Rachel Clare Photo

Rachel Clare Photo - RSS http://rachelclarephoto.com/ en Copyright 2010 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:47:51 -0700 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Steve & kierstie: engaged - corona, CA wedding photographer She had other plans--- big plans. But one night, Kierstie met Steve while hanging out with mutual friends. They chatted and laughed and thought "he/she will be a good friend". And then she called him to help her learn to play something on her guitar. And now they're getting married. And those plans? They were good ones, but not as good as what's coming to them in May.
Congratulations you two, and thanks for a wonderful engagement session on Saturday night!

]]> http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/03/steve-kierstie-engaged---corona-ca-wedding-photographer.html http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/03/steve-kierstie-engaged---corona-ca-wedding-photographer.html engagements Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:47:51 -0700 Lists: Things learned this past week
1. Legoland has VIP parking for anyone who drives a Volvo. Sweet!
2. Househunting is not for the faint of heart.
3. Putting an offer in on a house is exciting and terrifying at the same time.
4. Every girl needs a weekend away with a friend occasionally.
5. Having your oldest turn six is even more unbelievable than having your oldest turn five.
6. There's a great place in Mesa, AZ called Crackers where I would love to have lunch every day.
7. When you're away from your family for a couple of days, you appreciate them so much more when you return home.
8. I Am Legend is a totally terrifying movie.
9. A sprig off of the orange tree that is bursting with blossoms will infuse a kitchen with intoxicating goodness.
10. Any engagement session that ends like this is an awesome engagement session:

]]> http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/03/lists-things-i-learned-this-past-week.html http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/03/lists-things-i-learned-this-past-week.html engagements personal Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:17:39 -0700 See Ya! I'm out of here! Headed to Phoenix to see Jen and photograph Steve and Kierstie's engagement photos. I'll return voicemails and emails upon my return on Monday. Happy weekend!
]]> http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/03/see-ya.html http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/03/see-ya.html Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:59:32 -0700 Anxious little man - Irvine, CA newborn photographer Last Friday, I photographed Chris and Stacey- excited expecting parents. 36 hours later, their little peanut arrived, almost 4 weeks early. I was ecstatic to receive a VIP pass to visit him at his casita today and take some newborn pictures. He's such a peach! So sweet, and with the most beautiful eyes.
Congratulations to my friends on his healthy and safe and completely unexpected arrival.

]]> http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/03/anxious-little-man---irvine-ca-newborn-photographer.html http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/03/anxious-little-man---irvine-ca-newborn-photographer.html newborns Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:29:39 -0700 One Word: Light This week's word with the one-word project was light. I've got to admit, I'm a little disappointed in myself with the results. I had something much more grandiose in mind, but I didn't have time to bring that idea to fruition. For now, these work. And I suppose what this week taught me was to appreciate the beauty in the light all around me- in shadows, in sunflare, in patterns. I'm grateful to be seeing things I didn't see before, simply because I've given myself the assignment to do so.

]]> http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/03/one-word-light.html http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/03/one-word-light.html personal Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:19:19 -0700 Lists: what I would have done... ...if I'd not have gotten married and had babies....

I would have:

1. Sung backup for James Taylor (I would have found a way to MAKE THIS HAPPEN. Still on my wish list...)
2. Worked a corporate job in NYC and lived in a loft apartment
3. Photographed for Nat'l Geographic
4. Moved to Nashville and become a country music star
5. Worked as a GO at Club Meds around the world
6. Wow... Club Med sounds mighty nice right now...
7. Played Elphaba in Wicked in London (dreamin' big here, folks)
8. Been a pro surfer. No, I don't know how to surf, but I would have learned. And I'd be a pro.
9. Become a personal trainer (still might)
10. Moved to South America and done... something... with my Spanish degree.

All that said, and all dreaming taken into consideration, I wouldn't change my life much now. Sure, there are things I wish were different, but I cannot imagine life without a kind and supportive husband and three beautiful children. They all hold such a piece of my heart and I would be completely incomplete without them.
So maybe I won't ever be a pro surfer, but it doesn't mean I can't take surfing lessons. I might never live in a penthouse apartment in NYC working a corporate job, but I can go visit (and then be grateful to leave the big city). I might never be a country music star, but it doesn't mean I have to stop singing. No, I'll never stop singing.

]]> http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/03/lists-what-i-would-have-done.html http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/03/lists-what-i-would-have-done.html personal Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:40:33 -0700 T-36 Hours - Newport Beach Maternity Photographer When formulating this post in my mind, I was going to start with "Chris and Stacey, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G..." , but then the unexpected happened and now I'm going to start it with, JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME!

