Summer Breeze

Hi Everyone,
What a busy summer it has been. I haven't had a lot of time to keep up with my blog but today I decided to make it a priority. I know it's been too long since I posted anything so I apologize for being a slacker.
These images were taken about a month ago at the Wind and Sea Beach in La Jolla, CA. The Bride and Groom actually flew in from Milwaukee where they live in order to have an intimate wedding in San Diego. They wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous beach and the sun-kissed sky. They picked a terrific day for it.

What was really neat about Natalie was how petite and elegant she was in her gown. The dress had a 1920's kind of vibe to it which I thought gave the images a sophisticated flair. Kurt, the groom, was a good sport and and went along with whatever ideas I had and it was a such a pleasure working with them both.

This black and white image was one I took just before the ceremony was about to get started. We actually went on a Catamaran boat to do the vows, and this hammock was there for the taking just a few steps from the pier that led out to the boat.
The pic on the stairs is one of my favorite because it looks like they lead to a mansion just off camera. In reality, there were girls in bathing suits waiting to traipse down them. :)

This image was taken just a few minutes after the ceremony. I wanted to capture the feel of the boat, the city skyline and the gorgeous afternoon light. I asked her to spin around and I love the movement of her skirt. It just gives it a little bit of something special.

We're having a baby ~

Giving life is such an amazing thing. It never ceases to amaze me how truly beautiful pregnant women are. That outer glow really does exist and when I met Lindsey, that was very apparent. My goal was to try and capture that and the inner bliss that having a baby can bring.
These images were shot late in the afternoon on an overcast day. Even though it was about 75 degrees about ten miles inland, I was lucky that a thin layer of clouds had rolled in just before we arrived. I love creating a bit of drama when I'm shooting and the texture of the rocks really helped give these images what I was looking for.
One of my favorites is the close up of Lindsey's belly. You just feel the life within.

A Walk to Remember

A Bit of Buddah

Hi Peeps!
Sorry that it's been such a long time since I've posted on this blog. The new year has been full of changes for me in almost every aspect of my life, and I haven't had the chance to devote myself to blogging as much as I would like. I hope to get back on track and keep everyone updated on my work.

Just a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to photograph a very interesting event. A beautifully hand crafted Buddha made of jade and gold was on display to the public. It had traveled from Australia to California and was soon heading back to Europe. When I heard about it, I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of the experience.

It was a lovely sunny day - the first one after days and days of rain. The grass was the greenest I've seen in a long time and there was a wonderful breeze. Just one of those yummy sunny days. As I walked from the parking area into the monastery, I could feel the vibrations of energy begin to shift. There was a feeling of peace. Wafting towards me was the smell of jasmine flowers mixed with incense. I followed the crowd of people down a walkway and was immediately drawn into another land. Here are a few of the images from that lovely day.

Driving the backroads ~~

Sundays are always slow and languid. No work, no errands to run -- just time to enjoy a little slice of life. Wanting to get out and make the most of it, I headed to a gas station around the corner, filled up my gas tank and headed east.

Right away I came upon this windmill on private property. I couldn't get any closer so I made the unusual framing work for me. When I look at it, I want to climb through the branches.

A little further down the road I saw the lines of this barbed wire fence. The sky was such a gorgeous shade of blue I knew the contrast would make the wires stand out.

These two images are from a section of forest that burned in the summer fires. They are actually white trees limbs. What really got me excited were the ethereal clouds.

I think these flowers were once daisies. Now they are just dried up memories of life.

I stopped at a small town market on my way home and noticed this American flag draped on the porch. I saw the sun peaking through it and ran to grab my camera from the back seat. You just never know what lucky moments you will find on the road.

As I walking back to my car I noticed an abandoned old Cadillac just sitting in the back lot. I've never seen this kind of detail before. They just don't make classic cars like they used to. Sigh. More's the pity.

A Year in Pictures ~~

Merry Christmas Everyone. 2009 is fast coming to an end and it has been one incredible year. So much has happened with my writing and with my photography. I feel incredibly lucky to have had so many wonderful opportunities to photograph new faces. I picked just a few of my favorites from this year. Thanks to all of you who came into my life, who ignited the flame of creativity and who continue to inspire me. My best wishes to you and to those of you I have yet to meet - but will one day soon.
Happy New Year
Love ~
Dianna

Beautiful Faces

What a gorgeous day it was in Coronado yesterday. Absolutely beautiful. And I was lucky enough to be able to photograph an absolutely beautiful muse named Meg. And I have to say, her lovely inner beauty is every bit as stunning as her outer beauty.
I wanted to do something a little dramatic for her portraits so I chose this gauzy lavender material with the idea of shooting through it. I knew it would be exotic and match the way I thought she would photograph. What fun. And once we began to shoot, the creative juices really began to flow.


After we finished the portrait session and with just about twenty minutes to spare of magic hour light, we hopped in the car and drove over to the beach. To my delight and surprise, we came upon a shipwrecked boat. How serendipitous! An amazing prop that I could never have dreamed up. Doesn't she look like a glamorous passenger whose just who survived one hell of a storm? This shoot was such a blast and I am so happy with the images. I hope you like them too.