ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE AND PHOTO

Sarah + Evan's Engagement Session

2012-01-28T17:42:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun on our little tour of downtown Reno hosted by the lovely Sarah and Evan! Such a fun couple, can't wait for their wedding! Thanks you two, for a wonderful shoot and fabulous Saturday!

Benefits of Engagement Photos!

2012-01-23T12:24:00.000-08:00

To me, there are endless possibilities you can use your engagement photos for {some seen here by the amazing Brooke + Michael} so I am so excited to start booking some engagement sessions.... some with an urban background! Stay tuned! And contact loveandphoto{at}gmail{dot}com for availability.

Reno

2011-12-17T12:59:00.001-08:00

Adventure to the Playa

2011-11-20T10:22:00.000-08:00

Photo du jour....

2011-11-17T10:56:00.001-08:00

{Today's photo du jour is of Mon Ami basking in the fall weather on our new Reno patio}

BIggest Little Move In

2011-10-04T17:25:00.000-07:00

{Husband and I have officially up and moved to Reno, NV and we are loving it so far! I will be updating my blog more regularly now that wedding season is over with tid bits about what I'm learning about this city. Stay tuned!}

Wedding: Camila + Jamie

2011-09-24T20:24:00.000-07:00

I had to joy of shooting Camila + Jamie's wedding at Garwoods on Lake Tahoe and it was beautiful! Of course my favorite part was her gorgeous shoes...but every detail was so planned out I loved it! Congrats!

{click here to see all of the photos on facebook}

Wedding: Brooke and Michael

2011-09-17T09:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peek at the wedding we shot yesterday at Tannenbaum Events Center of Brooke and Michael! It was so lovely to see a Bride with such vintage style....I loved all the bling and the purple shades! Gorgeous! Congrats Brooke + Michael!

{Click here to see the entire wedding album on facebook!}
{the bride getting ready}

Engagement Portraits

2011-09-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

Here is an example of how you can use your engagement portraits at your wedding! Remember the adorable Michael + Brooke engagement session we shot last Winter? They took those photos and enlarged them and framed them to place all around the reception area. It looked so great and I was loving all of the compliments :) Thanks!

Wedding: Bryn + Brian

2011-09-10T21:21:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peek at the wedding I photographed today at Somersett Country Club in Reno, NV of Bryn and Brian. Everyone was so much fun and it was an honor to be there for their special day! I especially loved their beautiful daughter Shea, all the Fall colors they incorporated and the personalized Reno Envy shot glasses! Congrats!
{click here to see more photos in their facebook gallery!}

Bunny Love

2011-08-23T13:17:00.000-07:00

I am visiting my family in Arizona and although it's hot, it's full of beauty like clear skies, mountains all around and cute little bunnies hopping outside of my bedroom window!

Love is in the air!

2011-08-05T06:49:00.000-07:00

Here are some more photos of Fallon Mardian Winslow and Andy Winslow's wedding. Beautiful couple! Click here to see them all! P.S. If you were in the wedding, check out the bridesmaids photos to see a special message from the bride to you :)

Photo du jour....

2011-07-20T10:37:00.000-07:00

{Mona loves my Grammy}

Girl's Trip

2011-07-20T10:11:00.000-07:00

My sisters {the blondes!} had some lovely friends visit our Tahoe vacation house, and they had such a blast the entire week! The night before they left, I took some portraits of them to commemorate their trip here and I hope they look back and laugh at them forever.
Good luck at Xavier next year, ladies!

More Peggy + Joel

2011-07-17T14:01:00.001-07:00

Here are some more favorites from Peggy + Joel's wedding. Click here to see the entire facebook album!

{Caterpillar on the bride's dress!}

Top Gun Love

2011-07-05T21:22:00.000-07:00

On the 3rd of July, I had the honor of photographing Andy Winslow + Fallon Mardian Winslow's wedding at the CalNeva Resort and I am absolutely loving the photos so far! The couple was not only beautiful and so sweet, but they are also both pilots {hence the "Top Gun" theme and aviators shades!} so I had so much fun! I am just starting to sort through all of the amazing photos taken that day, so stay tuned for more!

P.S. See more photos in the facebook album!{Getting ready...so beautiful already!}
{Kiss the Bride!}

Peggy + Joel's Wedding

2011-07-05T21:19:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos I took at Peggy and Joel's wedding at Sugar Pine Point last weekend...I had so much fun meeting their family and watching the bride jump in {freezing} Lake Tahoe! Check out the video below and I will post more photos soon :)

Gallagher Family Portraits

2011-06-25T19:35:00.000-07:00

It was so fun meeting the Gallagher gang today at Burnt Cedars in Incline Village, NV to take their family portrait! Everyone looked so nice and was a joy to work with. Here are a few photos...I will post more soon. Tonight, I need to get my sleep as I am shooting a wedding tomorrow! Bon soir!

