g j spiller photography blog ~Southern California wedding and portrait photographer

new blog site on Square Space.com

2009-05-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

just in case you don't know....WE'VE MOVED!!

we have moved our blog to a new URL. please subscribe to our RSS feed, or simply, bookmark us and check us out weekly! please leave a comment to let us know what you think and that you visited us! click here for our new site or go to www.gjspiller.squarespace.com (copy and paste to URL)

see you there!

new blog site

2009-05-19T19:52:00.000-07:00

hi blog readers!

thank you for following us on our blog. we moved our blog over to www.gjspiller.squarespace.com

please bookmark us! we will be attaching an email subscription link soon on the site so you can sign your email address and be notified each time we post.

check out our first full post about one of the events we shot this weekend.

new blog design

2009-05-10T03:14:00.000-07:00

i'm up...late...again.

but this time it's because i'm multi-tasking: redesigning our new blog, and catching up on podcasts. i've always been a night owl. i thrive at night because frankly, the heat makes me lazy...er, i mean, sleepy. so just thought i'd drop a line to my peeps...my night owl peeps. stay tuned for a new blog design, and new posts!! good night for now.

happy 67th, dad!

2009-05-04T23:06:00.001-07:00

we just celebrated my dad's 67th birthday at King's Hawaiian in Torrance. everyone was in good spirits. my dad looked pretty good, and he seemed to be in a good mood, too. it's a treat to eat here because we rarely travel that far to eat. with three diabetics in the family, we can't stand long distances. hahaha...okay, all right....I can't stand driving long distances. especially when you're hungry.

below are some pix of our day. i had the Luau Platter, which consists of lau lau (steamed pork wrapped in ti leaves), lomi lomi (hawaiian salmon salsa), chicken long rice (chicken with noodles), potato salad, and white rice. oh, and huli huli chicken (it's not in the pic because i gave it to j. because, let's face it, there was lots of food on my plate!). so ono ("delicious"). i also had to have the chocolate dobash cake (i only had 2 bites...gave the rest to j.) before we left. it was a good meal. worth the drive.

afterwards, we headed home with guava cake (which was also our wedding cake), to blow out my dad's candles. today was a good day. happy birthday to my dad...and hope for many more to come.

photo tips by g.

2009-04-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

often times, people ask me my opinion about photography or ask photo-related questions. in this age of digital, more and more people are interested in learning more about DSLRs (Digital Single Lens Relfex) cameras. one question that i get from most are, "i want to get an digital SLR camera. what kind will help me take awesome photos?" well, the answer is....none. no camera or gadget will take "awesome" photos. you are the one, the one behind the lens, that can make that photo the best that it can be. if this is your first time buying a camera that is not a phone or a point-and-shoot, here are some suggestions:

1) information is key. you are making a big ticket item purchase. so get your information from someone who knows about cameras. do not go to Best Buy or Target or Cost Co to inquire about cameras. your local camera shop, will know more about different brands of cameras, and will be able to answer your questions and suggest brands and models to meet you needs.

2) i am very big on educating oneself about new products, especially electronics. read up on camera models online or in photo magazines. reviews are also informative.

3) this is a must!! after you buy your camera, make a commitment to learn it outside of "auto" (if it has this setting). if you have difficulty following your manual, (do not throw it away! put it in a safe place for reference) take a workshop or class to learn how to use the features of your camera. you will have bought an expensive "point & shoot" camera, if you don't use the other features of the camera.

4) shoot, shoot, shoot. practice makes perfect. it's digital, so you're not wasting money on processing and developing. join a Flickr group or join a MeetUp group. there's a plethora of free advice and critique, and thousands of enthusiasts, like you, learning from one another.

if you have any other photography-related questions, please post a comment on our site! your question may be featured on our blog in future entries! happy shooting!

car show

2009-04-20T23:30:00.000-07:00

when we're not shooting portraits or weddings, we like to check out local events. because we're so busy, we usually do not get to partake in what our community has to offer.

as much as i like taking pictures of people, for some odd reason, i love taking photographs at car shows. i think it's because i like shiny things, and colorful things. at car shows, you find all of the above. a car is somewhat like a person, in that it has curves, and shiny accessories. i understand why guys love their cars as much as their women. duh.

i don't know what any part of the car is. so don't ask me. all i know is i absolutely love chrome. it's like the accessories on a beautiful woman. ooooo....shiiiinny.

it was fun hanging out at the car show, and cool of the participants to let us be spectators and admire all the sweet cars. check out your local car show. you'll see what i mean.

Clean Paws

2009-04-19T23:47:00.000-07:00

this weekend was a warm, and activity-filled. i will post pix from the weekend this week. but until then, i thought i'd post some pix of my baby, Popo, who is 2 and a half years old. whilst people share pix of their children, since we don't have any children, we have Popo. he's the apple of our eye, and is always giving us unconditional love.

here he is, right after the groomers gave him his monthly bath. our puppy is so spoiled, his groomers come to my parents' house (aka "grandparents") every month. i wish i had that treatment! i thought it was so cute that he had a purple bow, that said "i love my owner." we have a great mobile grooming service, called "Clean Paws" and they serve Los Angeles and San Bernardino. They are great, and the price is right! (909) 592-0120‎

tell them Popo Spiller sent ya!

From Drop Box

guest book

2009-04-10T00:21:00.000-07:00

we got married about 2 years ago. it seems like yesterday. i still feel like a newlywed. at times, i feel i haven't quite stepped into my wifely duties, but it's on my list of to-do's, for sure.

when we got married, since it was a big affair, (i was the only girl, and first child to get married in my family) i wanted to make sure that i remembered everyone that attended. so i had a few things in place. on our RSVP postcards, we had everyone write their best marital advice. from there, we chose the most memorable, unique, funny, etc., and printed them on candles, which were to be 1 of 2 favors we were handing out. i saved all the postcards and kept them in a keepsake box, so we can reminisce later by reading all our well wishes. another way to remember all our guests, was having assigned photographers (my bridesmaids, and maids of honor) to take fun, informal pictures of each family. i like these instead of the table group pictures or whole group formals because you can actually see everyone. the last thing we did was to hire an awesome videographer. we asked our videographer to take some time before dinner to walk around and ask our guests to record their well wishes. we watch our wedding DVD at least once a year and we are still touched by the sentiments and laugh at some funny moments.

another cute idea, which we did not incorporate in our wedding, but wish i did, was having a personalized, custom guest book. instead of having your guests sign a picture framed mat, guests can sign your guest book with all the wonderful engagement images from our session. you can leave some pages blank, put personalized questions on the pages, or simply have lines drawn and have a traditional guest book (for addresses). here is ronald and kathy's sample guest book. this is a rough sample, but it will give you an idea. click here to view on a separate window.

i love cute ideas that incorporate photos! if you have a cute idea, leave a comment and let us know!

cool film

2009-04-08T15:29:00.000-07:00

if i feature other photographers on my blog, it is because i respect and admire what they are doing. in this line of work, you have to continue to be inspired, and push yourself to improve as an artist. my passion is photography, since i picked up my parents' 110mm viewfinder at 12 years old. so, even if i was not in the business, i was still be experimenting with my photography, learning techniques, and striving to do better.

below is a cool film shot entirely with a camera, by Engaged Films. the new digital SLR cameras are coming out with high quality video. so it's an exciting time for photography. i thought i'd share with you a cool concept for an engagement session. i thought the idea was inspiring. not to mention the setting and couple are very sexy...oh, by the way, the song, "show you my love" was written and performed by our wedding videographer, Mike Schmid, who has moved on to bigger and better things, like playing on tour with Miley Cyrus and producing his own albums. you can find more of his tunes on iTunes! i love his music and i'm so proud to say that i "knew him when."

life lesson #3: most fears are in your head (i mean, MY head)

2009-04-07T02:09:00.000-07:00

had my first insulin appointment today. well, it was a training on how to inject myself with insulin. if you've read enough of these posts, you know that i'm the biggest scaredy cat/biggest baby when it comes to any type of discomfort. that discomfort translates to pain with me. i think it all started with my oral surgeon and his mission to pull my wisdom teeth with hardly any anesthesia and a jackhammer.please read this post to update you on my phobia of dentists, needles, and the hospital, in general.

anyway, i woke up, with courage, and a positive outlook, knowing that i would have to be injecting a 2 inch needle in me. j. went to my appointment with me, assuring me that it was going to be ok. well, more like giving me the "coach pep talk," like "don't be a baby," and " it's no big deal" kind of motivational talk. nope. didn't work. but i kept thinking, it's for your own health, possibly for your own baby. God willing.

so the training went ok. we watched a video, and then the nurse showed us how to prepare the syringe and inject the site (aka, my belly). the good thing was that i didn't have to inject it right then and there. the pharmacist ordered me to have one dose, before bedtime. the bad thing was, was that all day i was thinking about that syringe. this skinny, long needle, to be poked into me at an approximate 90 degree angle. it didn't help that j. kept making these pokes to my stomach, with a closed fist, like he was an ER doctor, injecting a dose of adrenaline. not encouraging.

right after watching "Dancing with the Stars," j. suggested i inject the insulin now, before he goes to sleep. he agreed to do it for the first couple times, until i was used to it, and ready to inject myself. he looked nervous, too. not good. i said, "let's wait until after we watch Heroes, yeah?" he looked at me, seeing right through my stalling tactics, but let me watch my favorite t.v. show, anyway.

soon it was over. we prepared the syringe, just like the nurse taught us. reading and rereading the directions. i started to get more nervous, and could feel the tears come, but i held back, because well...i felt so dumb crying about something that i have to do. everyday. for a while. i decided to not think anymore, and trust in j. to do it correctly. i trusted the nurses when they told me that it wasn't going to hurt as much as my daily blood sugar finger pricking. i took a deep breath.

j. told me to lay down on the sofa, and relax. popo, my 2 year old chihuahua, immediately jumped on my stomach. j. scolded him and popo quickly jumped off, with me, feeling myself, let go, and thinking, "it's all in your head." i lay there, looking at the t.v., not remembering what i was watching. anticipating the pinch of the needle. i squeezed a section of my abdomen, and closed my eyes. i peered my eyes open, waiting for j. to just "do it already," and he had already walked to the kitchen to dispose of the syringe. he had already injected me. i felt like i had run a marathon and won the gold medal (well, without the sore muscles and achy feet). i was so proud of myself for going through it. then, i felt dumb for worrying about that stupid needle all day. maybe there's hope for me, yet.

so, if you know someone that's going through this, rest assured, take it from me, i wouldn't lie about it. injecting insulin is not as painful as you might think. i'm glad that i made the right decision for me, taking care of my health, and possibly for my future baby (God willing).

here's a pic of my beloved popo. the apple of my eye....the cutest dog ever (who is also receiving his shot tomorrow...shhhhhhh, it's our secret!)

thank you for the prayers

2009-04-04T19:08:00.000-07:00

as some of you may know, my father was recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma (bone marrow cancer). he has been undergoing chemotherapy since dec. and it has been a struggle for him, as well as for my mom, and family. we prayed hard, asked others to pray, too, and hoped for a strong recovery. we also did not expect him to be eligible to get on the transplant list. it was a surprise, a good one, at first. until my father decided that he did not want to receive a transplant. he had his reasons. i feel that i have to respect his reasons. but that's me. i hate to see him suffer.

last night, i was happy to hear that his doctor reported that his test results have been improving. he doesn't have to go through chemo, at least for now. that is good news. i have to think that our prayers (and yours) have helped him endure and improve his health.

so...thank you.

here's a fave pic of my parents.

life lesson #2: be prepared

2009-03-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

ask any of my good friends, who have gone on a trip with me, it is always an adventure. it's never a dull moment. this includes local driving trips.

last night, coming back from bingo (yes, i love playing me some bingo), i felt like passing out, and/or puking in my cousin's pretty-darn-new car. and no, dear blog readers, not from a night of drinking (remember...bingo). i did not realize that we were in the casino for 5 1/2 hours. since i'm diabetic, i should be eating or snacking every 3-4 hours to prevent my blood sugar from dropping. my husband, j., had packed me a bento (box lunch) for bingo earlier that day, but i had forgotten to bring it with me, and thought i would get something at the casino. but if you've ever been at a casino (no clocks, no windows), or ever played bingo, you lose track of time. and obviously, a sense of hunger.

i did not feel hunger until we hit the slots, and it wasn't until my third penny slot, and last ten dollars, my stomach started growling. i listened to the cue, and my cousin agreed that we head home. i thought we would at least make it home to eat, but about fifteen minutes on the road, i started to feel awful. the worst feeling i'd felt in a long time (at least, without being intoxicated). we were on the road in Boony Ville (because that's where most of these casinos are), late at night.

i regretted not eating at the casino. i regretted not packing at least my glucose tablets or even gum in my purse. most of all, i could hear j.'s "i told you so" comment ringing in my ear.

we got off the closest off-ramp, after five to ten minutes of trying to ignore the sick feeling. afraid of puking in my cousin's car, i strongly suggested we get off the freeway and find a drive through. i thought of the diabetes class, and how low blood sugar could cause a seizure or a coma. i'm sure my sugars were not that low, but my paranoia and hypochondria kicked into gear, and i found myself pleading and praying to God to not have any of the above happen to me. well, getting off the freeway into Boony Ville was not helping the situation. it was all darkness, and a long stretch of houses for miles. no 7-11. no McDonald's. no nothing. nothing but a whole bunch of houses and parks. a lot of parks. then we started driving up this winding road. now, i started to panic. i'm never moving to the 'burbs, thoughts screaming in my head.

we proceed back down the mountain, for fear of getting lost, and get back on the freeway, with my eyes rolled to the back of my head. the fun that i just had playing bingo and winning on the slots were fading away fast. like the light at the end of a tunnel, we saw something from a distance. a red, white, and yellow neon sign, "In-N-Out." and heard angels singing....

