1. my happy place is an ocean view, with sunshine on my face, and a glass of provencal rosé in hand ! this was my mental image as i put together my newest venture - a blog entitled "Sunshine and Rosé" - sharing my love for good finds, eats, and travels. interviewing local talent and creatives. featuring my favorite photos of spring flowers, summer travels, and all things pretty.


    travel has been an integral part of my life since i was a baby. i got my first passport at 6 months old to travel to paris, and have since been to nearly 30 countries (and counting !) while i focus on hidden gems throughout my home state of california, i also feature travels to NYC, bali, greece, the french riviera, and beyond.

    where do you find the best deviled eggs in NYC ? how do you take a wine tasting cruise down the rhone river ? how do you visit cuba now before it gets overrun with tourists ? what are the best kept secrets of san francisco ? my blog explores these kinds of topics - seeking out reasonably-priced luxury and memorable experiences, all accompanied by big, beautiful photos.

    one of the sections i'm most excited to include will be my "inspire series" - interviewing innovators and creative talents who are living the dream ! the apst few years i've been an editorial photographer (favorite shoots include puppies for Fortune Magazine and Batkid for San Francisco Magazine), but prior to that i was a journalist (favorite interviews include Meryl Streep and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.) i miss combining my passion for words and visuals, and am excited to get back into writing. my first tow features that will be released in the next couple weeks include Abi Zimmerman Bordigioni of Annadel Estate Winery - a scientist who left NASA to paint and make wine, as well as Erin Gleeson - photographer and author of New York Times bestseller "The Forest Feast."

    since launching less than 3 weeks ago - i'm very excited to say that i've gained more than 400 followers on Instagram, got more than 1000 clicks on my Storehouse story about the blog, and am now averaging over 100 unique users a day !

    i hope that my stories give people a taste of my experiences and encourage people to try some of them out ! follow the blog at www.sunshineandrose.com and for beautiful photos, follow me on instagram at @sunshineandrose 











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  2. so pleased that my doggy shoot has been featured as PDN's (photo district news) Photo of the Day ! thanks so much to photo editor Amy Wolff for thinking of me and my fun personal project. read the full interview and behind-the-scenes on PDN's site HERE.


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  3. every spring, as the weather warms and the colors around me begin to pop, i get the urge to shoot something silly and fun ! i decided to do a short series of some pups with personality - a sneak peek into what dogs *really* do when their master's away....

    the concept was inspired by a friend on Facebook who photographs his bulldog eating an In-N-Out burger every year on his birthday - complete with candles and party hat. i wanted to create more silly photo ops of dogs at the dinner table. i haven't owned a dog in years, but love the great (and sometimes hilarious) lengths owners go to for their pups. my stepmother, for example, feeds her rhodesian ridgeback filet prime cut steak and Evian spring water (and ONLY Evian water.) what other silly doggy dining concepts could i create with a team of stylists ?

    i put out a casting call on facebook for dog models and was inundated with replies ! i sorted through photos and put together a set of dogs whose looks complemented each other. i then created character types for each - a princess dachshund, a regal alaskan malamute, a fancy pug, a quirky norwich terrier. with the help of prop stylist Ronique Currie and assistant Audrey Rotermund, i then created mini sets with wallpaper, food, and a bit of interior decoration. the goal was to create quirky, humorous, colorful, produced portraits with fun props and pop-y lighting - and i have to say i'm pretty pleased with the outcome !

    shoot day was a blast, full of silliness and smiles. much like photographing babies, one can only relax and laugh through the ridiculousness of the challenges faced on set - a dog shaking off its tiara every five seconds, a dog frightened by the blinding flash of profoto lights. thanks to some creative styling by my boyfriend, we were able to loop hair ties together and attach the tiara and glasses to the dogs ! in all, it went as smoothly as one could hope for, probably thanks to the picturesque pastries i purchased from Le Marcel's Dog Bakery. some of the dogs hardly looked at the meals in front of them and instead sat transfixed, salivating over the doggy treats their owners held above the camera. 

    thanks to all the dog owners for lending me their beautiful pups, Ronnique for her wondrous and inventive styling skills, and Audrey and Phillip for lending a helping hand on set ! 