{It was there 50 year anniversary!}

Last Date Night

2011-06-23T01:18:00.001-07:00

Last night, even though it was a Tuesday, we decided to get dressed up {a lil} and go get some grub! Kinda of like our Friday date night, but totally different. But it's on a Tuesday. Anyways, I ordered the chili with a side of Avocado and shared husband's waffle fries. Doesn't sound {or look} too glamorous, but it was fun and last minute and we got to flirt like we are on our first date. It's always fun to keep the waiter/waitress guessing :)

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T09:16:00.001-07:00

What is everyone doing on Father's Day? I'm pretty sad because I'm so far from my family....so Husband and I are going to breakfast together {our favorite date!} and doing house chores. For my Dad, I wanted to share a few of my favorite photos together. Of course when he walked me down the aisle will be a memory forever. And since my family will be in Tahoe July 1st, my Father's Day gift to my Dad will be a 12 pack of PBR waiting for him at their rental house! Same gift as last year, but hey my dad is easy to please! Happy Dad's Day!

{My dad rented a private plane when we got stranded in Santa Barbara the day after my College graduation just so we could be home for Christmas! Our hero!}

Happiness is...

2011-06-14T12:30:00.001-07:00

My sister's graduation photos!

2011-05-25T17:40:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I was in Scottsdale lounging by the pool, learning to cook with my friend Ally and enjoying margaritas with my Mom and Aunt. Plus I got in a few movies {Bridesmaids and Something Borrowed} loved both of them! But what was most special about my trip was that I got to see my sisters graduate 8th grade and move onto my alma mater Xavier. Here is a video of photos I put together of the gang :) my best friends came over to do the girl's hair and make-up! So fun!

St Theresa 8th Grade Graduation from Elle Brown on Vimeo.

Big Truck Hats of LOVE

2011-05-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

Book you wedding within the next two weeks and receive your
Big Truck honey moon hats when we arrive to shoot your SUMMER 2011 wedding! Contact loveandphoto{at}gmail.com or our website or our facebook page for more info.

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-07T21:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's day to my loving Mom, my beautiful Grammy, my brilliant Aunt Bessy, my fabulous Aunt Mimi, my amazing Mom-In-Law Pinky, Amy my "Tahoe mom" and the 1st Mother's Day of the beautiful Shayla Gifford {her daughter pictured with Uncle Bigtime, Kelsen} Have a perfect day everyone! {Here is Mona meeting her first baby!}

T Ball Weekend!

2011-05-07T21:03:00.000-07:00

All weekend, I've been toting the boys I nanny around to practices and team photos and 1st games...phew! Am I excited to relax tomorrow and enjoy a leisurely Sunday having breakfast with husband and finishing the Spring organizing I've begun :) How have you been spending the beginning of Spring? Well, here are some photos of the boys that I turned into post cards or thank you cards....I can't wait to have kids and make awesome personalized stationary for them and torture them to write a million thank u's like my mom did to me! {Love you mom! Happy Mother's Day!} Happy Weekend everyone!

Good Reviews

2011-04-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

The review website Yelp has become one of my favorites for finding out what other real people think about local businesses. But today, I checked out how Love and Photo's was doing and was sad to see that Yelp has "filtered" our best review! Since you have to practically jump through hoops to see how Michael + Brooke felt about us, I suppose I can share it with you guys myself! {click on photo to read review larger}

Wedding: Nicole + D

2011-04-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun shooting Nicole + D's big day! The bride to be was so relaxed while she got her make up and hair done that it made the entire shoot a breeze! The wedding was at a really cool church in Reno that I had never been to and had beautiful light and a great Pastor. The wedding was so much fun and I wish Nicole and D all the best with their adorable son :) Congrats!

April Update

2011-04-07T18:01:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Just wanted to keep you updated on what's been going on at the Thompson household! Basically, I've been crazy busy working and Kelsen has been making hats like crazy. Has anyone seen the Shane hats floating around town? I think they turned out fabulously! I've also been spending all my spare time making new LOVE bullet necklaces {part of proceeds go to the Red Cross} and trying to market those around Tahoe. I have a new shop that is about to carry the line, so I will announce that when the day comes! Well, I must say au revoir...I'm about to enjoy my evening watching the Black Swan while making necklaces! I work at Blu tomorrow and on Saturday I shoot my first wedding of this season in Reno! Can't wait!
P.S. My friend Lo and I made dinner at my house the other night {turkey tacos!} and couldnt resist making some hard boiled eggs too :) Who's excited about Easter?!

A 5 Year Old Took These Photos:

2011-03-30T23:05:00.000-07:00

Snow Day!

2011-03-19T10:10:00.001-07:00

Today is unbelievably snowy! Husband told me we are getting our 600th foot of snow this Winter. Obviously, we don't actually have 600 feet of snow because it's rained and compacted but that's what he said! Very confusing for an Arizona girl. Hope it stops soon! Can't wait for Spring and I have a photo shoot on Wednesday and I doubt my subject wants portraits in waist deep snow! Would you?!