quickly got off the ramp, and searched for the place called "In-N-Out." worried that the late night rush would delay my order and prolong my suffering, i was tempted to pay double for my order to come out next, or even beg them to throw a potato at me. when i got out of the car to walk towards the bright lights, my toe had a blister from my slipper sandal. so i'm limping towards the bright lights....man down...

to make this long story shorter, we had our burgers and fries (in silence, because both of us were scarfing down our food), and headed back on the freeway. four exits away was home. we had not realized home was that close. but seriously, i don't think i could have survived the four exits. the funny thing is, after eating the meal, my stomach was still growling, i still felt nauseated, and i was still light-headed. so once i got home, after my husband's "i told you so's," i went to bed.

what have i learned?

always pack a snack, candy, and definitely, glucose tablets for emergencies.
carry my GPS with me at all times.
listen to my husband.
oh, and keep my stories short.

i'm happy now and it's all good. we're planning another trip to play bingo soon. this time, i'll be prepared.

special shout-out to In-N-Out! thank you so much for being there!!

resolution update

2009-03-22T23:25:00.000-07:00

ok...ok...i have not been doing well in keeping up with my resolutions. not even worth listing the excuses, because they're just excuses. but i'm someone who perseveres, and sometimes i'm more of a 4th quarter kind of player, i bring it hard at the end.

haven't met at any of my meet ups because, well, i've been too busy to meet up (isn't that how it usually goes?)

exercise has definitely been replaced with napping in front of the t.v. and then sleeping more.

my doctor agrees to put me on insulin, so we'll see how that works out. yay. more needles.

i predict that the tide is turning for me, in a more positive direction. so my future's bright. hope you're sticking to you goals this year so far! tell me all about it!

our lil' neighbor

2009-03-22T00:55:00.000-07:00

kylee is about 7 months old, and she already has everyone wrapped around her little finger. our neighbors, eric and denise, who can be seen featured under our Maternity section in our website, invited us to spend a day at the park with their family. we enjoyed playing on the swings on that bright, sunny, almost-spring-day. ahhhh...this is the life!

i made her a mini slideshow, check it out.

arcadia arboretum of los angeles engagement portrait: ronald + kathy

2009-03-16T20:34:00.000-07:00

ronald was the strong, silent type. kathy had a special power...she was the one who made him laugh. apparently, the only one who could make him crack a smile at work. another special power kathy had was persistence. she pursued ronald for about a year and a half, after he succumbed to her charm, and they officially became a couple.

one warm afternoon, taking a break from their walk through Arcadia's beautiful Arboretum, kathy checked her text messages. it said, "Babes. Will you?" she mumbled to him, "Will you, what? You didn't finish your sentence." she looked up, and saw ronald, on one knee, ring box in hand. in true ronald style, he had wooed her without a spoken word.

we had a laughter-filled day with kathy and ron. we planned their shoot at the site ronald proposed. they were such good sports. when they said they cleared their schedule for us, they were in big trouble. i like to shoot--- a lot! the more i shoot, the more inspired i get. the more game the subject, the more i get in the "zone." so as for the slideshow, i had a lot of faves to choose from. we love couples that are totally game, and just go with the flow during our sessions.

with our Designer Engagement Session, we include lunch, and later, shoot a different type of session. all our couples fill out a survey with questions about them, individually and as a couple, to get to know them before we shoot their session. we brainstorm ideas with the couple, and design a shoot that expresses who they are. no stuffy studio pictures here! so we went bowling with them, since they were avid bowlers while they were dating. intimidated by their pro gear, and fancy bags and bowling shoes, j. and i thought it best to split the teams, boys vs. girls. j.'s bowling nickname is "black thunder." (you'll just have to watch him bowl to see why). oh, and also, make sure you stand behind a shield when j. bowls. the ball seems to slip from his hands.

here are some faves from the shoot. see more here on their slideshow!

for more information about our Designer Engagement Session, contact us!

thank you, ron and kathy, for the laughs and the strikes. looking forward to seeing you again (hopefully for karaoke...johnny's practicing "endless love" in the shower now!).

From Drop Box

arboretum of los angeles

301 N Baldwin Ave
Arcadia, CA 91007-2697
(626) 821-3222

might as well, JUMP

2009-03-15T21:46:00.000-07:00

this weekend needed to happen.

this past week, with the doom and gloom of the news, unemployment, and the economy, this weekend at Aurora Elementary needed to happen. headed by teachers, most of which are losing their jobs next school year, Kid Fit was planned to promote health education to the community through vendors, and fun activities. thanks to good friend, Maricela Cedano, a resident teacher, for inviting us to this inspiring and positive event. it truly chased the dark clouds that have been looming over this week.

looking at these pictures, fun and exercise can be achieved no matter who you are! look at the guys having a ball jumping rope! to check out more pix of this great event, click here

it's schools and resident teachers, like these, that make differences...everyday. support your local school. write to the district, the governor, the president. voice your concerns about education, and the loss of teachers, like these. for more info, check out www.utla.net or www.pinkfriday09.org, for more information. you can make a difference.

support schools, support children, support your future

2009-03-11T06:32:00.000-07:00

Find more videos like this on Pink Friday

all of us are who we are because of a teacher. when you support teachers, you support children and their education. this affects all of us. it affects our future.

check out more info: www.pinkfriday09.org and www.utla.net

life lesson #1: you are in control of more things than you realize or acknowledge

2009-03-09T23:27:00.000-07:00

hello, blog readers,

i have no shoot to share, no pictures to post, no promo to..well, promote.

i was getting the feeling to write in my new journal of the year (which was bought in jan. and never written in, yet) and wanting to write because the last couple weeks have been so stressful. the idea of buying the journal and start journaling again (i have been journaling since 3rd grade when i received my first diary, all with a heart key and lock!). my goal was to....(drum roll) WRITE THE STORY OF MY LIFE...starting from right now. the idea was to leave something behind for my son(s); yes, i believe i will have all sons. i wanted them to know the journey that i am experiencing, just trying to "have" them. i guess the reason why i haven't written in it yet is that because i write so much about what's going on in my lil' head here on my blog. my blog is almost like my journal. almost. (i tried to videotape myself...but that was a little nerve wracking, talking to myself)

today, i'm feeling hopeful. with a dash of melancholy.

today i wanted to blog, but i didn't have anything photography related to say. but i wanted to get out what i wanted to say....which is that...

there is hope.

oh...and faith.

my father and uncle are both recovering from their medical scares of the last 6 weeks. thank you, God! it's so good to see them both smiling and laughing, and walking without a cane or walker in a long time. recovering well...knock on wood.

my health is hopefully turning over a new leaf. since sat., i have been better about remembering to take my diabetes meds and check my blood sugars. the doctor told me that she will start me on insulin shots in two weeks. i am nervous. not about the needles, although that was my initial reaction, but more about what this means to my health. this is definitely going to slow me down and change my lifestyle. the only thing i can do is stay positive, and do what's best for me. doc says that she still discourages us from conceiving right now, until my blood sugar is stable, and i'm healthier. i am looking forward to june, when i see her, and report that i have managed and controlled this disease, and that i am at least 10% lighter. the doctor said to cut out parts of my busy schedule. at first i was like, no way!! i LOVE my business! i LOVE my clients and i love what i do for them. no way am i going to sacrifice something that makes me genuinely happy. but i know what she means. i need to make time to take care of myself so that i can do the things that make me happy.

thank you to those that have chimed in and given me encouragement. j. says that he wants me to be healthy first, before even thinking about having babies. babies or not, he says that he wants me to be healthy and live long, and grow old with him. i have to remember that i am in control of more things than i realize or acknowledge. i guess this is part of the journey.

senior portrait: priscilla

2009-03-07T12:14:00.000-08:00

this beautiful girl is graduating high school this year. priscilla is a senior in high school, and hopes to go to college and maybe enter the entertainment industry. she has one of the brightest smiles and the most positive outlook on life. she is bound to be successful in anything she pursues.

senior portraits have come a long way from your studio portraits. these portraits were done on location, with multiple wardrobe changes. check on our website for more details about the packages we offer. this package is the Day in the Life Package, (valued at $250)

which includes up to 1.5 hours session,
$75 print credit,
all image files on proof CD,
and wardrobe changes.

not only do you get the flexibility of wardrobe changes and extra time for a variety of poses, but the senior has a chance to express their individuality and personality. we take our time, and are open to multiple locations. an added plus, parents can feel at ease knowing that these photos will be taken in good taste. if you want to add friends to do a group session, we have an Heirloom Package that allows for more people, more time, and more print credit.

check out priscilla's slideshow to get an idea of a session like this. we had a lot of fun shooting this! if you're interested in finding out more about senior portraits, contact us!

america's best dance crew

2009-03-05T23:25:00.000-08:00

i was never part of a crew. but i loved dancing, back in the day. in high school, i loved performing for talent shows and choreographing for friends for lip sync contests and school dances. i continued that in college, choreographing routines for shows, entering contests, and one time, for a club that i wasn't even a member for. i also dabbled in hula, and ballroom dancing. so i can totally appreciate dance shows, and love that Randy Jackson, the judge from American Idol, produced this show, America's Best Dance Crew on MTV.

no, this isn't America's Best Dance Crew winners. this is Beat Freaks, the runners up. Quest Crew won, and they were an awesome dance crew. i really liked Beat Freaks because they represented for the females, but more than that, they did what the boys did, and sometimes better. they're not my faves because they are girls, contrary to popular belief, that if they win, it's because they're girls. i don't think ABDC's fans vote based on gender. i felt their performances were consistent throughout the series, both creative and athletic, every single time. to be fair, i do think that Quest Crew 'brought it' the last episode, the Hip Hop Challenge, and their last routine 'killed it,' as they say. if based on the last ep, i have to say Quest won. if based on their collective performances, i have to say Beat Freaks took it.

in the end, i'm glad both crews made it to the end. it was an exciting season, for sure! if you missed it, you should definitely check it out when you get a chance. if you love dancing, even if you don't like hip hop, you will definitely get inspired, excited and entertained.

congrats to Quest Crew!!

day at the doctor's

2009-03-05T22:55:00.001-08:00

so i went to my regular check up/follow up with my doctor about my diabetes. i was very nervous but also looking forward to talking with my doctor, and "facing the music," as they say. a week ago, i took some blood tests, and it was not good news. well, my busy lifestyle, and bad habits finally caught up with me. it has taken its toll on my liver and kidneys. my doctor says that i need to give up, or cut down something in my lifestyle. it's difficult, because both j. and i still have our "day" jobs, and our business, which is a full-time job in itself. we don't want to give up our business because we absolutely LOVE what we do, and what we do for our clients. we love being a part of people's joyous moments. we love meeting new people, and we've been so blessed with meeting such nice, friendly, and cool people. we are not ready to give that up.

what i'm thinking is that i need to make small "cuts" in my lifestyle, and more effort to really take time out for myself, whether it be taking a walk, spending an afternoon cooking a special dinner for myself and my husband, turning up the music in the house and cleaning/dancing, reading magazines on the couch, etc. i think it's those little things that will make an impact on my health. it has been a struggle to accomplish this.

i found myself getting teary-eyed up before the appointment, everything finally hitting me, that this is my health. this is me. i need to do something about it. j. was there, and the doctor walked in, while i was having this emotional moment, and as j. put it, the doctor looked at him, like he was Chris Brown (the singer that is allegedly accused of beating his girlfriend and singer, Rhianna). i quickly explained...i don't know if it was also because in the last couple months, there has been serious medical drama with my relatives, but i was scared of the doctor was going to say. j. thought i was crying because the nurse asked me to take my shoes off so the doctor can inspect my feet, and i was nervous because i haven't had a pedicure for more than a month (ok...that was part of the reason i was crying. i'm self conscious about my feet, ok?)

she, of course, told me that i have to cut down on my schedule, take time out to take my meds, and check my blood sugar regularly, as well as exercise and eat healthy. sigh...she did not want to prescribe me insulin because she felt that i needed to get back on track and on schedule with my meds. in three months, she wants to see improvement, so we can talk about fertility again. so that's the goal. we want to see improvement, as well, for ourselves, our future, baby or no baby.

i'm so glad j. was there. he takes good care of me and i could not ask for more. i need to take care of myself, so i can take care of us. i want to get back to the person who i was...no...i want to be a new, and improved me.

how do you take time out for yourself? please leave a comment! would love to hear from ya!

goddaughter jaylyn: 6 months

2009-03-01T22:29:00.000-08:00

here's an update on my goddaughter, jaylyn. this is her 6 months old shoot, although she is almost 7 months now. i think she looks adorable in her laker outfit and bunny get up. i don't know which one i like the best. she's chloe's cousin (see earlier posts). we took their portrait sessions together, in the backyard of their grandmother's house. i think it worked out great. j. and i were going to set up this big backdrop, but we thought it might rain, and it would be a big hassle to breakdown if we had to do it in a jiff. besides, i love the japanese fountain in the background, and green grass spoke to the upcoming season, as the theme was Spring Portraits.

i always favor natural settings, anyway. the setting also tells a story. whether it be baby portraits, senior portraits or bridal portraits, the choice of setting and background, add to telling the story of what type of lifestyle the subject leads, personality of the subject, or even, like in this case, document the setting of home life. this is what is called Lifestyle Portraits.

i remember a portrait my uncle bert took of my dad, in his backyard. it was an action shot of my dad doing a flying kick (martial arts). now, that backyard is no longer, as they have remodeled for a more mature garden, and no longer is the wide open backyard, where we once rode swings and danced the night away. i'm so grateful for that picture. it brings me back to a time of my youth. i'm sure you can think of a picture that reminds of being in that moment, that place, and that you can almost touch, see, smell, and hear the elements, like you're there.

studio pictures, with generic backdrops, have their place in an owner's collection. but if you want to tell a story, natural settings are the way to go!

jaylyn, as was her cousin, chloe, were great subjects. she loves to smile, and smile for me and her mommy, she did. i love the in-between expressions, the wide open mouth, the questionable stare...are all so endearing!

check out my faves below, and her slideshow!