    Josie the dachshund - Instagram user - @josieweinerdog


    Kaiyuh the alaskan malamute - Instagram hashtag - #kaiyuhgram


    Yoshi the pug - Instagram hashtag - #yoshipug



    Augie the Norwich Terrier - Instagram user - @augieledoggie


    one of my favorite "serious" outtakes 


     when all the dogs are serious - the series takes on a different feel !


    treats from Le Marcel Dog Bakery to bribe pups to sit still. looked so good i wanted one.


    outfitting Josie in the tiara was not her favorite moment !


    all smiles while shooting these cute pups :)


    turned my apartment into a mini set !


    the classic over-the-shoulder BTS shot 



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  4. lately i've been reworking the portfolio a little bit - adding some images here, taking some out there. one of the biggest changes has been a new portfolio addition to the website - portraits entitled "out + about." these portraits are loose, easy, and breezy ! both commissioned and personal - during these shoots my subjects and i meander around some of san francisco's hot spots for natural beauty. we stop here and there, change outfits, and seek out for interesting spaces and stunning natural light while chatting about life. like my early days in photography - it's solely about me, the subject, and understanding natural light. i enjoy returning to my roots and enjoying the simplicity there ! 

    the spontaneous quality of these images lies in stark contrast to the bulk of my portfolio, which is highly produced, lit with protofo lights, and sometimes even storyboarded. my two other portfolios on the website underwent name changes as well - editorial work "quirky + fun," and personal shoots "concept + mood." am excited to continue these portraits as a breath of fresh air, in between my highly-produced shoots. 






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  5. lately, i've fallen in love again with the beauty and softness of natural light portraits ! i'm interested in photographing more intimate moments - simple and sensual, individuals and couples. i figured i'd kick off the project idea with a self-portrait of my boyfriend and me ! when he and i first started dating, i remember the first time i saw the gorgeous morning light that fell into his crisp, white bedroom and knew i wanted to shoot there someday. as he moved out from his place into mine last week, we took one final portrait in his room, like i had always wanted to. hopefully it captures all the warmth and lovely memories we shared in his apartment together. 


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  6. San Francisco's "winter" this year has been so mild and sunny - with beautiful, warm days breaking through every now and then ! recently on such a day, i photographed Danish beauty Maria Henriksen. i've always admired her style - cool, modern Eurochic - and took her into the woods of Golden Gate Park and the sand dunes of Ocean Beach to snap her portrait and capture her essence. 







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  7. last month i had a blast photographing the vibrant and colorful Jessica Semaan, founder of The Passion Company - an organization that inspires and enables people to find and follow their passions through a 5-week program. she was everything a photographer desires in a portrait subject - this #lebanesebeauty (her instagram handle) is radiant, confident, uninhibited, and FUN ! her bright smile and laughter were infectious and we found many people on the street stopping to watch, smile, and cheer her on ! 

    i've loved exploring all the various iconic neighborhoods of San Francisco for my current portrait series - choosing the appropriate backdrop to match my subject. the Mission District perfectly fit Jessica's outgoing personality - mixing graffiti, vintage threads, dance, music, and color. enjoy the photos !

    and read more about Jessica's Passion Company - HERE.







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  8. 2014 is the year that everything finally began to come together for me in the photo world :) i shot my first national editorial for Fortune Magazine, got to photograph Batkid for the cover of San Francisco Magazine, embarked on some exciting new personal projects, got interviewed by APA, traveled overseas twice, and taught a few classes at my alma mater - Academy of Art University !