Wedding Promo Stuff and Stuff

2011-03-06T16:58:00.000-08:00

Today I met with a couple at my fave coffee shop {Tahoe House} and talked about their wedding coming up in July that I am so excited to be shooting! They were so adorable and they are both pilots....how cool is that?! I won't give away too much, but I'll give you a hint. Two words: Top Gun. :) Anyways, it got me all excited to get home and work on some promo stuff to gear up for wedding season...and somehow I found this promo {above} on a blog pos t from so long ago that I forgot about it! It's so adorable that I decided to re-create it. Plus, it's helpful to show clients that we are a photography tag team of husband and wife. And cool and normal and stuff. So, without further a do, here is the new and improved promo!

{click photos to see larger}

Pancake Breakfast

2011-03-05T09:42:00.001-08:00

Today is Snowfest in Tahoe City and I'm so glad we made it out early to the Fire Station's breakfast...and I even got a sweatshirt!
Happy Saturday!

Mounds of Snow!

2011-03-04T19:54:00.000-08:00

The "snow berms" around Tahoe City are out of control right now! It's nice and clear on the roads, but you need snow shoes to get around for sure, just some advice to anyone visiting. However inconvenient, it does make for some interesting photo shoot opportunities. For example, look at the photo husband took in front of our house of me before I jetted off to work today {notice the basketball hoop behind me!} and Basil the pug too.

Photos of the day

2011-03-03T14:54:00.000-08:00

Today, husband and I went to breakfast in Truckee and walked around a bit. Here are some funny things I found and snapped a photo of...Happy Thursday!

Winter Love!

2011-02-20T20:37:00.000-08:00

Here are some favorites from today's engagement portrait session with the awesome couple Brooke and Mike! Thanks for making it so much fun guys, even though your toes must have been freezing!

Snowy Friday

2011-02-18T15:14:00.001-08:00

Still snowing here in Tahoe, here are some photos husband and I took on our way to the grocery store today! All this snow should make for an adorable engagement photo shoot I have this Sunday :) Happy Friday, everyone!

Video of me yesterday!

2011-02-17T16:10:00.001-08:00

Snowy Elle-y from Elle Brown on Vimeo.

Photo du jour....

2011-02-14T14:26:00.001-08:00

The photo of the day is my husband stirring his coffee at our new favorite place in Tahoe City, Sawtooth Ridge. If you go there order the hash browns for sure! Happy Valentine's day husband :)

David Yurman's Valentine's Day contest

2011-02-10T19:57:00.000-08:00

Ok, my cousin Rachel totally convinced me {aka stalked me on facebook until I agreed} to enter this couple's photo contest! Here is the link to vote for us, and here is a blog post I wrote about how we took the photo {it's a self portrait!} Thanks for your support guys! And here are some other photos I could have used, husband and I are cute together :)

photos via cassandra heiser photo

What's black and white and red all over?

2011-02-09T14:06:00.000-08:00

So excited and proud for husband today...his 3d business did this entire project for seeing Homewood in the future and it's been featured as the front page article of the newpaper and on their web page today! Be sure to get your copy or read it online!

husband giving Mona a lift!

2011-02-07T14:55:00.000-08:00

Jeez I love my 50mm lens and being able to go down to f /1.8 makes everything look so good, even just the doggy getting a lift!

Sleeping in Laundry

2011-02-05T09:45:00.001-08:00

Get Ready!

2011-02-05T09:30:00.000-08:00

On Friday, February 11th 6pm-11pm @ the Grog and Grist, An Evening in Support of Tom Hucke will be held to support a local with stage 4 liver disease and no insurance, very sad. Please come and support this family and bid on an engagement or family portrait session with me at the silent auction.

Snow Day

2011-01-30T11:52:00.000-08:00

It's snowing today in Tahoe City, and for the first time I am really happy because I have 2 engagement photo sessions coming up and winter is the theme :) So excited and hope the snow keeps coming!

January Update

2011-01-30T11:39:00.000-08:00

January has come and gone and I just realized I have not done one single post all month! Yikes! Well, to update everyone I've been extremely busy with work at Blu boutique, working on their blog and selling jewelry in the store (pictured), working at Edin in Squaw, this month the boys I nanny joined karate so that is a blast, plus I've been working a lot on my style blog...so please follow that if your into fashion and don't mind a tad bit of foul language {sorry mom!} Also, I've been working on a lot of new jewelry so keep an eye on my etsy shop.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T13:59:00.000-08:00

Baby Diaper Cake

2010-12-12T10:22:00.000-08:00

Last night was Galen and Shayla's baby shower and it was the first co-ed shower I've ever been to! Husband and I had so much fun, and my gift of a cake made of diapers was a hit!

{Every single diaper was stamped with our Big Truck Headwear stamp....in pink of course!}

{Chugging beer out of a baby bottle is harder than it looks!}

Wishing I was....

2010-12-05T22:46:00.001-08:00

back in the Caribbean!!!! Here I am photographing Michael and Leah walking down the beach. Oh, and guess what it's supposed to SNOW a foot by morning here in Tahoe! Yikes!