Chloe Anne: First Birthday

2009-02-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

just in case you haven't checked it out!

my response about a rant

2009-02-27T19:16:00.000-08:00

i wanted to share my response to a blog entry from another photographer, jared polin. i've mentioned him before in my blog. very cool photog, with cool afro-ish hair, that has shot for Rolling Stones (cool!). his blog is full of tips, stories, songs, video, and funny asides. his blog entry today was a "rant" about how photographers should help other photographers. i thought this was very interesting, seeing that a couple days before he was ranting about newbie photographers breaking into the wedding business in another blog entry. i had to read this, immediately thinking that these two rants are contradictory. i needed to investigate.

his first rant was about newbies, kind of struck a chord with me. i've been shooting weddings, professionally for about three years now. i still have a day job, that i respect and like. i shoot weddings and portraits because i love the art of photography and the relationships i make with people. i love documenting their joyous moments. it's a challenge to me every time i shoot, to be better.

at first, i was taken aback by the rant. but i understood it. i was shooting a Nikon camera, fully manual, since i was sixteen years old. i know the basics of darkroom printing and developing. took two photography courses, worked for a photo processing booth and worked as an event photographer in college. even though i recently bought my first digital camera two years ago and i am so-called a newbie to the business, i do not find myself included in jared's rant.

and..i actually agree with him.

since i just got married (two years ago), i know what it's like to interview many photographers and finding "the one" within a budget. with that said, i also know that wedding photography is something everyone should NOT skimp on. i understand the recession and the economy is not making it easy for all of us. but couples are still getting married. this is a moment that cannot be rewinded, redone, reenacted...this moment is unique because it's your moment. why are you going to leave that in the hands of someone inexperienced, ill-equipped and not knowledgeable of workflow, technicality, and professionalism? your friend may have a fancy camera (doesn't everyone?) but you cannot replace a good "eye" for composition, quality of light, and the skill of anticipating a shot.

but my friend will do it for less than $1,000 or free! i've heard brides say. you can't put that kind of value on an event and on memories that will be invaluable to you. i would never want to put that kind of pressure on a friend or family member. they can shoot at your wedding, and give you the pictures, but first and foremost, they are a guest. let the professional photographer be responsible for those important shots. let them carry the burden of fulfilling your wishes.

i always tell potential clients that i want to be their photographer because they like the way i photograph and the rapport we have with each other, not because of my price is lower than my competitor. someone's style of photography cannot be bought. neither can their personality. even with the highest end camera.

because we are in a recession, does not mean the bride needs to go cheap on everything. i always say, the flowers will wilt, the dress will be stored away, and the cake will be eaten. ten years from now, twenty-five years from now, your wedding album and pictures will be your heirloom, a family tradition, passed on and enjoyed by generations later. most photographers are accommodating and will work with what you need or want. tell them what you want, and if you have the same vision and connection, they may "work" with you on the price. both parties "win," like jared polin says.

lastly, i do agree again, with jared, that photographers should help other photographers. i am truly grateful for information that i have gained from giving photogs, just in running a business, and giving the best service to my clients. i believe that has become a win-win for both my clients and my business. we pride ourselves on good service, and good products. so, i definitely don't mind "giving back" to the photog community. i love talking about photography! so if you have a question, no question too silly, please let me know !

making memories in the maternity ward

2009-02-24T22:36:00.000-08:00

about a year ago, i was taking Kat's maternity portraits. it was memorable, because it ended up with a trip to the hospital. Kat came over and i took some maternity belly shots, all the while, she was complaining that she was having some, let's say, going through some physical discomfort, without going into detail. in true form, i keep shooting, telling her to stand here, sit there, lie down, sideways, upside down...etc. and like all my pregnant subjects, she was a trooper. saying it was okay and it was up to me when to stop shooting. everyone knows i can keep shooting till the cows come home. for some reason, i get my best ideas (and shots) once i've warmed up and the subject has become used to the camera in their face. in this case, her belly.

what i remember the most is going to the hospital with Kat and keeping her company, entertaining her (because there was NO TIVO) and i remember, a lot of giggling and laughing. those moaning mothers probably wanted to kill us! (sorry!) i stayed there until her husband, Jeff, arrived (thank goodness, thought the patients).

so i wonder if Chloe recognizes my laughter, now that she is out of the womb, and WALKING! she is spunky character, who's apparent new favorite word is "OUT!" hmmmm...i wonder what her parents teach her!

here's some faves of Chloe's one year portrait session. for my expectant mothers, i have a maternity portrait package called My First Year, and it includes a full year of sessions (maternity, newborn, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year sessions) print credit, and a custom, personalized photo book keepsake. keep your eyes peeled for Chloe's First Year book! if you, or anyone you know needs maternity portraits to mark this special time, please contact me for more details!

check out more pix here (slideshow)

keeping up with resolutions

2009-02-22T01:17:00.000-08:00

it's almost the end of the month, and here's an update on keeping my resolutions. mind you....i have a pretty healthy idea about "resolutions." i think of them as more of "goals"---things to strive towards, and not necessarily, having to be perfect about it. it's all about growth, right?

resolution #1:attend one social network event per month

i have not attended any of my "social network" meet ups this month. actually, i've been rather busy. it always ends up that way. when i think i'm in a slump or have a lot of downtime, i tend to fill those empty dates with meet up dates. but, as soon as i reply with "yes" or "maybe," something comes up. sometimes bad, sometimes good. as you know, the last couple weeks have been a roller coaster ride of sorts with my family members' health issues. the good thing, is that i have met two new potential clients and have reconnected with lots of old friends. so, that's a plus in my book!

resolution #2: cook at least one new recipe a month

my husband is bummed, but self-righteous when it comes to this resolution. he is still waiting for me to even cook an egg for him. i have to say, i cannot think of a good excuse/reason why this hasn't happened. we have been staying in more lately, and have had the opportunity to cook more at home this month. again, the silver lining is this. i realize that my husband does more for me than i acknowledge. that i am really spoiled. j. is my alarm clock in the morning, my personal chef (makes me breakfast, lunch, and dinner, when he finds the time), my therapist, my housekeeper. all the above, as i am behind my computer, or texting someone on the phone, or catching up on the "Bad Girls Club" on my DVR. i still am working towards this goal. i know there's other ways to be a good wife, but this particular goal will make him happy and redeem myself on the spot!

resolution #3: walk the dog 30 minutes a day

thank goodness, the puppy can't talk. popo (who is in the pic above) is our lil' puppy (he's 2 years old). technically speaking, popo is walked everyday. unfortunately, not by me. j. walks him religiously at least 1-2xs a day. there's a lot of excuses for this one. one of them, being, there has been a lot of crime incidents that have happened in the past month on our street and within blocks of our townhome. our neighbor was held up at the water store and there has been recent break-ins in our complex's garages. the other night, a helicopter hovered for a half hour, and seven police cars were parked outside. since we usually don't get home until dark, i don't feel safe to walk around here. at least not right now. so i will walk with j., occasionally with the dog. again, i will have to work towards this goal. i am not going to give up on this. i know that i won't let fear rule my life. i'm just being more cautious. especially since popo is so much more obedient and happy when he's walked. Cesar Milan, the Dog Whisperer, is totally right about that!

resolution #4: do something for myself, at least 30 minutes a day

well, i started out doing this at the beginning of the month, when i was in Vegas, with my dad in the hospital. i was able to slow down a bit, and read something for pleasure. since i got back, my novel, Angels and Demons, is collecting dust again. exercise? sigh...no. but i have been drinking water, and sort of kind of taking my blood sugar. my doctor wants to see me in 2 weeks. i know i will have to face the music. but it's for my own good. i do want a better quality of life, and enjoy the rest of my life. i see my dad in the hospital, even though he never was a drinker, a smoker, etc, he still got cancer. but, i know i have to be preventative, and control this disease, my diabetes, because it was not fun going to the hospital for my headaches, and for my dad. so tomorrow, is a new day. i am still optimistic and motivated to turn around my lifestyle.

so, that's my update. how are you folks doing with your "goals" this year so far? post a comment. would love to know how you are doing, or how you are staying motivated?

dark days....inspiration

2009-02-17T23:18:00.000-08:00

somedays you gather inspiration and motivation without seeking it. it knocks at your door, with subtlety. or whispers in your ear, like this video short from one of my fave photographers, zack arias. if you are creative, or an artist, you can appreciate this short, even if you are not a photographer. check it.

thank you, zack arias, for shedding some light and truly offering something real to the artist community.

wedding wire's: 2009 bride's choice awards

2009-02-13T18:26:00.000-08:00

we are so stoked to have received one of Wedding Wire.com's 2009 Bride's Choice Awards! this award recognizes the top 3% of vendors from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. we are truly honored and blessed to have such generous, wonderful clients, as well. thank you so much! the press release by Wedding Wire is below:

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced that GJ Spiller Photography has won the 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards™!

In its inaugural year, the Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and honors vendors from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. This year’s recipients represent the top three percent of WeddingWire’s vendor community, which includes over 100,000 wedding vendors from across the US. That means GJ Spiller Photography is one of the very best Wedding Photography Studios.

Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride’s Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews.
"We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community,” according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry.”

GJ Spiller Photography would like to thank our past clients for speaking on our behalf and helping us win the 2009 Bride’s Choice Award!

fave pic of the week

2009-02-12T21:21:00.000-08:00

i still haven't uploaded my pictures from vegas (last week's adventure). so i decided to post one of my new fave pix of the week from bryan and sam's wedding. i finally edited their pix and at this moment, uploading it to their online photo gallery. here is where they can view their pix, as well as share it with their family and friends. purchasing enlargements are easy to do from the online photo gallery, too. the prints from our lab are awesome. i love how they come out. i edit my pix, but the lab also does another once over to check if it's color balanced and corrected, and to ensure the picture appears the way it is intended.

some people ask, why do photographers charge so much for a 4"x6"? i have a couple responses to that question:

if you have taken a picture by a professional, and are ordering from a professional lab (not a machine/robot), you should be ordering a 8"x10" and up. to appreciate the quality of a print, you have to see it large. (i know that doesn't answer the question, but it addresses my opinion about 4"x6" prints)
the .19 cents you pay at CostCo, pays for the machine/robot to process your film and the photo paper. the machine/robot does not know what your skin tone is supposed to look like and/or the exposure your professional photographer intended for your image. i have see green and sometimes blue casts of skin tones that would make a bride shudder at the fact that she looks a shade away from being Dracula's bride. trust me. you want a professional that is trained and works only with high volume wedding and portrait orders to handle your processing of photos.
think of your great grandparents heirloom portrait. this portrait is one of the few images the family has. you've preserved it, framed it, and it will be something that will continue to be passed on from generation to generation. it represents your family legacy---your history. would you turn around and sell it for price of photo paper it was made on? how much would you price a moment in time that you cannot re-stage or re-enact? needless to say, my great grandparents' portrait is priceless...
a professional photographer's job is not just to take snap shots. they are there to make sure the moment is captured, the exposure is just right, and that you look back on your pictures and relive your special moments. that perfect image is more than just a sheet of paper. it's symbolic, it's meaningful. it's your life, frozen in time. one day, that image will stop you in your tracks and jar emotions from you again. that image will be more valuable over time, as we grow older and memories are precious.

going back to this photo, that i love. it's very simple. it love the contrast of light and dark. i love the spotlight above the bride and groom. i love the moment. it's a secret moment. you wonder what they're thinking or talking about. i love the sparkle of her barrette in her hair, and the big ol' grin he has for her. sigh...priceless...

From Drop Box

home sweet home

2009-02-08T22:29:00.000-08:00

there's no pic for this blog entry. i know there should. it's in my camera, which is still in my car. i've been away for the week, not for pleasure. my dad landed in the hospital because he contracted an infection due to his weak immune system. he just had chemotherapy the tuesday before he left to vegas with my relatives. i get a phone call mon., 5am, from my dad, who says, "don't call me back tomorrow. tomorrow i may be dead..." geez...hmmm...when should i panic?

so in a few hours, i'm hitting the road with my bro to vegas to see how my dad is doing. we thought we would stay maybe the night and then bring him and my relatives back home, but that wasn't the case. the doctors wanted my dad to stay the week to monitor his progress. so i checked into the Golden Nugget Hotel while my brother drove my relatives back to L.A.

i have to say my trip was a oxymoron of sorts. i was relaxed because i was away from work and home, but stressed that my dad was in the hospital. i was enjoying the luxuries of being at the hotel (maid service, room service, etc.) but bummed because i was short on cash to do any damage. i was happy to finally have some peace and quiet, read my book and catch up with CNN and world news, but my phone was ringing off the hook. so this past week was sort of a blur.

everytime i thought of going out, and photographing the sights, especially since i hadn't stayed in downtown Vegas in awhile, i became hesitant, thinking of all the bad things that could happen to me. i noticed how much more aware (paranoid) i am without my husband around.

sigh...life experiences, like my mom says.

happily, my dad is feeling better. being stubborn as ever (so must be feeling back to normal!). and we're back in L.A. back home. back in my own home and bed. yay......(although, i do miss the hotel bed!!! i never had such a good night's sleep!! sniffle sniffle)

sacred heart chapel wedding photography: bryan + samantha

2009-01-29T21:46:00.000-08:00

bryan and sam. a couple after my own heart. according to the matron of honor, sam knew bryan was "the one" because he loves "Star Wars". Yes, the movie. i think that's so cool. i'm a moderate "Star Wars" geek. actually our whole family is. i've gotten into many philosophical and biblical discussions regarding the saga. "Star Wars" geeks are the coolest!

another reason why we were honored to photograph their wedding, is that they remind us of US when we were young. j. and i met each other when i was in college, and i remember we almost eloped after three months of dating. we were so in love. so looking at sam and bryan brings us back to the ol' days!

they were married at Sacred Heart Chapel, in Covina. Sacred Heart Chapel is a quaint, old-style chapel. perfect for a romantic, intimate wedding, like theirs. richard, the coordinator, was very informative and accommodating. the ceremony was tearful and exactly what the couple wanted. bryan's mother was the minister, and both his father and mother decorated both the church and the reception site, which added a special touch. talking to them, you could tell they were happy to do it for the bride and groom. it's all love, right?

later, we headed to the Radisson Suites in Covina, a few miles away. Radisson Suites had a cute courtyard and fountains to take romantic pictures of the couple, perfect for sam's 40's look (created by Bravo Urban Salon in Pasadena) and bryan's dapper style.

there were so many nice shots, here are just a few. my brother, chad, helped us out as a second shooter, and captured some great shots of the groomsmen! check out the images below. to see more highlights from bryan and sam's wedding, click here to check out their slideshow!