Meet Stacey- one of the coolest girls I know. She was a dear friend from my days in Jerusalem and we have many happy and very funny memories together from that time. Stace and I kept in touch for a while after living in the Near East, but then somehow lost each other. I was thrilled, a couple of years ago, to get a wedding announcement which had been sent to my parents' house. And then, FACEBOOK. And I found my long lost friend. And wouldn't you know, we were living only 40 miles apart! What a grand surprise.
While Irivine is a little bit of a drive, we try to get together often, especially as our husbands get along equally as well (and have this thing for all-you-can-eat-sushi).

Stacey's due date was the 22nd of March, and we decided some maternity photos were in order. So on Friday night, we had a date at Corona Del Mar to shoot some photos. We decided it was a good time to do it because Chris is often gone on weekends for work and weekdays are harder for me. I'm so glad we decided to get together, because that sweet baby was born this morning, a mere 36 hours (to the minute!) after our maternity session. A few weeks early, and with Daddy in Florida, he made his grand arrival. I hope to get my camera on the sweet little peanut sometime this week.... be on the lookout for a sweet newborn post soon!

]]> http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/t-36-hours---newport-beach-maternity-photographer.html http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/t-36-hours---newport-beach-maternity-photographer.html maternity Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:09:27 -0700 Visions and "feeling it" - riverside, ca child photographer So, there's this thing that happens to me... it happens all the time. I see something and think "that is a photograph waiting to happen." I see it in landscapes, I see it in strangers' faces, I see it in graffiti and buildings and rain and clothing. Two years ago, I saw this dress. It's simple and sweet and I saw a photograph in my mind when I found it. So I bought it, in a size 3T even though my little girl was barely 12 months old. It was on a clearance rack and was the only one there. I can't tell you how fast I snatched it up, because I saw these images in my mind of Rowan wearing this dress in a field. The field pictures are coming soon, but for now I'm posting these... these images that make my heart sing and my soul sigh.

I'm realizing that, the more I dig inside myself and discover who I am artistically and photographically, the more I'm seeing the beauty in my own work... NOT wanting to be someone I'm not, NOT wanting to imitate someone else's work, NOT wanting to just "shoot it like it is and fix it in Photoshop". I've worked tirelessly on nailing my exposure IN CAMERA with every shot. I've made it my goal to have my images come out of my camera relatively, well, perfect. People ask if I do lots of work in photoshop. My new answer is NO. I used to. And clearly, when I convert something to black & white, or tone an image to look more vintage, I do use photoshop, but I'm really loving my photographs right now, just as they are SOOC (or, "straight out of camera"). The following (besides the black & white, and the shot of Elias) are all straight out of my camera and sized for web. And that makes me very, very happy.

And, lest you think I've forgotten my firstborn (I assure you, I haven't!)- here's one of him taken last week. I realize I've posted quite a few images of my girls on here the past few weeks. It's funny- my time with Elias is so limited now that he's in school full-time, and I'm feeling bad that he hasn't had a blog-debut for a while. However, there's a big post coming with a whole lot of this boy as his 6th birthday is quickly approaching and we're going out for a big 6-year photo shoot (even got him a sweet new hat for the event!). So, keep checking in....

]]> http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/visions-and-feeling-it---riverside-ca-child-photographer.html http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/visions-and-feeling-it---riverside-ca-child-photographer.html children personal Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:32:40 -0700 Back Up - Corona, CA Wedding Photographer Some bridals from a few weeks ago- hot couple, right?

Check out this LOOK- RAWR!!

I LOVE this series- so candid and real. I adore his face in these images.

]]> http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/back-up---corona-ca-wedding-photographer.html http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/back-up---corona-ca-wedding-photographer.html weddings Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:59:17 -0700 One Word: Sugar - Corona, CA child photography I've mentioned that I've had this desire to stretch myself and work on shooting just for ME. I've started a project called the one-word project where one word is assigned each week and the goal is then to get four interpretive shots of that word. This week's word was SUGAR. Here's my sugar:

]]> http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/word-sugar.html http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/word-sugar.html children personal Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:11:25 -0700 ShootOut Bridals - Corona CA Wedding Photography Truth: it's easy to take good pictures when your subjects are stunning.