December Update

2010-12-03T20:59:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe I'm already in December! A lot has been going on....Love, Live & Give jewelry can now be found at 2 different stores around lake Tahoe... Blu Boutique in Incline, NV and Bella Vita in the cobblestone in Tahoe City, Ca. so please support the charities and get some holiday shopping done too! The charity of choice up until 12/21 is Christmas Wish fund and we've already been able to donate! So make sure you listen live mon-fri to see how wonderful it really is to be involved.

Photo du jour

2010-11-30T20:30:00.001-08:00

Turkey Day

2010-11-30T20:21:00.000-08:00

Since my family was in Hawaii and husband's family was in San Francisco, this Thanksgiving was the first of husband and I just being alone...the Mr. and Mrs. Thanksgiving numero uno. So thank the lord my friend Lo decided to come by to add to the fun and take the load off of me in the kitchen. Here are some of the fun things we made...
{Lactose free egg nog, pumpkin spice + brandy + snow}

{Sliced Turkey, Cornish Game Hen, Homemade mash potatoes, cranberry sauce, the works!}

{Champagne in a can!}

Scottsdale Trip

2010-11-18T13:52:00.000-08:00

This last weekend I was visiting my family in Scottsdale, AZ and I had so much fun visiting with my sisters and cousin Sara and her daughter Lily (the first time we've met!). Also, it was so comforting to be in the mall with my aunt Mimi during the Holiday season....YES! Santa's station is already set up! All in all it was a quick trip and got my Holiday vibe buzzing!{My sister Samantha can finally eat caramel apples because she got her braces off last week!}

{And here is sweet Lily getting her first taste of shopping with the Browns!}

Hats off to ya!

2010-11-05T21:39:00.001-07:00

Today, I had a photo shoot for my husband's hat company { Big Truck Headwear } and it was so much fun! I shot this gorgeous model named Keziah and our friends Kacie, Nava + Benjie showed up to support and everyone ended up modeling...even me! Happy Friday!

Black + White makes things cooler

2010-11-01T23:49:00.001-07:00

{Here are the before and after of some photos I took at a 944 Superbowl party a few years back. I was looking through some photos on my hard drive, and came across these + thought they'd be 100 times cooler in black and white with a border. Almost like celeb portraits...in fact, I'm actually gonna put the will.i.am photo in my portrait gallery. It's exactly what it needs!}

{Click Image to Enlarge}

Full Time Chic

2010-11-01T16:31:00.000-07:00

When I consult with local businesses and boutiques, the first thing I advise them to do is be consistent in their online image. Nothing says "I'm a professional" like having a nice + clean twitter page, which looks very similar to the facebook page, which looks very similar to the blog page header, etsy header + actually website. Then BAM you have a chic online presence + you're a professional. As far as someone searching your name online is concerned. But as far as I'm concerned, having everything match and be cohesive is the bee's knees. If you are in the Tahoe/ Reno area and are in need of someone who loves fashion, photography, graphic design {so much that I get emotional over fonts, but only the good ones!} than I am the girl you need to be contacting. I love setting businesses up with a logo, blog headers, newsletters, and everything they need to start getting recognized online as a real force to be reckoned with in their industry. So, please check out my past work by clicking here and spread the word if people you know need people like me. Merci!

Fall Weekends!

2010-10-30T20:44:00.000-07:00

{Here is husband and I on an after breakfast walk near our house}

Puss in Boots Pumpkin

2010-10-25T09:29:00.000-07:00

{Last night, my friend Lo + I made the best of the rainy evening by carving pumpkins and making dinner at my house. I made a spooky cat that kind of resembles Mona and Lo made the scarecrow. This is the second year Lo and I have geeked out and dedicated an entire evening to carving pumpkins, and I look forward to many more years to come!}{How cool was my pumpkin to begin with? Martha Stewart, eat your heart out!}

It's Officially Fall!

2010-10-23T20:29:00.000-07:00

It's officially Fall here in Tahoe city! I loved the rainy day today and totally took advantage with a nice meeting with a girlfriend for a pumpkin spice soy latte + long chat! Here is a photo that husband took with his new favorite lens...the Canon 10-25mm wide angle lens. He loves it!

Hey! I'm a professional!

2010-10-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the new and improved Love & Photo BLOG...it dawned on me yesterday that I needed a new header for this blog which is about me as a professional photographer. So my friend Lo and I headed out on a walk around my neighborhood with two cameras. We ended up at the beach where there are beautiful Fall leaves and I loved how it turned out!

Here is a photo of me taking a photo of Lo taking a photo.... :)

If you're a follower and wondering where all my "style" posts have ended up...they have gone here!

Did you know?

2010-10-18T15:34:00.000-07:00

Just uploading a few adds to my travel gallery on the old website...and it reminded me that one of my favorite photos of Lake Tahoe is on the homepage of Rubicon collection {the gorgeous home store I shot some fashion catalog photos at a few weeks ago!} so cool to be involved in their website, I love that store!

Photo of the Day

2010-10-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

The photo of the day is one I took this morning in the ghetto in the meadow for my friend Sara Horne's jewelry company...stay tuned we are setting up her website + etsy tomorrow! On that note, we are also getting internet hooked up tomorrow so I dont have to spend $20 bucks a visit to Tahoe House to use their internet and sit amongst strangers. Though the people watching and conversation ease dropping has been good, I'll be glad to start posting more blogs on our new house and working from home again.

