelly Hu arrived with Erika and Angie.  Good times.

Aunty Toni’s good friend Sam Choy created the best dishes for the party.

These ladies rode up in their horses.  I’m sooo doing that next year

Mahalo, Toni, Mapu, and Tahiti.  You are beautiful people inside and out.  Thank you for making us feel proud to be women and inviting us to share in this very special day.  I can’t wait for next year!

After about a month of waiting my Mamiya afd finally arrived…can I get a whoop whoop??  Immediately put a roll in (took a little while because I thought I didn’t need to read a manual) and started shooting.  Hey seemed easy peasy enough.  Here’s what I observed.

1.  It’s a boss of a camera.  Highly recommend a strap.  Got confused trying to multi-task the light meter, Vinny (what I’ve decided to name my camera), and focus and whatever else a photog needs to do when take a photo.

2.  I suck at light metering.  All of these photos were waaaay too bright.  I wish the FIND workshop on Maui that I’m attending was tomorrow instead of November.  I totally need Jonathan Canlas to drop his knowledge on me.

3.  My husband doesn’t care if I need 20 years to manual focus before I snap his picture.  He will not stop for any shots I want to take.  Love you too babe

4. Even though I suck at it I’ll still continue to shoot it until Vinny isn’t embarrassed to be seen with me.

5.  My non-modeling husband develops my B&W and is teaching me so I can get off his back when I inquire if my film is ready.

6.  Scanning at home but wow! Saves you money but takes a whole lotta time..

7. Duuude, you really need to know what you’re doing.  Take it from me.  Here’s what happens when you think you’ve got the right stuff..LOL (Over exposure and more time in PS trying to fix it.  One of the main reasons is to spend less time in front of the computer)

Got to shoot with Alisa on the East Side.  Check out her post here . Her friends Jeremy and Laci are the most cutest, fittest couple and they’re expecting their first baby.  So, we made them walk down a long pathway, stuck them into some grass, made them jump off rusty pipes and even made them get into the water.  And in the end we were tired and they could’ve gone on and on and on.  Congratulations as they had their baby girl and she’s the most precious baby ever.  .

My children are a couple of lucky kids.  My eldest son started kindergarten with his cousin.  Made his first day jitters and tears pretty much go away by the time I walked to the gate.  My youngest son has a cousin 6 days older than him.  So, those two will grow up together and loving and annoying eachother.  But that’s what pals do   And it lets us mommies hang out while the children hang out and entertain.  Here’s a few hours of togetherness..just because we can