From Drop Box

sacred heart chapel

381 E. Center St.

Covina, CA 91723

626-331-3549

radisson suites hotel covina

1211 e. garvey st.

covina, ca. 91724

bravo urban spa & salon

455 s. lake ave. #101

pasadena, ca. 91101

626-577-4777

From Drop Box

wake up call

2009-01-18T23:17:00.001-08:00

remember the post that i said i needed to take care of me this year? well, after this weekend, that means more than just an empty resolution. i think i aged a year or two from a recent medical scare.

today i went to the hospital because the night before, out of the blue, the back of my head was throbbing. i felt like someone was hitting my head with a bat over and over again. the pain was excruciating to me because i didn't want to do anything but hold my head between my hands. i felt like my head was going to burst. after the encouragement (and scare tactics and worst case scenarios) of my brother, i decided to go to the hospital first thing in the morning, if the headache didn't go away. now, blog readers, i normally don't get headaches, except for hangover headaches if i'm not careful (but that's another post, another day), so i did think the benefit of the doubt that maybe, maybe i was overreacting because i had never felt a "real" headache before. i don't take headache medicine, only when i have a fever. so i don't have anything to compare it to. for instance, last summer, i experienced heartburn for the first time. i've never had heartburn, so i thought i was dying. literally. i literally felt like passing out. i didn't know if it was heartburn or cramps (which i've never had before, either...i know, i know, not looking forward to child labor, folks). so in short, i'm a big baby. but my brother reminded me that we've known many people that have died or hospitalized with aneurysms, so that was enough to scare me straight to the hospital.

we got to the hospital, and waited for hours, of course. people entering with limps, bandaged limbs (and a toe), wheelchairs, shivering under blankets and hoodies, and there's.....me.

"what is the reason for your visit?" the clerk asks.

"i have a...headache." i think she was trying not to roll her eyes. so i tried to explain:

"this is a different headache, a very rare headache that simply needs special medical attention, because i'm not a headache person, and this headache brought me to tears, and...and...i don't really stress..well, i mean, people tell me not to stress, and ...well, i do have blood pressure meds, but i have to tell you the truth i don't take it all the time..not because i don't want to, it's just that i sometimes forget, blah blah blah."

at this time i realize i'm wasting this lady's time. she doesn't want to hear my sob stories. i quickly shut up and wait. and wait. and then...wait some more. and then, re-enact my dialogue with the nurse, as she starts to take my vitals, and learns very quickly that in less than 5 minutes of my rant, that i haven't been taking care of myself, not eating right, not taking my meds like i should, that i don't even know the name of the medication that i'm on (i quickly pointed to the computer screen and said it's all in 'there').

then, i saw the doctor, and she was this cool lookin' rocker chick. i started to rant again, and she knew that she needed to quickly control this conversation. j., my husband, was there, and she asked him,

"did you notice anything out of the ordinary when she first had this headache?"

j. said, "no, she was just walking into the street, i'm thinking she's going to get hit by a car. she seemed like she was just walking around, not knowing where she was, and refusing to follow me to the car, and she just kept on saying her head hurts and she started crying..."

oh yeah...j., that's me, being normal. hello? this doctor must think i'm a crazy, drama queen, if this is normal?! tell her i'm NOT normally like this! help me out here!

so, long story short...i know this is already longer than it should, they ran a CT scan for good measure, and found no evidence of ruptured blood vessels in my brain. hallelujah! the doctor said that i should be taking my blood pressure meds, like i should, and to.....relax.

i really can't believe something like this is caused by stress. i wasn't in a stressful environment. i was at a family party, having a great time, singing and laughing. i really don't know what triggered it. but anyhoo, it was a scare, nonetheless. i don't want to ever be in that predicament or worse again. so i need to be better about taking care of myself.

j. and i talked about it, and we both believe that trying to conceive a baby is probably not the best time right now. we both really need to take care of our health, before this baby comes. so, i'm going to work on relaxing, and not taking on too much. that will be a challenge. but if it's for my health, it's a serious "must do." as i was trolling the streets last night, as j. described it to the doctor, all i kept thinking was, i don't want to die. there's too many things i want to do. i don't ever want to think that again. i don't want to think that there's too many things i haven't done.

so, blog readers, make a commitment to put your Self back on your to-do list. you're worth it. (and you don't want to go through this crazy situation, like i did!)

and that's my 2 cents

longest day: episode 3

2009-01-12T19:27:00.000-08:00

the story unfolds..

the greatest show on earth, check it out! Wedding and Portrait Photographer's Institute

first week of the year

2009-01-09T18:17:00.000-08:00

here's an update on how my resolutions (goals) are going.

i cancelled my RSVP to the social networking meetup tonight, due to transportation problems. BUT i was able to schedule in a lunch with a dear friend o' mine, from like 2 years ago, and it time well spent. good food, good convo, and laughs! i felt inspired and positive after our little luncheon.

i haven't implemented the walking dog routine, yet. but it will definitely be implemented tomorrow. (as popo sleeps between my two feet as i type; where did this dog learn to be so lazy? i wonder where?).

cooking: i'm going to do that this weekend. so keep your eyes peeled for the blog that reveals the mystery dish. in the meantime, i just ordered pizza hut, online!! woo-hoo for technology!

last but not least, my "Me" goal. does sleeping until 3p every day count? hmmmm...ok, well, i will start that tonight with maybe 30 minutes of writing (i am starting to write my memoirs for my future children about what i know about life, well the little i know about life).

that's all for today. oh, and with that, i also wanted to post some pix that i took on the street of my parents' house. 30 minutes of solitude with my camera---best gift i could give myself!

From Drop Box

best week of your life

2009-01-06T10:04:00.000-08:00

so i just finished watching Oprah last night, and she talked about her recent weight gain, and how she's going to address it this year. i know some people are Oprah-haters out there, (my brother) saying she's wealthy and famous, she can buy the body she wants or she can afford a trainer/chef, but watching the episode made me think, it's not about the fame and the fortune, a personal trainer/chef (although it helps). those things, as much as we non-celebrity status people might think, will not make us happy or joyful (and in Oprah's case, not even skinny!). i know this Christmas, i thought to myself, i wish i had money to buy gifts. i wish we had a Christmas tree. i wish we had money to fix our 2nd car. i wish we had enough money to go on trip for our wedding anniversary. i wish i could do something to make my parents' health better. but i had to stop myself before i started feeling sorry for myself, and ask: am i happy? the immediate answer would be, yes because i'm grateful for the things i DO have and the people who are in my life. but the deeper question: could i be happier? yes. and i guess that's when i had an Oprah moment, or she likes to say, an "a-ha" moment.

i'm not happy with my health. in her interview, she talked about "putting yourself back on the list." this to me spoke more to me than the cliché, "love yourself." but essentially, loving yourself means taking care of yourself. i have to admit, i haven't been taking care of myself the last two years. the last two years, i moved away from my single life (my apartment), got married, bought a home twenty two miles away from work and family, and opened up my business. my strategy for dealing with change, was to just "get through life"- ie., get through school, get through deadlines, get through this meeting, get through traffic, get through the day. my idea was to "once i get through it..then i can relax and do something for myself." in other words, putting myself last. i started to care more about taking care of my clients, students, work, and truly forgot about me. this is what it is to live unconsciously. i have to say the only time i actually feel like i'm in the moment and truly present is when i'm photographing. my saving grace. at times, my only joy came from photography and other people's joyful moments.

now, after two years later, i've gained forty pounds, been diagnosed for diabetes and pre-hypertension, and have essentially, given up the time i used to spend taking care of myself (i.e., exercising, cooking, spending time with friends, nail salon days, hair appointments, writing, reading, shopping!). two years flew by. i used to be so healthy. what happened? i joke to j., my husband, that "marriage" happened. i never had all these problems before i got married. but that's not true. j. and i have been through everything with each other----over a span of almost fourteen years now. i know that there has just been a lot of change in my life, unexpected change, and have not coped with the change in a healthy way.

this year, in addition to my resolutions (what i like to call "goals" instead), is to put myself back on my list. make appointments for myself. learn to say "no" more often than i actually do. i know that it will make me a better person. a better worker. a better friend. a better wife. a healthier person. heck, maybe even a better photographer.

so "goal" update for 2009:

1. attend one social network event a month.

2. cook one new recipe a month.

3. walk the dog 30 minutes a day.

4. do something for myself, at least 30 minutes in the morning, and 30 minutes at the end of the day (unrelated to work and off the computer!)

i wish for everyone else to have a year filled with more joyful moments, and more love for your SELF. it's never too late to put you back on your list.

and that's my 2 cents.

p.s.

post a comment below on my blog in regards to your ideas about this

the longest day: episode 2

2009-01-06T10:02:00.000-08:00

happy new year! highlights from '08

2009-01-02T02:04:00.000-08:00

i know, this is 2 days late, but the end of the year crept up on me!

we wanted to take this time to thank all of our clients, vendors, and friends (both old and new) for making our 2008 a fun and special one! there were many favorite pictures to choose from! here's a sampling of how our year was. our year was exciting because we had a ball photographing your special events and families. we made a lot of great new friends along the way. and we are oh so grateful! enjoy!

special shout-outs to vendors and small businesses that were very nice and accommodating to us, and our clients. we appreciate it. truly.

view slideshow below, or see it in its own window here.

hello, 2009!

2009-01-01T04:08:00.000-08:00

i have been in the habit of making new year's resolutions since i was in elementary school. i always liked making these resolutions. it gave me a sense of optimism and a promise of growth (yes, i was a very dramatic, sentimental child...and very geeky) for the new year. later, as i grew older, i stopped making resolutions. not that there was no need of improvement, but i didn't want to disappoint myself if i didn't keep my resolution.

this morning, i read an interesting take on new year's resolutions, that well, has inspired me to go back to making them at this time. it's from a cool site, called PhotoJojo, which gives photo hobbyists a plethora of creative ideas. today, i read their post on new year's resolutions, and gave me a new perspective on making them. it says to make at least one resolution to do something you are passionate about or absolutely love to do. instead of picking something you "ought to do," pick something you "want to do!" i know, i know...flow with me now. i know people might say, g., that doesn't mean sleep all day or don't do the laundry. that's just a free ticket to Lazy-Land. what i think it means is to live your life~joyfully.

so it got me thinkin'...hmmmmm...what is one thing that i can commit to, one thing that i can commit to doing, that is something i want to do, not ought to do.

photography is definitely my passion and it's something i know i will do with or without my business. so...that's a no-brainer. almost too easy. no...it must be something else. something that i don't take the time to do for myself. i got it!

i am going to cook (gasp!) at least one gourmet meal from my collection of cookbooks per month. yes...i have a collection of cookbooks. i collect cookbooks! i don't use them. i just collect them, in the hopes to have the time and...essentially, cook. i can already hear my husband's sigh, a desperate sigh of "there she goes again with the promise of cooking. promises. promises" but this time, i'm going to do it. i used to love cooking and learning new recipes. i used to love cooking for others. i gave it up after wanting to please my taste testers, my biggest critics (my family!). trying to walk in the shadows of my grandmother, who is the best cook ever, i was never going to live up to that kind of expectation. so i gave up, out of discouragement. forgetting that i should have been cooking to please myself.

so there it is, blog readers. i....will...cook this year ! (as i walk out on my balcony, like Evita Perón, about to sing "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina." and i will photograph my masterpieces (and not-so masterpieces) as proof of this commitment.

new year's resolutions (so far)

1. attend at least one social meetup group a month (at least until the end of Aug.)

2. cook at least one fancy shmancy NEW recipe a month

3. walk my dog daily, for at least 30 minutes

what's your resolutions? post your comment below!!

update on my Meetup.com group membership

2008-12-31T15:36:00.000-08:00

From Drop Box

apparently, the group i joined last week, "The Ladies Who Lunch" is kicking me out. okay, not "kicking me out" but encouraging me to unsubscribe. they want to make sure i can commit to lunching 2xs a month, during the weekday. well, i guess i am not a lady who lunches, because who has time to lunch during the work week? i don't. so i had to humbly step down from that group.

you will be happy to know that i did indeed commit to go to a meet up next fri., in the hopes to meet some cool ladies, and prove to me wrong that this meet up stuff is not such a corny thing, after all (and a big "L" is not tatooed on my forehead). i'll keep you posted.

with that said, my new year's resolution is to: participate in at least one social networking event per month. that's doable, right?

the saga continues...

the longest day: online reality show

2008-12-31T01:10:00.000-08:00

okay...i have to admit...my name is guen, and i'm a reality show-a-holic. i don't like to admit it, but if you look at all my DVR'd shows, it is very rare to see a sitcom or drama show on the list (sorry, j.!!!).

so i had to share this, for my blog readers that understand my addiction, this is the first ONLINE reality show. it's about photographers. before you yawn...check out the first episode! premise: the nation's top wedding photographers get together to produce a short film, and it's all for charity. the cool thing is, is that the viewers get to vote which team gets the grand prize money for their charity. photography, drama, charity, good cause, entertainment! what more could you ask for?? if you know of anyone, that would enjoy this type of show, please forward this them! it's quite exciting...

so check out..."The Longest Day"

Christmas pictures, holiday memories...