Squash.

2010-10-10T12:44:00.001-07:00

{Here I am on my new porch carving pumpkins with the boys I nanny}

Fall in Fashion

2010-10-08T16:56:00.001-07:00

Here is a sneak peek at a photo shoot I did today for Fine'N'Funky with the beautiful model Claire at the Rubicon store in Tahoe!

Sunny Day

2010-10-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

It's so much fun actually attending a wedding and not being the bride OR the photographer!!! The other weekend, husband and I went to his uncle's wedding in Fulton, Ca and we had so much fun on our windy drive through Silicon Valley and the wedding itself was so casual and cheeky...like their photo booth they had set up with a bunch of funny props to play with!

{Here I am with husband + the in-laws in the photo booth!}

{The bride's hair was sublime with gardenias in it}

Wedding Video: Leah + Michael Spano

2010-10-05T17:53:00.000-07:00

I can finally say the Spano wedding video is finished!!!! Below is the short version I made for the web, here is the link to the photo gallery, and here is the link to order prints online! This video was very trying for me to produce because there was soooo much footage from the week to sort through and of course my iMovie decided to act funky which forced me to completely REDO it in Final Cut Pro. Also, I'm very hesitant to even say Love+Photo does video because I'd rather focus on the photography, but since we fortunately got so much footage I decided to make a video... Enjoy!

Leah and Michael's Wedding Video (small) from Lauren Brown on Vimeo.

October Announcements

2010-10-05T12:49:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to make another announcement that Love + Photo is having a facebook contest and the winner receives a free photography package worth $950!!! Simply "like" our fan page before Jan. 1st and be entered to win a free photo package in 2011!

Also, Love Live Wear Jewelry was featured in a blog post that supports Etsy items benefiting the Humane Society! Click here to read the article.
Last but not least, get ready for what's becoming the Annual LB+Lo's Halloween Party on Tuesday October 26th at the Thompson residence! This year, wear a costume inspired by "Famous Dead Couples" and bring a pumpkin to carve! Here are the pumpkins Lo and I carved last year, and click here to read the blog post! Stay tuned for some amazing party planning posts as I love a good party to plan!

My weekend in photos...

2010-10-04T14:32:00.000-07:00

Other than moving houses, this is what I did last Saturday for my friend's birthday! A Tahoe Gal brunch cruise to Fleur de Lac...and back to work with moving...Happy Monday!{A nice portrait of Lo on her first boat ride on Lake Tahoe}

{Here is a post at Fleur de Lac, where the Godfather was filmed! And a wooden boat cruising the lake}

Bam Shazam

2010-09-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

Rather proud of my Homepage I shot and photo shopped for shopfinenfunky.com and thought I'd share. Happy Monday! Oh yeah, and please follow the blog I write for finenfunky's fashion files! Enjoy!

Photo of the Day

2010-09-19T23:00:00.000-07:00

The photo of the day is from my twitpic account of Kelsen + friends stealing a shopping cart and heading down to Commons beach to BBQ with the contents. Just love this photo, that's all!

Paint the roses white

2010-09-19T22:38:00.000-07:00

Moving into a new place is always fun...especially when your in-laws are your landlords and you can fix this up, tune that up and paint this & that white! I've realized that I love everything white and maybe this is something I will grow out of, but for now I am shellacking everything that will stand still with the hue and smiling. I can't wait to post some decorating photos, but for now we are installing bathrooms and such & it ain't pretty! Stay tuned!

Photoshoot From My Bday

2010-09-15T11:22:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos I took at my birthday photo shoot the other day at my friends Jessa's house on the lake! It was such a fun location to be at, with endless thing to shoot like cool boats, rock work and old sinks outside! We all had so much fun styling all the fab fall clothes we have in store...so check it out and I dare you not to shop!

Photo of the day

2010-09-13T09:52:00.001-07:00

Here is a photo I took last week of my new favorite model Danielle in her backyard where they have a tight rope...pretty cool! She was so easy to work with and since she is a hair stylist as well, we got to talk hair for a long while which I love. I'm shooting her again today and tomorrow she is giving me a Brazilian Blowout, which has become my obsession in hair care. Seriously, it's a game changer if you have thick and wavy hair! Anyways, I'm excited about both and I am glad to have a fun photo shoot planned on my birthday :)

Malachite Madness

2010-09-08T13:37:00.001-07:00

{ Wearing my new malachite, golden Buddha + peace sign necklace! It weighs about a hundred pounds so it's quite a test to see if my 5mm black silk thread can hold it together. I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for it breaking + me crying in public.}

{If you have an eye for detail, you may have noticed that I made myself a matching bracelet with the small malachite beads + lucky evil eye charms...it's not a great gift until you get yourself one that matches! Happy birthday Mimi and Me!}

My New Favorite Bead Shop!