    EDITORIALS

    i was thrilled to photograph my first national editorial this year for Fortune Magazine - a fun story on Salesforce's doggy day care center, aptly named "Puppyforce." my images went on to be syndicated in Fortune China, Fortune Indonesia, Fortune Korea, and Fortune India ! below are some of my favorite outtakes from the shoot, the rest of the imagery you can find HERE.




    i was also excited this year to photograph Batkid for the cover of San Francisco Magazine. Miles' (aka Batkid's) story was so inspiring, it was awesome to meet this little guy and capture him at his home in Tulelake, CA. and yes, he really is *that* into Batman ! the batkid cover and editorial spread - HERE.




    some of my other favorite editorial shoots this year included a story on the antagonistic relationship between yelp reviewers and chefs, as well as an amusing story about sugar daddies of San Francisco :)





    PERSONAL PROJECTS

     personal work is always important ! i love the process of conceptualizing new ideas, and especially collaborating with other creatives on set. as a former film student, i've always loved the aesthetic of 1950s/60s cinema - so i did a small Mad Men-esque series with some wonderful stylists. images HERE.


    while my style is typically very prepared - storyboarded, conceptual, with lots of lights and styling - i've recently enjoyed shooting some casual, natural-light portraits of friends around San Francisco. the city has so much natural beauty to offer that i've had a blast exploring while sneaking in a few snaps ! more of X. Alexander's photos HERE and Drew Anne's photos HERE.
    EXPOSURE

    was so pleased to be interviewed by APA (the American Photographic Association) and featured as one of their "inspirational artists" on the front page of their national site ! using my personal series "South for Winter" as a case study, i talked about my creative process - from conceptualizing ideas to executing on set during shoot day ! read the interview HERE.




    TEACHING

    over the course of the last year, i've had the opportunity to guest lecture and substitute teach (most recently at the graduate school level) at my alma mater - Academy of Art University. i can see why so many of my photo friends have stayed involved in the educational community. the students' enthusiasm and creativity is both infectious and inspiring ! i hope to someday make teaching a larger part of my life.


    TRAVELS

    2014 was a great year for travel - armed only with an iphone, i made my way through France, Hawaii, Ibiza, and Burning Man. can't wait to see what 2015 brings !!!




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  9. i continue my series of portraits of friends - simple, loose, natural light - unencumbered by the limitations of a larger production. as with my last shoot, i asked my friend Drew Wolfson to bring along a giant bag of clothing options; we mixed and matched various pieces as we explored the natural beauty of Land's End and Sutro Baths, San Francisco. while it had been a sunny week, i think we lucked out with the overcast skies (the best softbox !) to lend a melancholic mood and match her wistful, thoughtful expressions. 

    Drew and i have collaborated a number of times since i first picked up a camera for graduate school. we had been childhood friends that lost touch; we ran into each other one day and i discovered she'd grown into a true beauty, both inside and out. i've thoroughly enjoyed our collaborations together over the last few years and am always happy when she comes back into town and agrees to create art with me ! 











    here is a selection of some of my and Drew's previous collaborations !


    in 2010, she was one of the first models in a shoot going towards my thesis project, a series entitled "Meet the Quirkies"


    in 2012 i experimented with black and white tilt-shift portraits of some friends




    in late 2012, i paid homage to Hitchcock with a personal series entitled "South for Winter"


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  10. a few weeks ago i photographed an old friend of mine - writer and filmmaker X. Alexander. a former classmate at USC, he was one of my very first models when i become interested in photography ! he used to wander the street of los angeles with me, letting me photograph him as i fiddled with the dials of my first DLSR and tried to learn how to see the light. like a truly awesome friend, Alexander helps me write copy for all my photography promotional material. professionally, he runs blog hardinthecity and just finished directing his first short film.

    we were blessed with the elusive sunny day in San Francisco ! we wandered around the Presidio - encountering sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge, and bunkers overrun with weeds and graffiti. it was lovely not only to catch up with my old friend, but also to shoot some simple, natural light portraits just like old times. 









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