2008-12-30T00:42:00.000-08:00

my dad was big on documenting moments. from holidays to birthdays to playing music in the living room. in other words, every other moment was an important one. i am thankful for the pictures he took and the video he filmed. even though i am not too old, my mind---filled with to do lists, appointments, passwords and pin numbers--- can't possibly hold every single memory.

every celebration with my parents, these days, make me want to never forget how i feel. it's inevitable. our loved ones pass on. it's a fact of life. but one thing i learned from my husband, j., is that we should enjoy our loved ones while they're here, and have no regrets. i guess that's what it means to rest "in peace."

so blog readers, take the time to photograph your memories. take pictures of your loved ones, every chance you get. even if they "hate" getting their pictures taken (that includes you, too!) because we're only this young, once. take candid pictures, pictures of people interacting, and enjoying each other's company. after you shoot these pictures, don't just leave them in your camera or on a disk somewhere to be forgotten. print out the best ones and frame it or put it in an album. enjoy and share your photos now.

last, but not least, USE A REAL CAMERA!! no camera phones! please, produce photos that are 1MB and up. anything smaller won't look good printed or on slideshows. produce photos that are at least in focus and not pixelated and muddy.

especially your children's photos. they are only this young for a second. take pictures of your children in action. posed studio portraits have their place, but nothing can compare with your children laughing, playing, interacting with you and their siblings. this is how you will remember your child. not a frozen young person, with a glazed stare into the camera, and a painted smile, against a generic backdrop.

and...that's my 2 cents.

hope everyone had a warm, wonderful Christmas!

i'm a joiner

2008-12-21T19:12:00.000-08:00

i'm a joiner. i've joined 14 meet up groups (social/networking groups) over the past year. and...i feel a lil' bad because i haven't attended not one meeting. yikes! i have to say though, i feel pretty good, knowing that i'm part of a group. but feel like a poser not showing up. it's not like i'm a big flake. it's just that, a lot of the meetings are either too far, or on a day i have to work, meet a client or just DO LAUNDRY! maybe one of my resolutions (i haven't made one in years!) should be to attend at least one meeting a month.

why did i join in the first place?

well, blog readers, as much as i am a social person (bubbly, and all that), i do not feel that i'm getting enough socialization. j. says i need new friends. friends that i have things in common with. there's nothing wrong with old friends, but it seems that my lifestyle does not coincide or relate to my girlfriends' lives. i am not a mom, and no one lives near me! i love my old friends, i just need some friends that have the time to meet or want to meet. thus! the idea of joining a "meet up group." sigh.

so i'll keep you posted, blog readers! when i finally attend one of these meetings, i will post the end results and findings. ha! oh, and i just joined 3 more groups! it's a sickness i tell you!!

Click here to check out

The Ladies Who Lunch!

happy "early" birthday, KOI baby

2008-12-21T18:18:00.000-08:00

this weekend, our family had a get together, a pre-Christmas celebration, if you will. our family has grown, and changed. we have lost some of our beloved family members, but they are never forgotten. it is now our generation's responsibility to carry on the traditions that have been instilled in us. thankfully, our cousin, Girlie, invited us to her home, and we celebrated together. at the same time, we celebrated my niece's birthday (she turns 5 on Dec. 30), Koi. I remember the Christmas we celebrated the year that Koi was born (well, my cousin, Alma, was still pregnant with Koi)...wow. A lot has changed since then. A lot has changed...(that's all i'm going to say...) anyway, she has the cutest smile! see the pix below!! happy birthday, baby...

happy holidays!

From Drop Box

elf yourself!

2008-12-20T12:22:00.000-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

it's official...it's holiday season for the Spillers

2008-12-19T20:16:00.000-08:00

so it's official...i'm in the holiday mood. being busy, work related issues, the economy, and the illness of my father, has postponed me into fully diving headfirst in the holiday spirit. i know...dumb reasons, huh?? holiday spirit should not be delayed! it's all about counting blessings and feeling good about humanity. so...i am so ready for decorating our home, blasting christmas music all day, cooking cozy meals, and attending neighborhood Christmas functions. i'm looking forward to the break in my professional photography, and not worry about editing and designing albums, to just take some pix for myself. i know i should be doing that on a daily basis, and i have in the past done that, but when it gets busy, like a best friend, i needed time away. needed my space.

so it's been about 1 week since i picked up the camera, i am ready to get out there and just get back to the fun of photography. not worrying about getting the "perfect shot" or proving myself, as at times, on shoots. i hope to post some fun or cool pix. on this blog, or on my Facebook, and even on my Flickr account.

before i go, i posted the above pic because this picture became one of my fave pix of my last shoot. it wasn't my fave, at first, until the makeup artist, danielle wells from DFW Makeup, requested to use this pic on her site. i looked at this pic again, and i love what danielle did with lori's (the model) eyes and lips in this photo. these two features "pop" and somehow, it doesn't look like "too much" or overdone. lori was a great model to work with, (as well as her friend, armani. she was great with giving a lot of options and choices in her poses. i like the position of her arms, here, even though it's not a natural pose, it definitely makes the photo look interesting.

what a day this has been

2008-12-16T22:23:00.001-08:00

so i get a call from my brother, that my dad is going to be taken to the emergency because he's "gone crazy." well, without going into too much details, the rest of the conversation was spent asking him to describe what he meant by crazy. i was stunned, almost frozen. didn't know whether to cry, or run out the door. i felt stuck. emotionally, and physically. j. and i have reduced to one car, so i didn't know what i was to do. i freeze in these types of situations. i don't know why. i lack common sense and a sense of urgency. i always want to think each situation through. anyway, in these cases, i lean on my hubby to give me the "right" answer. but he wasn't picking up his cell. my mom said to just stay where i was, while she was going to the hospital with him. i would meet up later, with j., when he picked me up from work.

the rest of the day, i felt like i was just putting on a mask. trying to get through the day. having normal conversations with people. being the "norm" guen. in true form, j. came to rescue me, and whisk me off to see my dad. to my relief, he seemed ok. having a conversation with him, like normal. asking him, what the heck happened. he said his blood sugar went down to 24 and apparently he was delirious. since taken ill, my dad hasn't had much of an appetite, and especially with the chemo, and meds, he has not been able to taste much. so he hasn't had proper nourishment. thus, the "craziness" unfolded, as my brother witnessed.

at the same time, my dear aunt, auntie nona, passed away this morning. i feel like i can't go to sleep without saying a lil' prayer for her and my dad, of course. i feel like i need to reflect and say something about my auntie before going to bed. my "auntie nona," who was a very close friend of our family, was the nicest person you ever met. she made the best desserts! as kids, and as adults, we look forward to what auntie would bring to potluck. she was so talented. i often remember her babysitting us after school. either we were the most angelic kids to watch or she was the most patient. we always felt welcome in her home. she made practically ever family party i remember, the birthdays, the graduations, the celebrations in our lives. she always made point to ask about us, as we grew older, which made my parents feel special and proud. i do regret not making time to see her in the hospital. she was moved around often, and unfortunately, our life became too busy. but i know that she is at peace, and not in pain. god bless.

i just checked my voicemail, and my mom says she's staying overnight with my dad. i know that our time with our loved ones is finite. so i am going to make an effort to enjoy the moments we have with the ones we truly care for. i think if i remember this, i wouldn't sweat the small stuff so much.

good night, all.

for my fellow photog freaks!

2008-12-14T14:34:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,

i have a lot of fellow photography lovers, and i thought i'd share some fave sites i like. also, if you have any cool photog sites u know of, please share! it's all good!

Found this one (or he found me, actually!) last week. Just a cool photographer guy that has an original blogsite, with audio commentary; does mostly music/concert photography, but also weddings

Jared Polin

Written by a working fashion photographer who shares their insight and inspiration with the masses. Inspiring.

Fashion Photography Blog

The Strobist: Everything you wanted to know about off camera lighting; YES, YOU CAN!

Flickr: the greatest inspiration comes from others...like us!

www.flickr.com/groups/fotogeeks

(forward this to any other photography geeks and join our group!; if you're already part of this group, you need to post your HOLIDAY PIX!!)

Photojojo: This is the perfect site for people that LOVE photography and the different things you can do with it! Check it out, you'll see what I mean. There's new ideas every week! Subscribe to this!

My BLOG!! yes, please subscribe to my blog!! And make comments to know that you were there! It gets lonely in Internet space....I always update this every few days. Check me out, eh!

There's others, like fave photographers, wedding, portrait, dog, and fashion photogs, but that's a different post...and I'm tired of typing now...hahahaha....to be continued.

Merry Christmas, y'all!

fullest moon of the year

2008-12-13T20:57:00.000-08:00

this month's full moon is reported to be the "fullest" because of it's closest proximity (distance) to the Earth. this is the best i could do. just reminded me, though, how much fun it is to just shoot nature and your surroundings. this season, i am going to make myself shoot everyday, something that catches my eye. it's been awhile since i've made time to do this, what with the weddings and shoots i've been doing. since i have some down time, this is a great way to post some of my fave pix of the day.

if you like taking pictures, join our FOTO GEEKS Flickr group! it's all about finding the beauty in everyday life. discovering the extraordinary in the ordinary...if you're not a Flickr member, join (it's FREE and you get inspired by other cool photogs, amateur and pro alike).

From g j spiller photography

Makeup by DFW Makeup

2008-12-09T21:33:00.000-08:00

From g j spiller photography

table style="width:auto;">From g j spiller photographytable style="width:auto;">From g j spiller photographytable style="width:auto;">From g j spiller photographytr>

like i blogged before, i met danielle, from DFW Makeup, at a teresa and james' wedding, and talked about taking pictures for her new website. we thought it would be fun to do some different makeup looks and spend an afternoon with some models, showcasing her makeup. danielle had so many creative ideas! she derives inspiration from different sources, it was cool to see the process, and her imagination running wild. i am used to photographing events, documenting events as i see it, and even when i do my portraits, i usually let my clients be natural and be themselves with minimal direction. so it was definitely a nice change of pace.

our models highlighted here are loriana and armani, both music artists/songwriters. they were great sports and went with the flow. luckily, they were good at posing, and having a good idea about modeling. i'm used to shooting interactions with people, and capturing genuine moments, this shoot challenged me to have to direct and shoot at the same time.

check out their individual slideshows. danielle's makeup was fabulous, and the girls were gorgeous!

click here to view their slideshows in a separate window!

loriana slideshow

armani slideshow

also check out loriana's site to listen to her music (i can't wait until we hear her music on the radio!)

christmas with danielle & arlan & akiah

2008-12-07T16:23:00.000-08:00

we met danielle and arlan at a wedding we were shooting. danielle (Danielle F. Wells Makeup) does beautiful makeup artistry and is experienced in doing wedding makeup, as well as fashion makeup. i will be posting some of her work that i recently photographed for her. she is so creative, and knows what to do to create a certain look. and i've watched her in action. she knows how to listen to her clients, and that is so important to women, especially on the day of their wedding... so stay tuned!

arlan, her husband, was such a good sport with the shoot and craziness of 4 women taking over his house and home! akiah, their adorable 2-year old, was watching the models pose, and as you can see, she picked up a few poses herself! watch out with this cutie, arlan and danielle! you might have a model on your hands!

my father, the dentist, and needles

2008-12-06T09:03:00.000-08:00

i have always been afraid of the dentist. okay, not always. i had a really traumatic experience when i was 19, getting my wisdom teeth pulled. nowadays you have the option to sleep. no, i had the full on vibrating jackhammer to gums fully awake and aware. i felt like i was being tortured for government secrets, like on an episode of "24" or "Alias." but i think my fear of the dentist and other medical procedures, were fostered in me very early on by my father.

my father would tell me about his oral surgery while he was serving in vietnam. detail by detail. and then he would tell me about his root canals, detail by detail. the drills, the needles. i cringe just thinking about it. after those stories and my one bad episode with my wisdom teeth, i have not gone to the dentist in like 5 years. bad, huh? not only that, whenever i walk into a hospital, i feel like my skin is crawling, and i start to get anxious and uncomfortable in my own skin. i also feel like that when i am visiting someone in the hospital.

recently, my father got diagnosed with multiple myeloma, cancer of the blood. he was anemic and in pain for the last month, and finally went to the hospital, a day before thanksgiving. he had all the symptoms of myeloma, including a mass found in his kidney (hence, multiple myeloma). yesterday, my parents were advised to have my father go under chemotherapy twice a week, and also take medication. my mom was positive because the doctor said this treatment causes a high survival rate, IF the treatment was followed completely. i said, okay, that's good. and then my father started mumbling and grumbling about needles, and IV, and the discomfort of taking 10 pills in one day. i thought, hey it's a small price to pay for your health, but held my tongue, because i am not in his shoes. but, i could see myself in him.

i'm such a baby when it comes to any type of pain. i am holding back on taking insulin shots, because of the needles, but it's been 4 months since i was diagnosed with diabetes, and my lifestyle has not changed and my blood sugar has made little progress. and if i want to have a shot at having kids, i need to get off the diabetic meds and onto insulin shots. it made me think of my father and how he was being so stubborn about his health. i had started to become the same way.

so, today i choose to be an adult and take care of my health. i choose not to let my fear prevent me from having the life i deserve. and i pray that my father, for the sake of his health, and for his family, i pray that he give his taurus-driven stubborness a rest, at least for now, and do what's best for him.

our first thanksgiving

2008-11-30T15:57:00.000-08:00

ok, it's not our FIRST thanksgiving, but it's the first one that the family LET us cook. actually, more like assigned. it was exciting, but also was nervous about it, because my brother and dad are the worst critiques. there was a time i was all in to cooking, i bought all these gourmet cookbooks and wanted to experiment these recipes. after a bunch of discouraging comments, i gave it up. i just cook for myself. so when this opportunity came, i was excited. but i wasn't able to do any of my gourmet recipes, because it was very unexpected. we used whatever ingredients and recipes my mom had on her list. it came out pretty good. even the turkey didn't get overcooked! (thanks to my mom's fancy shmancy convection oven and chad's technical skills and reading the manual). check it out!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-25T22:36:00.000-08:00

to everyone that has supported us, to everyone that we had the pleasure of meeting and offering our services, to everyone we love and care about....we wish you and your families a happy thanksgiving. let us be grateful for the people in our lives today, and to the loved ones who have passed on and are looking upon us now. (special blessing to auntie pake*god bless your soul* i will always remember your kindness. rest in peace.)