2010-09-08T13:05:00.001-07:00

Awhile ago I was at Northstar Village with friends and I saw an adorable bead shop that I knew I wanted to visit alone one day so I could geek out for as long as I wanted and take some photos for inspiration. Well yesterday was that day when I went alone to Farrah Rale's Design Studio and brought my camera! I quickly made friends with the shop girl and we chatted for a long long time about how most of the silver beads were made exclusively for the store by the shop owner and her husband. I fell in love with some turquoise beads that I currently cant afford {maybe for my birthday September 13th!} and some beautiful brushed golden charms! I decided on malachite in small and large beads for a necklace + experimenting with a bracelet for the first time, which requires a clasp. Since my aunt's birthday is coming up on September 10th {Happy B-day Mimi!} I decided to make her a bracelet with a Hindu hand charm that I found which reminded me of her....{ I was in love with there turquoise door knobs and I am going to hunt these down as soon as I have a bead room in my house! }
{ How gorgeous is there turquoise section?! } { Here is the malachite I choose. }

{ Here I am at home with my goodie bag and starting my first bracelet!
I fell in love with these gold heart clasps! }
{ Et voila! Here is the finished product and I hope Mimi likes it! }

Memorial Day Fun

2010-09-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

{Here we are on Memorial Day at Chimney Beach on the East Shore with the Puggle Basil}

Ghetto in the Meadow

2010-09-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's shoot for Fine"n"Funky went exceptionally well and fast!
We had planned on shooting near the loading dock by the Boatworks mall, but couldn't because Tahoe City was a zoo due to the Farmer's Market. In a haste, I said "let's shoot in my neighborhood, there are some interesting walls around there" and we were there in a split second. We parked right across the street from Bacchi's {my fave Italian joint} and Sara my friend just brazenly changed in the street {maybe it was the mimosas!} which made the shoot go by in a flash! I've been having alot of fun on shoots lately and trying to take things to a different level, more like a look book. Maybe more portrait, less fashion. Anyways, so we are shooting a few blocks away from my house and there were cool walls, wood stacks, bright colored paint and old beat down cars galore and that's when Sara says "Yea that's why they call this the ghetto in the meadow" and it dawns on me...
I live in the ghetto.

Surprise visit from my besty

2010-09-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my besty Matt passed through Tahoe City on his way to Burning Man and I got to spend some cherished hours gossiping, kayaking and cheersing with him! It was so nice to hear about his life in New York, his new 4,000 square foot apartment that he's fixing up all by himself, and his photography career...but it makes me miss our life in Santa Barbara when I would see him multiple times a day. Wow how things have changed, but at least our friendship has stayed the same. See you again soon, buddy! P.S. my dress is Ella Moss.{Here I am making a delicious taco out of my huevos from Firesign!}

{Taking the kayaks to Star Harbor}

Photo of the day!

2010-08-30T21:33:00.000-07:00

Here is the photo of the day I shot at my Fine'N'Funky photo shoot today! Our model Maddy was such a great sport and even helped us schlep our rack of fashion over dirt and rocks. Hilarious. And cold!

Birthday Wishlist...

2010-08-29T18:41:00.000-07:00

While cruising what I think may be my new favorite fashion blog {Honestly...WTF} I found all of these goodies that must be added to my collection and I couldnt help but make a wishlist for my upcoming birthday *Cough*Setpember 13th*Cough!....enjoy!{How cute is this Digby & Iona tree stump ring with personalized engraving...makes me think of my favorite childhood book The Giving Tree.}{These Slipper Socks that remind me of my Mukluks!}

Wait what I live where bears live?

2010-08-27T21:13:00.000-07:00

Today, as I was running errands in Tahoe City, I saw a crowd forming by the lake behind Safeway so I went to see what all the commotion was about. There was a bear in a tree that looked to be about a teenager. Like medium size. But what do I know, I'm just a girl from Scottsdale. :)

Sweets Before My Wedding

2010-08-27T21:07:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos I found on my little pink camera of the night before my wedding...my best girlfriends and I ate the Hyatt, drank some champagne, and all passed out in my hotel room! It was so much fun and really relaxed me. Maybe Bride's shouldn't eat cupcakes the night before their wedding? Whatevs.

six pence richer

2010-08-25T15:10:00.000-07:00

My friend Erinn is a superb gift giver. I mentioned on my blog before (here) that she gave me the most thoughtful wedding gift of custom paper plates, a champagne glass all wrapped up with "break me!" written on it and a six pence for good luck so of course I turned it into a lucky necklace!

Here I am holding the tiny little envelope and yes I am wearing an apron {from Anthropology, of course!}

Here is Kelsen drilling the hole in his dad's clock shop that is conveniently located in our backyard.And here is the final product! I chose gray pearls with two white pearls for every 16th and 17th to symbolize our wedding date and bbq reception date...I can't wait to wear it with a black dress to date night! Promise to post photos soon :)

Daytime Meeting Ensemble

2010-08-25T14:47:00.000-07:00

Today I had a casual meeting and a stop in at Blu boutique in Incline to visit my friend Olivia. I decided to wear my Current Elliott cargos, Anthropology flowy top, my roomy Michael Kors bag and my most cherished Bernardo leather sandals. I feel a little less girly than my usual self, but I think the bow in the back of my top adds some precious points.

