Elope in Sun Valley!

At the last minute a family vacation turned into a wedding. I was glad to help, and even signed the marriage certificate. When she forgot her flowers (thank god!), I sent the boys on a mission through the field of wildflowers to make her bouquet. It was too precious for words, so here's some pictures.

Classic Sun Valley wedding photography

Road Trip to California for Hart and Nicole

During the engagement shoot for Hart and Nicole last summer in Sun Valley, we just kind of 'clicked'. I was thrilled and honored when they said they wanted me to come out to California to shoot their wedding. I figured any friend of their's is a friend of mine, and it was one of those weddings where you just fall in love with everybody. I've never cried so many times at a wedding. Good grief. I even cried when she put her dress on. Thank god for auto focus. Is my mascara running?

I came out early and got to know everybody, and shot the happenings of the whole event. Spa day with the girls, poolside, and the rehearsal dinner. Nicole and Hart surround themselves with good people. Nicole introduced me to everyone as her friend, which was my 'in' to get spontaneous and intimate pictures of everybody throughout the event. She's so lovable you can't help but be her friend. She also chose her friend Gary who wedding coordinated and did the flowers (FABULOUS job!), and their other close friend got ordained online and performed the ceremony. So everybody was family, and there was a lot of love around. It happened in Heldsburg, a quaint little wine town northwest of Napa, at the cool and hip BarnDiva.

rehearsal dinner at the Heldsburg Hotel, where we all stayed

I love letting people be themselves

Once the dancing moved indoors it got pretty wild in a hurry. She cut up a rug with her dad, and that's the groom on the mike. Nice!

Destination wedding photography by Thia Konig.

Tai Kerbs as second camera for Frank & Jill

It was so worth flying in Tai Kerbs as second camera for this Sun Valley wedding. Mike and Julie were great clients, so they deserved the best. A fellow Brooks Institute of Photography Alumni (& working on her masters), Tai runs her own successful wedding photography business called Al Momento, in Santa Barbara. When I first met her last year, it was like meeting a best friend and a sister all in one. Our names are wierdly similar, we have the same P.O. box number?!, and we're both famous for capturing the moment. We rocked it together! We would look at each other and see what the other was using, then knowing that was covered, could try something creative. If one of us was using flash, then the other can capture the natural light. Or one of us tight, one wide. So great to work with a true professional. Great to get two angles of the beautiful moments happening, too! You don't get many chances at a petal toss in a meadow with a red Rolls Royce.

brought to you by Sun Valley wedding photographer Thia Konig

Free Flowers!

gotta love Ketchum in the spring! Wow, the wildflowers are like I've never seen them. Absolutely breathtaking!  Here I used some free flowers for portraits of Mike and Julie before heading across the street to their reception on Buttercup Road.

just a few...... wildflower hunting (not hard) with Shanti

And here is a short video of my favorite hike (Proctor Mountain) 

at it's peak just before sunset... wow - you couldn't even buy that if you tried!

I've seen $40,000 spent on flowers for a wedding, and it doesn't hold a candle to this. 

Coming onto this ridge makes me want to belt out The Sound Of Music - lucky for you I restrained myself...

Breakdance lessons at the studio

Dave from the Buried Life (see previous Oct '07 post) is back in town! Showing the love with free breakdancing lessons!

of course he had to start us white folk off pretty slow....

OMG - all in two days!!

I was hired by Chris Ashford of Optical Edge to shoot a press trip.

He specializes in organizing more fun than you can handle on custom trips. Not possible to do all these things in only 2 days? -ah, his secret is a chartered plane at our beck and call, and of course a cell phone to make sure everything runs like clockwork.

Day 1. Dawn. Start. Van Nuys, Los Angeles

Just like the luxury commercials, we were dropped off at our own private plane, and headed to Mammoth for a little morning ski.

The Sierras

quick gear change on the tarmac

on the chair by 9 am - Mimi Kmet writes for vacationagentmagazine.com

Nathan-great guy!- is the managing editor of OutsideOnline.com

Chris keeping it running smoothly with constant contact

we timed it perfectly - little crusty to begin with, but then a corn fest by noon

then, back in LA, I gladly jump into a helicopter with a cute pilot

to go for a spin

I didn't actually get to go for a bike ride, but helicopters are even more fun than biking.

then back to our own chartered plane waiting for us

to take us to Catalina Island

for a little night scuba diving. The weather was a bit rough, so no go, but frankly, after a nice dinner, I'm a little exhausted.

instead we enjoy an evening stroll to catch our breath

Day 2 - I wander around the harbor before our reasonable 9:30 departure for an island tour 

This is the first ferry - there are many that come from the mainland daily.

they've outlawed cars, and everybody gets around with golf carts

this town is pegging the cute meter

Mike gives a great tour of the rugged island

and look, we have time for a little sea kayaking!

water was a bit rough, which made it quite exciting to be out there with my expensive digital cameras

a beautiful island!

ferry back to LA to shake it up a bit

And then James Bond style, changed into high heels and a cocktail dress, and together with his girlfriend Sheryl,  watched Chris 'work it' at a fundraiser. Oh we brought him appetizers, too.

I think I need a vacation from my vacation, but in a good way.

And this is my job? AWESOME.