check out my latest family portrait! you can view the slideshow in its own window, just click here!

girlie & marion: family portrait

2008-11-23T18:18:00.000-08:00

i was so excited about these pictures, that i am blogging about this before putting together the slideshow. my cousin asked me to photograph her family for holiday portraits and cards and such. she asked if they could do more than one wardrobe change, and i said, sure! whatever you want!

little did i know that she was going to represent every season! you'll see!!!

capturing the personality of families is something i strive to do at every shoot. and these pictures reflect the humor and laughter of this family. well, my cousin's laughter. guess which one is my cousin...

anyway, it was our pleasure to take their photographs. and a personal note to my cousin, "girlie, i don't know how you're going to pick just one! they're all cute!"

stay tuned for their family slideshow!

terrible twos

2008-11-18T20:41:00.000-08:00

nah...just kidding! he's not a terrible two. he just turned two years old! yay! popo, our chihuahua, celebrated his birthday, monday, november 17. so he was showered with gifts, like this cute T-shirt. we often wonder, if he could talk...what would he say about us? hopefully, he'd say we were good masters/owners/parents!

happy birthday, popo!!

my goddaughter, and cousins

2008-11-12T00:05:00.000-08:00

had so much fun photographing my goddaughter and cousins' kids. jaylyn did a great job her first time at a photo shoot (although she is immobile and can't move around as much, haha!). chloe, her cousin, is about 10 months, and will be running before we know it! i think by the time we got the girls together for a shoot, they were had it for the day. everyone was crying in unison, it seemed. but that's ok. to me, i'd take real life moments over fake, posed ones, anyday! i love taking portraits of babies in their environment, the environment that makes them happy. whether it be in their crib, bath tub, or backyard. to get the most naturalistic photos that say something about your child will not be found in front of a plain white backdrop in a cold studio. it will be found at home. at a place they are familiar with. with you. interacting with them is the number one way i get great pictures. i'm there to capture the precious moments, and document them so no one will forget.

if ya wanna see more cute pix of these girls...ya gotta see 'em in their halloween get ups!! click here to view the halloween slideshow

santa anita church, arcadia, wedding photography & the hilton, pasadena, wedding photography: roy + germeen

2008-11-08T17:38:00.000-08:00

we had to split their highlight pictures into 2 slideshows!!

thank you to Carolyn Simon, at Santa Anita Church, for taking the time to meet with us and learn about the church. the wedding coordinators on the day of the event were professional, and made everything run smoothly! it was beautiful ceremony.

Santa Anita Church

226 W Colorado Blvd
Arcadia, CA 91007
(626) 446-8206

special thanks go out to Shalom Tinsley, at Pasadena Hilton. she was so welcoming, and helped make Roy and Germeen's day a special one. we had so much fun on the dance floor!! and the catering service was attentive and friendly. we stayed at the Hilton for our wedding night, so it brought back memories. i hear they are renovating, so i'm excited to see the new Hilton!

Pasadena Hilton

168 South Los Robles Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 577-1000

santa anita church, arcadia, wedding photography: roy + germeen

2008-11-07T15:03:00.000-08:00

what you put out in the universe, your thoughts and intentions, is what you receive. it's not a mystery how things manifest in our lives, especially after we request it. i remember a time that i stopped dating, and wanted to be alone, to gain perspective, and clarity in my life. i stopped doing the norm, and really immersed myself in solitude and silence. not a normal (or easy) thing for me, mind you. i definitely did not want to meet someone new or date someone new because i really wanted to figure things out for myself. without distraction or drama. then, one day, when i was "ready," i wrote in my journal a list of the person i wanted in my life. it was in detail. specific. down to the stature, the demeanor, and the personality. i wanted someone tall, dark and handsome. i wanted someone who adored me, and showered me with affection. i wanted someone i can feel safe and protected. i wanted someone to see me the way i see myself. that i was worthy. i was special.

a few weeks later, i felt the urge to hang out again with my friends. i was in better spirits, and not somber and introverted anymore. i was feeling brand new. ready to be a better version of myself. before i met my friends at the local bar, i stopped at a gas station, paid the cashier guy, and proceeded to pump gas. that's when he stopped me in my tracks. he was a tall, thin guy in a KFC uniform. he approached me with such a soft spoken manner, i took notice (but i didn't show it, of course!). he asked me my name, and number. of course, i refused. he continued to talk to me about music i was interested in, and what i liked to do on my spare time. i gave him an "A" for effort. i asked him how old was he, and he said he was 19 (i was 22 he was really 18 and in high school). i hopped in my car, and he made a last ditch effort to ask for my number. persistence pays off, i tell ya (and flattery gets you everywhere, for me), so i gave him a lipstick-written version of my number on the back of a bank deposit envelope. it's not like i'm going to marry him...

...that's what i did.

j. was the guy i had asked for in my journal. to the tee. what i put out in the universe, what i ordered. what i requested. and for the last 13 years i can't get rid of him!! (just kidding, j.!!)

when we started our business, we had a rough start. we were nobodys. after many rejections later from strangers, feeling discouraged, a little frustrated, we thought, okay, what kind of clients do we want? what kind of people do we want to serve? if we had a catalog of types of people we wanted to help out, who would they be? it was easy. people like us! people who appreciate photography and the importance of life milestones. people who are down to earth, and friendly. people who are family-oriented. people who like to laugh, and are real. once we wrote that down, we started to receive more positive reactions and interactions. we started to meet interesting people. people that we would probably be friends with in our personal lives.

we met germeen and roy through germeen's sister, mira, whom we had the opportunity to photograph her beautiful family. like mira and her husband, eddie, germeen and roy were down to earth and laughed at our jokes. they have 2 cute, energetic boys, and asked us to include them in our engagement portrait session. we were so happy they asked us to photograph their family and their wedding. germeen and roy met under special circumstances. they have an interesting love story, that i won't depict here. but i have to wonder if they put their request out in the universe, just like i did. looking at them, their love seems meant to be.

i know we were meant to meet them.

here are just some of my favorite pix. check out their slideshow coming soon!!!

our lady of solitude, los angeles, quinceanera photography: lolita

2008-11-01T20:19:00.000-07:00

view here or view in its own window

if you want to view lolita's album pages, click here to view in it's own window

happy halloween!

2008-11-01T09:56:00.000-07:00

pix of our child, popo!

last year we got him a dinosaur costume, an extra small, because he's well, a small dog. well, it didn't fit him and we have painful looking pix of him standing in one place (because he couldn't move, it was so small). so this year, we upgraded to a costume that fits! he's a jack-o-lantern!!

my chihuahua doesn't wear clothing, so when he does wear a sweater (or this costume) he does not like it. he acts un-popo like. he mellows out, as you can see in this picture (i was at a 60th of a second taking these pix...the dog did not move!!!) he looks unhappy. but cute.

folks...love your peeps....now

2008-10-31T21:08:00.000-07:00

hello everyone.

this week has to be the most emotional rollercoaster of a week i've had in years. i just heard of 2 deaths in the last 6 hours. one of my clients' (whom we consider a new friend) father passed. and i just heard 20 minutes ago, that my uncle passed away. may they both rest in peace. i believe they are in a better, happier place.

as some of you know, i also teach elementary school. and this week, alone, we had a threat at our school (i won't go into too much details, to protect the identities of children and teachers) and a teacher of ours got sent to the emergency room, possibly due to stress.

it's a cliché. but one that is true. life is short. love one another. tell them you love them now.

i remember my uncle, more so early memories, of a younger man. a quiet, soft spoken one. i didn't see him for many years, but was oh so happy that he attended our wedding last year. it was a joy to my dad, and to the rest of our clan, to be altogether. to be enjoying each other. to be in the moment of what it means to be a "family." to be a family, doesn't mean Brady Bunch-happy-all-the-time-we're-getting-along type. to me, a family is something real. it's the ups, the downs, the heartaches, the laughter, the celebrations, the commemoration, the feuds, and the apologies. sometimes, apologies...unsaid. we get together because we were destined to be connected. even though it might not make sense. but it does, to US.

i'm not just saying this as a photographer. take photographs of the ones you love. the ones that we take for granted. at every event. at every celebration. at every get together. even if it's a funeral. document your life and loved ones, when they are still here. these photographs---you cannot put a price on them when they're gone. priceless.

love one another. even if you are mad at them. or might not have the heart to forgive/or apologize. let them know you still acknowledge them. we are not alone in this life. we are all connected.

love to all.

ahhh...to be 15, again

2008-10-29T23:33:00.001-07:00

i was instantly brought back to my teenage years, shooting lola's quinceañera last sat.

being 15, although j. would probably argue, wasn't that long ago, for me. when i was a teenager, i was considered a "geek." nowadays, the term "geek" means someone who is a know-it-all about one particular thing, like "computer geek" or "star trek geek." but back in the days, "geek" meant what i guess "dork" means today. a part of me is still that geeky kid. i still sing loudly, with the windows down. i still love Hello Kitty. i still am in love with Johnny Depp. i still like to dance in the aisles of Rite Aid or Walgreens to the "soft hits" played over the loudspeaker late at night (j. hates when i do that. but i know that he secretly loves it...).

so, i totally "got" what lola was going through all day at her quince. the fussing, the running around, the shying away from my camera (although i hope she got used to me shooting every step she made!), being uncomfortable in a dress and heels, the tears, the laughter with friends, cousins, family, and being surrounded by the craziness and loveliness of...being in a big family. j. mentioned that it reminded him of our wedding. imagine that....but she definitely handled herself like a young lady (unlike myself, being that age). very cool teenager.

lola is loved by 7 brothers and 2 sisters. she's the baby. we could tell this affair was coordinated, put together, and executed with love and affection. and her mother was so hospitable and sweet. she asked if we ate, or wanted any refreshments. we felt right at home!

above is a sneak peek to what's to come. still editing through some pix. stay tuned for the slideshow!

thank you Ravelo family, for your hospitality, kindness, laughter, and....fajitas!

martin album pages

2008-10-27T20:57:00.000-07:00

love the pix of this wedding. simple. classic love.

www.gjspillerphotography.com/MartinAlbum or click here

12:45 a.m.: taking a moment

2008-10-27T00:45:00.000-07:00

wanted to post this because i love how "in the moment" they are.
that's what it says on my iMac. in 15 min., the computer voice generated lady will tell me that it's "1 o'clock" and i will start to feel regretful for what i am doing right now. which is depriving myself sleep.

i just got finished doing a rough version of a couple's wedding and i am hyper excited. i get in the zone when either editing or designing an album. sometimes just looking the at pictures i've taken the night before, gets me gassed (in a good way). i love what i do. i wish there were more hours in the day to do it.

for my blog stalkers there, and you know who you are, this one is for you. thanks for being out there, reading my entries, even though it baffles j. why i would stay up and not choose sleep to blog. he doesn't understand it. it's something i need to do. it's my outlet of expression, both visual and literal, that i need to feel connected. alive. accomplished. in the moment.

(well, at least it keeps me from being a major road-rager, driving in traffic)

so, when i wake up tomorrow, to start another day, i have to remind myself that this is living. living life well. taking the time to appreciate what i'm doing, and the people that we do it for, who are truly amazing, and wonderful, and we are humbled to be at their service.

ok, i think i'm ready to hit the hay!

keep posted...new entries comin'...new blog design...and new newsletter...stay with me, now....

karey & eddie's slideshow

2008-10-22T22:45:00.000-07:00

or click here to see it in it's own window (full screen!) or copy and paste this link: www.gjspillerphotography.com/MartinShow

karey & eddie: a sneak peek

2008-10-19T20:43:00.000-07:00

the event took place at the bride's mother's home.

the flowers were different shades of white. very elegant and classy.

i'm so proud to say the hubby, j., took these great cake pix! what can i say? he's inspired by sweets! mary lou, a family friend, made this wonderful, beach-inspired masterpiece!

there they are! a moment of laughter!

they are so in love. they adore each other.

there's eddie again, making her laugh. making US laugh! makes our job so much easier!

this cute flower girl was dodging me all day. but i was able to catch this great shot!

this boy was such a good sport. i love the starfish theme. LOVE IT!

i vow to....make you laugh. for the rest of your life.

the moment we met karey and eddie, we knew this was going to be a fun, relaxed wedding. we knew that we would have a great time shooting their wedding. they had a disclaimer, that they were not "picture people." generally when people tell me that, i usually prepare myself by anticipating that the couple will feel uncomfortable in front of the camera and that they will not a lot of direction and guidance in composing a natural shot. my goal of the day, is really to capture the moment and capture the personality of the couple. we try to make them feel relaxed, and find the laughter or humor in a stressful situation, which weddings can be. but, this time, it wasn't the case.

from the moment we arrived at the ceremony site, they were in good spirits-surrounded by loved ones. and so....relaxed. i thought, this is what it's all about. they must be meant for each other. karey and eddie found love, like meg ryan and tom hanks did on the movie, "You've Got Mail"(j. always brings that up!). they found love online. the power of the internet! (and i guess fate and cupid had something to do with it!) they couldn't stop hugging, kissing and laughing. oh...she loves to laugh...and he loves to make her laugh.

karey and eddie are genuine people. they welcomed us in their home as part for the family, and we felt right at home. their friends and family were warm and down-to-earth. and...they are genuinely happy. they talk about each other, like they are each other's air they breathe. karey's speech included talking about being so lucky to have found love again through eddie. and eddie spoke to one of the guests about being so excited to marry karey, he knew this time, this love was real (ok...i paraphrase. but he said something along those lines).

we wanted to stay and have more tacos and beer, but i wanted to get home and upload these pictures and relive the whole wedding all over again. so if you want to see more pictures from their event, check back later! you don't want to miss it!

thank you, karey and eddie for your hospitality and generosity. oh...and laughter. it reminds me why i married j.

laughter is truly the best medicine.