Facebook Contest!

2010-08-23T17:34:00.000-07:00

Gearing up for our first Facebook contest, I figured out how to add my entire website onto Love + Photo's fan page! Very exciting for me! If you haven't entered the contest, you can do so by "liking" our fan page before January 1st 2011 and you might win a FREE wedding photography package by Love + Photo! For more details, click here.

Model Off Duty Staple: the army jacket

2010-08-17T21:59:00.000-07:00

Last year, the model off duty uniform's most important staple was boyfriend jeans. This year, the army jacket takes the cake. But it didnt earn the right to be MVP of a model's day off ensemble for nothing....it's the easiest thing to throw on over a dress {the girlier the better!} and I cant wait to wear mine tomorrow! Here are photos from the Sartorialist, who obviously admires the Milan Model off Duty Look, knawmean?

UPDATE:

Here is my outfit the following day...H&M army jacket, Target floral print dress, black pashmina, black Chuck Taylors, Raybans

Family Day

2010-08-16T21:10:00.000-07:00

Sunday is "family day" when husband and I go to breakfast together, do chores at home, and go to Bed,Bath and Beyond or something else straight out of a bachelor's nightmare. So yesterday was no exception as we got sandwich's at PDQ and took them on our kayaks with the dogs! My parents gave us these kayaks as a wedding gift and we love them so much! I am very curious about kayaking in the winter because I think it sounds lovely on glassy waters in the early morning with a hot coffee...but Kelsen scared me by explaining why down jackets aren't buoyant. Like at all.{Here is Basil bailing. So glad Kelsen snapped this photo!}

Love + Photo Facebook Contest

2010-08-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

As an end of the wedding season here in Tahoe we are doing something special... we are doing a promotional contest on facebook to gain more "fans" so we are offering a FREE wedding photography package worth more than $900 that includes full event coverage by two photographers! Click here to see details and to "like" us and be sure to suggest us to your engaged friends!

Classic Wedding Gifts:

2010-08-14T15:26:00.000-07:00

I was joking with a friend the other day when I mentioned that he should get married for the wedding gifts alone. Of course it's true that wedding gifts are awesome...and even husband agrees that he'd grab me + the wok and the dogs in a fire! But of all the wonderful kitchen appliances and cookbooks we received, some really appear to be from the heart and it's so nice to remember who gave this or that to you when you use it! Here are some extra special gifts and a glimpse of our sweet little cabin... {that we may move from and into a bigger place that I can display even more weddings gifts! stay tuned!}...enjoy!{A handmade pillow by our friend Katie of a photo of me holding this shell in the Carribean! So sweet and it conveniently matches our couch.}{A wooden statue from my cousins the Helgeson's of a bride and groom that graces our book shelf by our tv. }{Of course our monogrammed bathrobes from my mom...this always makes a great gift!}

{These personalized paper plates were such a surprise to get and we love them so much they are still wrapped and may never be used! They are from my creative and amazing friend Erinn aka Billz! They make such a great gift and I cant wait to give some one these!}

Friday night and love...

2010-08-13T21:58:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd post a few of my favorite photos of my life from my wedding! I had a very busy day of returning double wedding gifts (still!) in Reno and trying to watch Eat Pray Love by myself. I'll just say it even if it makes people hate me...I walked out! I absolutely adore Julia Roberts, I wanted to love it, and I couldn't stand that movie. So I walked out. And went to Trader Joe's for some Charles Shaw Shiraz, artichoke ravioli and marinara sauce for dinner. When I came home, I found these in my inbox from our wedding photographer Casey and thought I'd share because I love them so much!{I absolutely loved my dress...it was Melissa Sweet!}

Model Off Duty

2010-08-09T20:35:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I've been babysitting AKA cruising fashion blogs and celebrity style guides...basically my favorite thing to do when I have spare time + free wifi. While browsing online, I realized that my favorite "style aesthetic" is the model off duty look. To me, when the perfectly casual model off duty ensemble is worn with perfectly undone model off duty hair....you are unstoppable. I always knew I loved this look, but now I have paired it with the phrase model off duty, so let's see how many times I will say it within my remaining lifetime. Probably a bazillion.

{Rachel Bilson nails the "model off duty" with skinny jeans, black ballet flats, and black sunnies...plus the hair is perfectly undone!}

{Kate is obviously a model who literally is off duty, so it'd be a shame if she wasn't an example for how to dress as such. Plus, she adds a little rock'n'roll vibe as a nod to her current boyfriend in a band! Also, she knows that key ingredients to looking "easy" are anything gray or striped.}

{Kate Bosworth is a prime example for this look with my fave J Brand cargos, cross body bags, belted dresses, and interesting sandals.}

Double Exposure

2010-08-09T09:48:00.000-07:00

Something I love lately is the reality show Double Exposure about Markus Klinko and Indrani {who is my favorite person in the world!} celebrity photographers who are as fashion forward and quirky as their subjects. It's obviously interesting to me as a photographer to study what lights they use and lust after Markus' hundred thousand dollar camera...but it's also inspiring to me to see that Indrani takes fashion so seriously and always looks killer on her shoots. So today, I am going to take a cue from Indrani and spend a little extra time getting dressed this morning even though I'm behind the camera.
P.S. The stylist G.K. really reminds me of my friend Matthew Chaves. hehe.