]]> http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/shootout-bridals---corona-ca-wedding-photography.html http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/shootout-bridals---corona-ca-wedding-photography.html weddings Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:08:08 -0700 Lists: places to do, and do again... I have experienced:
1. Costa Rica (working on a monkey & parrot refuge)
2. Jerusalem (living and studying in the Near East for a semester)
3. England (while the food leaves something to be desired, their accents are mmm-good!)
4. France (D-Day Beaches on D-Day... most moving.)
5. Belgium (HELLO CHOCOLATE.)
6. The Netherlands (gorgeous)
7. Italy (in a weird way, my home country away from home)
8. Switzerland (slept in a barn one night in the Alps)
9. Hungary (Gyor, the sweetest little city)
10. The Czech Republic (JT got wretchedly sick there)
11. Germany (have no desire to go back)
12. Austria (I SO did the Sound of Music Tour! And sang every word, thank you!)
13. Canada (I've very seriously thought of relocating to Victoria)
14. Mexico (don't remember the "school" part as much as the "fun" part)
15. Spain (during the '97 ETA riots in which I had no part)
16. Slovenia (really all I did was have ice cream there one afternoon, but that counts, right?)
17. Jordan (did you know they have a Hard Rock Cafe in Amman?)
18. Egypt (visiting the pyramids and hiking Mt. Sinai at night: indescribable)
19. The Bahamas (Club Med- 'nuf said)
20. The Caymans (don't remember much- I was pretty young)

I will someday experience (hopefully sooner than later):
1. Tahiti (I may, or may not, come back home)
2. Nova Scotia (can't wait to get there, though I don't know why)
3. New Zealand (I hear it's just GORGEOUS)
4. Thailand (what's not to like about Thailand??)
5. Scotland/Ireland/Wales (because Scottish accents are even sexier than British ones!)
6. Nashville, TN (because my other career of choice is Country Music Star)
7. Vermont and Maine (solitude, and colorful autumns, and snow, and syrup...)
8. Chile and Argentina (sign me up, and leave me there!!)
9. Greece (I {heart} the very idea of Greece)
10. Norway, Sweden & Estonia (my auntie says Estonia is FANTASTIC)
11. NYC (been to the airport multiple times, but never outside of the airport!)
12. The Cook Islands (hey, why not?)
13. Austin Texas (during a music festival)
14. Morocco (ah, Morocco!)
15. Turkey (have you heard about the Turkish Baths?? I'm all over that!)

*this list could go on and on, but I'm willing myself to stop at 15*

in Rome, 2005 ]]> http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/lists-places-ive-experienced.html http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/lists-places-ive-experienced.html personal Mon, 22 Feb 2010 05:05:55 -0700 Chinatown My oldest is in kindergarten. If you've read my blog for a while now, you'd already know that, because I believe I posted about the fact that I cried every morning for about 2 weeks when he first started school. It was a difficult decision for me to decide where to put him in school. I didn't feel good about having him attend the public school that we are zoned to go to. After doing a little research and getting some tips from a couple of acquaintances, I decided to place him in a small charter school. Our experience has been a good one. I really like his teacher and he is happy there.
One of the things I really like about his school is that they have rad field trips. And not only are they to cool places, but once there, the family (who is always encouraged to go on each trip) is allowed to wander at will. There aren't groups to keep up with or children fighting to stay in line. People simply meet up at the beginning and meet back up at the end, just to touch bases.
Today, we rode the Metrolink in to LA's Union Station and hit Chinatown. I've been to Chinatown before, but I was able to see it today in a new light, being there with children, as well as my camera. JT was kind enough to herd the kids while I shot and shot and shot. I ended up with 193 images I really wanted to post here, but narrowed it down to these as I didn't think my server would like me very much if I actually posted 193 images in one post. ;)
Another post coming soon with pics of my kids in their new Chinese jammies. Seriously, so cute.

]]> http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/chinatown.html http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/chinatown.html personal Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:44:36 -0700 Looking for: YOU - Riverside and Corona CA wedding photographer

]]> http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/looking-for-you---riverside-and-corona-ca-wedding-photographer.html http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/looking-for-you---riverside-and-corona-ca-wedding-photographer.html Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:21:59 -0700 Meeting the "greats" Facing a 4-day weekend last week, we decided last-minute to go home to New Mexico and see my family. I miss them. A lot. And I know now how much I took for granted growing up in the same town as both sets of grandparents. My childhood was priceless in that way- growing up with so much extended family around. I hate that my children are growing up so far away from my family. It's because of this that I make it a priority to see them regularly. Either they come here, or we go there. Not only do I miss my folks, I miss my grandparents and I want my children to know them and love them as I do.
So, we decided to head home, and I'm so glad we did. It was totally worth the twelve hours each way. The kids were stellar in the car- even Maura, who was a total gem and slept most of the time. We didn't do anything notable- just spent time together and watched the Olympics and laughed. A lot. I'm grateful I was able to snag a few shots of my sweet grandparents meeting Maura for the first time. These images are priceless to me, and will be to her someday...

]]> http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/meeting-the-greats.html http://rachelclarephoto.com/2010/02/meeting-the-greats.html personal Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:27:15 -0700