Fiesta Slideshow

2008-10-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

salsa, tacos, and a plastic donkey

2008-10-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

Bravo Tumbao Dance Company provided the free salsa lessons, and the exciting dance exposition (see slideshow for more pix of their dancing!)

This is Fred!!!

Tierra y Libertad provided the ballet folklorico performances. Colorful, energetic...beautiful. See more in the slideshow!

j. and i got married last year, in south pasadena's Holy Family Catholic Church. that church holds significance, because it was the church that inspired j. to renew his faith, get baptized and confirmed, and he says, it also inspired him to "upgrade" (i hate the word "settle down") and propose to me. (j. and i had known each other for 11 years before we got married. we were 'babies' when we met). we absolutely love this church. the community is welcoming and warm. you really feel like small-towny there. the church, of course, is beautiful and reminiscent of the churches i attended while i was young, with the smell of old missalettes, incense, and old wood, not like the new, spacious, marble-esque, cold modern churches popping up around los angeles.

we recently moved 22 miles away, to covina, and miss our parish. we don't get to go as often as we should. so we were jazzed that we were able to volunteer our photography services and donate a bingo prize (a $250 valued session) this weekend at the parish festival. we were especially excited when we were told they needed someone to man the photo booth, and take pictures of kids and families on top of a burro (donkey). so i brought my digital SLR and powered up my batteries because i was excited to shoot a real live burro. i've seen them rented for birthday parties, before, but never was upfront, close and personal to one.

when we got to the photo booth, we saw a donkey all right. a plastic rental donkey. our lil' booth looked lonely, with our white tent, polaroid camera, and "Fred" (we named him!). we thought, ok, we really need to pump it up and encourage some kids and parents to take pictures at our booth. it was only 5 tickets. so everyone that passed by, we sold Fred like he was the next best thing since...the cow. it didn't take but 5 min., that we had our first customers. much to our surprise, we had steady business for at least 3 hours! Fred was a hit! who knew?

we had so much fun, meeting new and old friends. it made us miss our church more. we really need to go at least 1x a month and attend mass here.

the entertainment was great! folklorico (Tierra y Libertad), salsa lessons (Bravo Tumbao), and a salsa band (Latin Sol). who could ask for anything more! i love the dancing pictures, especially, because you can see the joy and fun in a dancer's face. it's so exhilarating to watch and even more fun to photograph! i'll post more pix about the excellent salsa band, Latin Sol, on my next blog entry. they were sooooo good! their music made you want to shake that thang! there's nothing like LIVE music!!! see pix of them in the slideshow!

thank you to Juan Jimenez, the entertainment coordinator, for being such a cool guy, even though Fred was worked like a horse (we didn't know we couldn't put kids on Fred! yikes! busted!). we would also like to thank Barbara Wagner, the event coordinator, for giving us such a cool, fun job! we hope to have the opportunity again!

above are some pictures of the event! click here to view the slideshow!

(if you would like to have additional info on any of the groups above, please let me know! info@gjspillerphotography.com)

Kajukenbo Studio: Softball Game

2008-10-09T19:51:00.000-07:00

johnny's martial arts studio. check out their site: www.bundaskajukenbo.com/

can't rain on this parade!

2008-10-05T01:12:00.000-07:00

j. just recently joined a martial arts studio called Bunda's Kajukenbo Self Defense Institute. he joined because he has always wanted to learn a martial art, and also get back in shape. unfortunately, since we got married, even though our life has gotten busier and more prosperous, we have been getting out of shape in the process! so he thought he'd take that step to exercise. he absolutely loves going to the classes 3 times a week.

we attended the annual "Ohana Picnic" this sat. now, you'd think the forecast of rain all sat. would stop this bunch. as you can see with the pictures (and the slideshow), that this was not the case. it was definitely a fun-loving spirit among the members. "Ohana" means "family" in hawaiian, and this was absolutely a family affair. husbands, wives, and children are members of this studio. they were all so friendly, and seemed to be having a great time, even with the gloomy weather looming overhead.

the craziest thing was the softball game in the rain, no less!! this was j.'s first time playing softball, and he did really well. his team won! yay! check out the slideshow. there's lots of action shots! here are just SOME of the pix i liked. too many to choose from.

also, if you're looking for a martial arts/self defense class, check out the studio! they take all ages!

Roy & Germeen, & the Boys: Slideshow

2008-10-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

engagement/family portrait session

a good cry

2008-10-01T16:02:00.000-07:00

so...i stayed home sick today. dr. j.'s order (my hubby), i'm not allowed to work in the office or go on the computer. i'm supposed to be in bed. resting.

so here i am.

anyway, i was watching this week's "biggest loser," and it was so good. it's all about family teams, losing weight together. i know it sounds corny, but i got hooked on this show because of the back stories. because you know me, and loving to "talkstory."

there was this one father-daughter team that had to decide who was going to be eliminated and who was going to stay and compete (they had to be eliminated because they lost the least amount of weight that week). it was so sad, because naturally, i thought, the dad has got to go. he has a lot of health issues, that would hurt his team, and he has some physical ailments that need treatment. i thought, decision was so clear cut. but when the daughter started listing all the reason why HE should stay, i was a water fountain of tears. bawling and grabbing tissue from the box. she told him that if he didn't get guidance and professional attention, he was going to die. that he needed to be here the most. but this is the line that got me, she said that she wanted to get married, and that she wanted her dad to walk her down that aisle. i was a mess. (hey, i'm a sucker for weddings! that's why i'm a wedding photographer!).

at least i can say now, my sinus are a lot more clearer. sometimes you just need a good cry. even if it's about total strangers.

now i feel like taking a walk, and baking some skinless, boneless chicken.

roy & germeen: live.laugh.love.

2008-09-30T18:03:00.000-07:00

roy and germeen are getting married in nov. last sat., we met up for an engagement session. they asked if we could turn our engagement session to a family portrait session, so they could include their cute boys, sam and anthony. of course! the more, the merrier!

we met in arcadia park, a very nice shady park with a cool fountain on the corner. my plan was to take pictures by the fountain, have the family sit on the fountain, and possibly have the kids entranced by the water (all kids love fountains) but when we got there, i didn't realize that this particular fountain was really high. so that idea didn't go over well. i also had an idea to do this very walk through of downtown arcadia. their small shops make it feel like a small-town. i wanted to do this editorial, suburban shoot. i didn't get to do that either.

but i tend to think blessings come in disguises. all the pictures of that shoot came out perfect.

we used a couple locations around the park. luckily this park wasn't too crowded. the park was green, equipped with cool park benches, and trees w/ interesting tree trunks. the kids warmed up to me quickly, and i didn't prompt them to pose or smile for the camera. they were doing their thing, and i was their personal photographer.

roy and germeen are the picture perfect couple. who would think this hot couple are parents of 2 small boys. they were so easy to work with, and went with the flow. they were relaxed (at least on the outside, hahahaha), when most parents would be distracted and tense when their children are around. their pictures look romantic and beautiful. too many favorites. hard to pick for this blog.

the best pictures, well, at least in my opinion, my faves are the family portraits when they're laughing and interacting with each other. being a family. my goal, as a photographer, is to capture genuine personalities of my subjects. and i think i accomplished it this afternoon.

we enjoyed our sat. afternoon with roy, germeen, sam, and anthony. we look forward to shooting their wedding in nov. i know that day is going to be so full of love.

if you want to check out more pix, check out their slideshow! www.gjspillerphotography.com/DuplessisShow

what to do on a day off

2008-09-29T21:23:00.000-07:00

this pic is an oldie, but goodie. popo, our faithful watchdog. we love popo.
well, taking the day off tomorrow. looking forward to it. i'm actually looking forward to getting up early, and doing some stuff that i know will boost my spirit. like....organizing my office, mailing some thank you packages to clients, and watching all my recorded DVR shows, while cuddling w/ popo, my doggie (if he'll let me), sipping on some diet iced tea.

i'm still feeling under the weather. comes and goes. mostly hot flashes and stuffy nose. and this weird throat thingy, that is starting to be a little annoying. (sneeze!) oh and the occasional sneeze.

so maybe tonight i upload pix so i will have the day to myself.

one thing that always boost my spirit is being with my clients. we recently had a family portrait shoot with a family on sat. i will post their pix as soon as i upload all of them (have to clear my computer of some collections of pix to fit it here! po chewed up the power cord for my hard drive!). gorgeous family....we had some good laughs.

we also met up with a really sweet couple, ali and john, who are getting married at this romantic winery, in temecula. i can't wait! i'll keep you posted on them. we met them in redondo beach, and it was a nice breezy break from where we live. i was a little envious that they get to experience that all the time. one day....that's my goal. i just want to live near the beach. that's all i ask. that was an instant spirit booster!

ok...back to work. oh by the way, check out the new, and improved website!!

2008-09-28T17:18:00.001-07:00

sent this pic through a cool site called PixelPipe. if you're like me, and post pix on multiple sites, like FaceBook, Picasa, Twitter, and of course, Blogger, this is a cool site for you. this allows you to upload your pix just once. PixelPipe "pipes" your pix to all the sites you contribute photos to. How cool is that?

bday cake (made and created by cake artiste, christine p.)
Posted via Pixelpipe.

3 words: FREE ICE CREAM

2008-09-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

If you like Cold Stone Creamery, y'all, ya gotta jump at this chance. Cold Stone Creamery is giving free ice cream. Check out this link for more info! I love the cake batter w/ caramel, and the cheesecake w/ blueberries. Yum-O!

teresa & james: album pages

2008-09-22T17:06:00.000-07:00

the album.

in the age of digital, and files, why do we still need albums?

1) computers and hard drives crash.
2) you won't remember where that "one" file is.
3) who wants to see your pictures on your small camera phone (oh, by the way, phone memory can crash too)
4) your album is the heirloom that you pass on to the next generation. it's the legacy you leave to your kids, grandkids (or even your older selves; face it...when i'm old and gray, i want to be able to view our younger versions! besides it's evidence to your grandkids that you were young and fabulous once).
5) who wants to pass down a bunch of disks or hard drives (that you have to back up and burn/copy again every couple years). yeah, that's sentimental.
6) the older folk like to view albums, not digital files (well, at least my grandma, anyway).

i recommend having a custom album made (or you can make your own) at least once a year. you should be collecting volumes of your family's history: all the special events, traditions, and holidays, should be documented. the yearly family portrait and the first year of your baby, are definite musts!

i offer that service to our clients. each client gets a custom designed album. i never use designing templates. all of my albums are one of a kind. i also showcase the subjects and the images, not the layouts. the attention should be on the people in the picture, not the fancy shmancy designs and textures. i keep it simple. classic. so that you can stand looking at it 10, 15, 20 years from now. our clients also can give their input, and edit their album to their liking.

here's a sample of an album i did this past weekend. tell me what you think?

www.gjspillerphotography.com/HarrisAlbum1

first christian church, downey & embassy suites, downey, wedding photographers: james + teresa

2008-09-16T23:31:00.000-07:00

that phrase keeps ringing in my ear! that was from one of the toasts that were said that night at teresa and james' wedding. i couldn't help but to think of my own wedding, when the toaster read 1st corinthians, "love is patient, love is kind.." one of the readings from our wedding. i always get choked up when i hear it because the words speak to me so deeply, it humbles me and puts me in my place. and i think about my relationship w/ j., and how i've learned what love is through my experience with him. love is not in the perfection of being, not in how perfect we should be or being the "perfect couple," but in the product of who we both become when we are together. even though i feel that what that reading asks of us is a tall order, it is something attainable, and something to strive for.

teresa and james got married on a beautiful sat. afternoon, with lots of love in the room. people that have been in their lives from grade school and crossing over states to be with them, and testify to their love. the officiants were james's father, and one of his boyhood friends. i love when the officiants know the couple personally. they always seem to add a little extra special to the wedding. another nice touch was james's sister and friends who played live music during the ceremony. i get chills from hearing the soulful singing, the suggestion of a saxophone, and the comfort of a good piano accompaniment. i know, i'm a sucker for sentiment.

another thing i will remember about teresa and james's wedding was how quickly that dance floor filled up. i couldn't help but to keep snapping away, as guests, from young and old, got down and tore that floor up! okay, one more thing i will remember were the dances. the first dance to maxwell (one of my all time faves), the father-daughter dance (very touching), and the mother-son groove, i mean dance.

check out just some of my favorite pix from their wedding. if you want to see more, check out their slideshow here! (or copy and paste: www.gjspillerphotography/HarrisShow)

thanks, teresa and james, for making our job enjoyable and with lots of fun and laughter! best wishes to you!

Church: First Christian Church in Downey
*Great coordinators! Professional and helpful to making the ceremony run smoothly and beautifully!
Reception: Embassy Suites, Downey, California

*Nice courtyard/atrium in the center of the hotel. Cool fountain! Took great formals and portraits in front of it ! Check out the slideshow!