Wanderlust

2010-08-05T15:12:00.001-07:00

I was at Wanderlust last weekend enjoying a soy frappucinno and walking around checking out the booths. Although I didn't buy anything, husband tried on a Funky Monster hat and he bought some hippie guru music that he tortures me with in his car.

Photo du jour

2010-07-30T22:46:00.001-07:00

{ Today's photo of the day is from Michael and Leah's wedding...it's a little artsy for most people but for me, it's perfection. If this photo was of me and my husband, I would blow it up and put it in my bathroom. But unfortunately, it could never be of me because my nose isnt nearly as perfect and little as Leah's. So Mozel tov Leah for having such a cute husband and nose! }

St. Martin Wedding gets some love...

2010-07-30T21:02:00.001-07:00

Photo du jour!

2010-07-28T21:19:00.000-07:00

I haven't done a Photo Of The Day post in a while, so here is the official return! Today, I had a very busy day and here it is in a nutshell:

9am- Photo shoot call time at 9am, meet at store, pick clothes, drive to beach
11am- Rush to hair appointment in Truckee (thanks Lindsey at Urban Angels!)
1pm-meet back at store and return to beach to shoot more clothes and get mud + duck poop on my favorite skinny jeans because I couldnt roll them up that high {they are that tight!}
4pm-get to Rosens to nanny the boys only to discover that it's "one of those days" for little kids to be kranky
9pm- finally get home and start photoshopping the photos I took today

And that leads up to right about now so here is my favorite of today!

Sweet Sisters

2010-07-27T15:16:00.001-07:00

My twin sisters Haley and Samantha have been visiting for the last few weeks and we've had so much fun together! They went camping with Kelsen, they helped bbq dinner with me, and they modeled for me for Fine'N'Funky's website {click here to see what's new!} and having two models honestly did make it twice as fast to shoot! I should schedule two all the time! Live + learn. So here they are in 291 Venice, CA on the beach by our house!

Daydreaming of my wedding!

2010-07-27T14:44:00.000-07:00

Kelsen and I have been married for over a week {whoot whoot!} and I'm still so in love with how our wedding turned out. We still laugh about the funny little things that happened, like how our friends almost decorated the wrong room, or Charles' speech about Kelsen running naked through the streets of Isla Vista on "Christmas Day!!!", or our room service that we never ate! Tonight, I am attempting my first "wifely dinner" of scallops, salmon and gluten free mash potatoes. Wish me luck! And here are some of the details of our wedding by our great friend and photographer Casey Heiser!

Happy day

2010-07-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was MY wedding and we are just now recovering! It was so much fun at the Hyatt that some of our bridal party actually got kicked out of the casino late night (something we are very proud of!) and Saturday's BBQ was a smash hit as well! Thank you to Cassandra Heiser our photographer, Kacie Coffie our floral girl and to everyone else who helped make the weekend the best of my life!

Summer Lovin'

2010-06-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of Emily from one of my favorite blogs {Cupcakes and Cashmere}, I'd like to make my own "Rules of Summer" that I MUST complete before Labor Day! This is fun and I think everyone should write there own!

1. Marry your best friend!
2. Spend tons of time with my sisters {since they will be in Tahoe for July}
3. Ride my beach cruiser every weekend at least once
4. Wear my necklaces with all of my sundresses to "advertise"
5. Sneak into a fancy hotel pool {Squaw resort, you didn't hear that}
6. Make a summer playlist {and replace ALL songs on my ipod shuffle that remind me of the gym}
7. Try new BBQ recipes
8. Attend the beer/food festival in the Village
9. Go to as many outdoor concerts as possible
10. Teach my puggle to ride in my bike basket and take her rafting down the river. I think she'll love it!

{Photo by Kelsen of our place card at Leah and Michael's wedding}

Creation Station

2010-06-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

Here is what my creation station looks like! It's extra nice when Kelsen is out of town and I don't feel guilty about leaving all of this stuff out overnight and all day. He is away in Downeyville at his "bachelor camping trip" and I miss him very much {especially because our internet seems to be out and no one is around to fix it-ugh}. So here I am, at Tahoe House doing my computering with a soy latte and a cinnamon roll {definitely NOT on the bride diet!}. This is blog is to show how my handmade necklaces are made and why I charge so much for them {it's not just because my "trash receptical" is a glass bowl from Tiffany's, ok} it's because care goes into every knot in between every fresh water pearl, and because it's for charity. So don't be cheap :)Everything's gotta start somewhere. When I finish beading, it's time to adhesive the ends, photograph,pick a charity and sell!Click here to see this necklace in my etsy shop and see what charity it is linked to!