Hawai'i's Daughter's Guild Luau Pix

2008-09-12T23:32:00.000-07:00

we had such a good time at the HDG's luau last weekend! good food, good entertainment, good fun....it was so positive and uplifting, we went home filled w/ the spirit of "aloha".

here is the slideshow of pix!

the cutest dog ever

2008-08-31T09:26:00.000-07:00

he's such a good dog. never complains. get the occasional "talk back" (yes he talks...sort of). and he loves me unconditionally. and he sleeps in between j. and i. i know...intimacy killer, huh? sometimes, i'll find j. sleeping on the floor in the other room, because popo, will somehow scooch one of us to the corner of our queen size bed.

lately, popo will wake j. up in the middle of the night, bringing a sock to his face, in the hopes of playing fetch. the funny thing is, he never does that to me. i guess because i'm just a heavy sleeper (snorer).

but he's definitely the apple of my eye. i know that he will have to get the boot, and get out of our bed if we're going to have any chance of some lil' Spiller Destructo boys. but for now, he's my #1.

excited

2008-08-29T02:31:00.000-07:00

i'm so excited these past few days. i can't sleep. johnny says it's because i'm obsessed. obsessed with the web. email. the computer. but i say...i'm "passionate" about my art. i get so juiced up and inspired when i read about photography or listen to photographers speak about their craft and their business. it's truly inspiring. and since getting into this business, i've been opened up to a whole new world. it's kind of like an underground or underworld of sorts, that the common person would never know existed. there's a whole other world, a whole other celebrity, in this industry. it's fascinating. i just can't get enough.

mostly, i get inspired by the photographers that are so generous with their advice, sharing their experience, and expertise with other fellow photographers. there really is a sense of community. and most of the photogs i've met are really cool. i mean, it's like being in a cool, quirky sort of institution (is that a good word to use?). you can really tell when a photographer still loves what they do, are still passionate about their business and what they do for a client. we really are in the service industry, first and foremost, because we are given the responsibility to capture the subject, in a way that is acceptable, and valuable, and memorable, and unique to them.

see what i mean??? it's 230a, and i'm still typing away. no coffee...mind you. just pure inspiration. ok, so i'm going to go now. good night.

thank you for the kind thoughts

2008-08-29T02:29:00.001-07:00

thank you everyone for giving us much support, love, and positivity, on our road to....wherever God leads us. we feel blessed and feel the love through your emails, thoughts and words. we are taking one day at a time to first and foremost (and everyone should, too) take care of our health. if we are meant to be blessed with a healthy baby(s), it will happen in due time, when we're ready. when God feels we're ready.

what better way to celebrate the end of summer!

2008-08-27T00:09:00.000-07:00

...and it's for a good cause.

Hawai'i's Daughters Guild is hosting a fundraising event to raise funds for scholarships. The scholarship funds help further the education for women of Polynesian background.

Their annual luau is:

Sat., Sept. 6, at

Nakaoka Community Center,

1670 W. 162^nd St., in the city of Gardena. If anyone has been to a luau, you know there's going to be good company, good food, and great entertainment. Come, if you're looking for a way to say "goodbye" to summer. It's $25/person.

For tickets and more info, please contact: Adele Tipon @ 310-597-6525 or email her at koa_tipon@hotmail.com. They would appreciate your support. And I'll be there, taking photos! Hope to see you there!

this one for the old skool

2008-08-22T01:16:00.000-07:00

some pix of us...back in the day! my, my, my....we've changed! hahaa

thank you, Starr Design

2008-08-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

thank you, jessica, for working with me and creating my new banner for my website. it is modern, simple, clean lines, with a touch of femininity, and incorporated our logo and colors.

i highly recommend jessica, if you want help with your branding. she does it all. check out her site! she's so talented. and...she was very patient with my revisions. i know what i want, unfortunately, when i see it. haahaha...she's the true professional.

and...we will be in touch again, because i will probably be changing my whole site by the end of the year, so i'll need help!!!

check her out, especially those with their own small businesses. tell her Guen from GJ Spiller Photography, sent ya!

living with diabetes

2008-08-17T00:13:00.000-07:00

in our journey to have our "miracle baby," doc tells me that i have diabetes. the funny thing was that he thought i already knew i had it. he tells me that diet, exercise, and medication will lower my blood sugar, so i don't worry. when i put my mind on something, i stick to it. so getting over the initial shock, i pull myself up by the boot straps, and move forward and make an appointment with a regular doctor to be treated for diabetes.

well, that was last week.

i saw my regular doctor to be prescribed for these meds they are talking about, which apparently i will be taking for approximately 14 days. why only 14 days? well, because she is prescribing that i go on insulin. yikes.

now, everyone that knows me, knows that i'm such a scaredy cat for pain. i've avoided needles, as much as i can, that i really think i need professional hypnotizing or acupuncture to get over. needless to say, i push myself through the whole needle thing, especially since i have to prick myself and check my blood sugar 2 times a day. but insulin injections, 4 times a day? sigh. i know.

the explanation is this. the meds, diet and exercise will help lower my blood sugar to normal range, most definitely. doc says that once it's down and i test out as such, he will start my treatment for fertility. the problem is, once i get pregnant, everything goes up, meaning: blood sugar, blood pressure. in the event that i am pregnant, i cannot take diabetic medicine. it's gotta be insulin. so....regular doctor says it doesn't make sense to do meds when i'm trying to get pregnant. double sigh.

so...

what's my feeling on all this change?well...i have to be an adult about it. i want to be healthy. i want to have a good quality of life. i love what i get to do now, like live my life's passion to be an educator and a photographer, that if i want to continue what i've got, i need to take care of my health. with or without baby. and....well, if it's with baby, i want my baby to be healthy, as well.

i feel pretty young, considering i'm in my mid-30's (yes, 36 is still MID). with no children of my own, i feel pretty youthful. there are only a few regular moments in my life when i "feel" adult: 1)paying mortgage, 2)paying property taxes, 3)paying taxes, and...now, 4)managing my diabetes (hey, at least it's not another bill, right?).

so the journey continues...

introducing the newest member of my family...

2008-08-15T03:02:00.001-07:00

here she is, just 2 days old!! JAYLYN.if you haven't seen her slideshow (with cameos of her older cousins), click here!

more fave pix (mira & eddie)

2008-08-14T09:18:00.000-07:00

just some of my favorite pix!!!

saturday in the park

2008-08-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

check out their slideshow!

parks always remind me of happy memories in my childhood, when my parents used to take us to the park. i remember running to the swings (my personal fave) and swinging as high as i could, closest thing to feeling like you could fly, as a child. the slides, are a close 2nd--riding 2 by 2, making a mini train down to the bottom of the slide. i remember my dad taking out the ball and bat and playing baseball, and the infamous race to the farthest tree and back. my mom reading her book, laying down on a plastic mat, trying to get relief, from us, apparently.

last sat., was reminiscent of such a time. we spent the morning with mira and eddie, and their beautiful children. mira and eddie are so down-to-earth and such good sports, even taking pictures in the hot sun! joey, their son, was ready to take pictures, and not shy at all. katie was so precious and had the brightest smile. we had a great day at the park, capturing a family day, at its best, with blue skies, ducks, and of course, swings!!

i think it's so important to have these family days with your children. i think back, and feel fortunate that i have memories to last me a lifetime, and hopefully, create those memories for my children, one day.

thank you, mira, eddie, joey, and katie, for a great day!

Check out their slideshow!!

another TTC update

2008-08-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

well, went to the follow up consultation with the fertility dr., whom which, i'm starting to grow an "admiration" for, (i don't know why...he's very blunt, honest, straight forward, and doesn't sugar coat anything), and we had some good news and some...not great news.

i always start w/ the "not so great" news, first. i tested diabetic. my glucose reading was at 173 and my hemoglobin is 9 (normal ranges, respectively are 80-120, 5-7). so i have to be treated for diabetes before he treats me for fertility. reason is there is higher risk and chance of the baby(ies) having birth defects.

the good news is that all my other tests, (well, blood pressure is questionable, it's been recording as high) were good. the ultrasound, the xrays, and the other blood work. johnny, too. i'm kinda happy about that.

i know i can manage my diabetes. i'm not too worried about it. i know i can bring it down. i have to go back to meet w/ a diabetic specialist to prescribe meds. once my blood sugar and hemoglobin go down to at least 127, and less than 7 (hemoglobin), the doctor will see us again and prescribe treatment(s).

i told j. that i noticed my blood pressure and sugar levels have gone up since i got married. hmmm...he thinks it's not a correlation at all.

so i'm hoping in about 4 months we'll be able to go back to my fertility dr. and be ready to "do this." (holding my breath).

my new cousin!

2008-08-12T10:34:00.000-07:00

my new cousin was born on a lucky day, 08-08-08. she is truly the miracle baby that we all prayed for.

here's a slideshow of some of the upcoming women in our family.

talani's slideshow

2008-08-12T10:25:00.001-07:00

i am so jazzed about this new slideshow program i have! so i made one for several shoots. here's talani's!! you'll see how many happy expressions this child has. just at 7 months. 4 months ago, he was a newborn, with 2 expressions!

please check out his slideshow to see what type of shoot we do for babies!

Bernie Mac: 1957-2008

2008-08-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

i remember watching "Kings of Comedy" in the movie theatre with my husband, j. and hearing this man for the first time. at first i was admittedly, shell shocked in my seat, really not knowing what to think of this bold, and outspoken comedian. i was quickly engaged because he had such an original personality, character, unlike any other comedian that i've seen, at least. his comedy was very straightforward....a lot of cursing....but undeniably, had me "rollin' in the aisles" with laughter. to this day, j. and i are quoting his jokes, word for word (okay, we "try" to repeat it word for word).

Bernie Mac, 50, passed away this morning from pneumonia, in Chicago. he had a condition called sarcoidosis, according to Associated Press. the sad thing , is that he was going to retire soon because he wanted to enjoy the rest of his life, since he's been a street performer since the 70's and been hustlin' ever since. you hear the cliché, but it's a cliché that rings true. life is too short. live it. i hope bernie felt like he "lived" at least most of it while he was here.

conversely, i think bernie mac's comedy will live on, in his body of work, such as his t.v. show, "The Bernie Mac Show," his movies, like "Guess Who?"( remake of Sidney Poitier's "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" and the "Ocean's 11" series, and of course, his signature cadence and delivery of his comedy. rent "Kings of Comedy." you'll understand what i'm talking about.

with that said, live your life's passion now. love your people. now.

new blog look!

2008-08-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

check me out!!!! this is the first blog i "designed" myself. i am very proud of myself. although i was up until 430a doing it (started at 1230a) and trying to figure out how to copy/paste code.

i have to rave about this site that gave me these cool blog "elements" to dress up my blog. it's called Shabby Miss Jenn Designs. if you're a scrapbooker type, which i used to be, before i had this business, you'll love her designs. AND the cool thing, is they have video tutorials on how to add these cute elements to your blog site. it's so easy. well, once you get the hang of it. but if you already have a blog or site, you'll pick up quickly. i bought this package of files for about $6.

this is great for people that also like to change up their blog look. i get bored with my blog and is constantly changing the look. i change my blog regularly, rather than my homepage, because it's more interactive and gets more traffic. plus...it's purrrr-ty.

have a go at it!

Wedding Day Sample Video

2008-08-05T00:03:00.000-07:00

check out our wedding sample video. our fave wedding pix!

7 months old

2008-08-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

updated pictures of talani who is 7 months old. it was "good fun" taking pix of lil' talani, who loves to laugh, play the drums, sing with grandma and learn the ukelele with grandpa.

so adorable.

if you want to view talani's newborn pix, click here! you'll see how big he's grown already! this is a sample of the photo book in our First Year in Pictures Portrait Package.

happy-go-lucky

2008-07-31T23:59:00.000-07:00

i'm on a lucky streak, i tell ya!

went to Morongo Casino for my birthday for a little Rest and Relaxation, and won 2 nights in a row on the penny slots!
a lady at Morongo gave me 35 cents (she said she didn't want it); i played it on the 5 cent slot, spun 3 times, and made $200!
got lost on the way back to L.A. (don't ask) only to find out that we missed a major car accident on the freeway we missed
received three wedding inquiries in a row (one after the other, in one day); 3 is my lucky number!
lost 3 lbs. this week!
brother found $5 on flying past him, and swears that it's due to my string of good luck

i'm sure there's more, but i can't remember. i think my luck will still run till the end of my birthday weekend. stay posted!!!

it's my birthday! i'm 36 yrs. YOUNG!

2008-07-30T10:18:00.001-07:00

this is the cake my loving hubby had made for me for my birthday! let me tell you the background to this story.

i have been hearing about this cake for DAYS. i have never seen this man get so excited about a cake before. this cake has been the anticipation of the week. he's been sneaking out of the house for 2 days, secret phone call conversations, EVEN the neighbors were invited to just VIEW the cake (not eat, VIEW) the night before my birthday. i was instructed not to peek, and look at the cake until my birthday.

so of course, this morning, i was excited to see my surprise. and i love it. it's beautiful. it has purple in it (which always reminds me of my youth....i was a purple-a-aholic....hey! it was the 80's). and i love it because it says...."darling wife." he's learning, folks....

but seriously, i love my cake. and johnny says we owe it all to Christine's Creations. thank you for my wonderful chocolate, white fondant cake! she does custom orders, so if you need a custom cake for that special "darling," let me know. i'll pass on her info to you!

thank you, johnny, for my wonderful cake surprise!

sideways grin

2008-07-25T23:13:00.001-07:00

sideways grin, originally uploaded by Master Foto G.

my style of photography is to capture images or moments that tell a story. or at least provoke an interest to what the story may be about.

since it's summer, and i just came back from a summer hawaiian festival, called Ho'olaule'a (annual hawaiian fest w/ music, food and booths), i would like to post one of my favorite pix of the summer, so far (because it's still not over yet!) i love this picture because it displays what my style of photography is. capturing true, real moments.

i took this picture with my 200mm lens, and i don't know how many feet i was away from the stage, but it was pretty far. if anyone has watched polynesian dancing, you know that when the troupe or dance studio, or halau, performs, they're in unison, and uniformity. here, you see this dancer, out of "line," to present this beautiful grin. to me, this shows the spirit of performing, especially polynesian dancing, and really enjoying what you're doing.

the art of photography is seen in the interpretation and perspective of the viewer. to me, not only do i see someone who is having fun, but also the embodiment of the spirit of aloha.

that's what i hope our clients feel when we provide photography services for them, via my photography, our service, our personality and attention to our clients.... our aloha.

some more pix from Ho'olaule'a (Alondra Park)

2008-07-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

i bought one of these. wearing right now! i love wearing flowers in my hair. it always puts me in an extra carefree mood!

here are more pictures that remind me of summer.