{ Maura & Chris : Married! }

Sean and Maura have been working together for quite a while now and we have grown to love her a whole bunch! (as any one would with her sweet personality!).
When Maura got engaged to Chris, we could not have been any more excited for her!
When Maura and Chris got married, we realized that we were totally wrong, when our excitement hit a whole new level.

Maura and Chris had a intimate back yard wedding at Maura’s aunt’s house in Chino Hills, and it was a truly perfect day. So relaxed and fun!

I snapped some pictures that awesome day, and here are a few of my favorites.....







One of my faves. How beautiful is Maura!?














I LOOVE this one too!











Now for a new feature on the blog to spice things up a little ;) .....

(Its easy to see that Maura and Chris have A LOT of family and friends that are very excited for them) :)


There is something I just love about this picture.
You can just feel their excitement!


My favorite of the day!




















You two are perfect together!





























(Sorry Chris, I had to do it)


The ladies at this wedding knew how to par-tay!














Congratulations Maura and Chris, we love you!!
xo- Blair and Sean

{ Going on vacation! }

So I’m just going to put it out there. Sean and I have a pretty crazy life. I mean, not in a partying kinda way. But like a “we both work like nobodies business, pretty much non-stop” kinda way. Sean is just awesome – goes to school full time and works full time, and is constantly cleaning up behind me and the pups around the house (between me, and the two spoiled dogs, we have a lot of stuff to leave around). And lets face it, I just need to relax too (the day job gets crrazzyy and the photography business is picking up). For the past few years from starting the photography business, getting engaged, planning the wedding and finally getting married, and now a year after the wedding nothing is slowed down! lol

So guess what? We are going on our very first real vacation, just the two of us!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not just a weekend in Palm Springs, not a family trip, but like, a full blown just us vacation.

That’s right ladies and gents. Sean and I are leaving today for San Juan, Puerto Rico.
But no, it doesn’t stop there, we are also going to : St. Thomas, St. John , Dominica , Barbados , St.Lucia , Antigua , and St. Kitts. All packed into about two crazy awesome weeks! Yup, we ALWAYS go big, that’s just how we roll.

And im sure if you follow me on Twitter, or Facebook – you know just how excited I have been for the past few years leading up to this trip. Seriously, BEYOND excited.

So I’m going to do my best to take lots of pictures – but we shall see what happens since we have a lot of water activities to do (fun grainy waterproof disposables are probably in our future!).

So if I don’t get back to you till the beginning of next month, please do not be bummed out and think I don’t like you any more. I probably love you even more; I am just not able to respond for a little bit. But of course I will get back to you ASAP.

Please pray for us to have a safe trip, and we will see you soon!

{ Laura & Genaro : Engaged! }

Sean and I met up with Laura and Genaro in uptown Whittier for a fun shoot. Genaro is the music coordinator for his church and has such a crazy schedule, dedicating so much time to what he loves. So we squeezed in a quick session between his church services that day and I think we got some pretty fun stuff!
































Midway through our session we were shooting behind a parking garage when a man came out and started telling us that the location we were shooting at was not very pretty, but I assured him that we were hitting plenty of places and we will definitely be getting some “pretty” shots. He went on to talk to us about a lot of things, including his car, and President Nixon's law office, and A LOT of other things. Then…. he invited us up into his apartment lobby for some “pretty” photo locations. We all looked at each other and totally just went with it. So as we entered from the back entrance, we soon realized that we were in a retirement home. And we totally worked it out retirement home style!

As we finished up – we thanked him, and Laura told him that they just might be back in 40 years or so, I LOVED it! :)

yeah, you know I had to do it.....





























Laura and Genaro,you two are the sweetest and we feel so blessed to be able to capture these memories for you! We just cannot wait to shoot your wedding in a few months, I just know it will be so much fun and so full of love!

And to my future brides – luckily for you Genaro plays a mean piano and just might be available to play for your big day! (How cool would that be!?) For more information you can contact him via e-mail at GGARCIA1@JUNO.COM .

Edited to add: Whoops! How could I have forgotten….. MAJOR props to my BFF Sue Ellen for referring this amazing couple to us. Love ya Sue!

Riverside Shootout

I was able to take part in another awesome shootout. I can't tell you how much I love these! Its so much fun to just have a day of shooting with awesome photographer friends and pick up a few cool tips along the way.

Unfortunately our scheduled models were not able to show up at the very last minute, but the beautiful Michelle {of Mila Photography} and her boo Curtis were perfect stand ins {and to be honest , I feel like this was much better any way ;) } .
Kacee Geoffroy was there to beautify her just a little bit more to make her even more gorgeous for her close ups! And obviously Kacee knows what shes doing , this girl is awesome! If you are a bride looking to have your makeup done for your big day, I highly suggest giving Kacee a call. Not only does she have mad skills, but shes super duper sweet to top It off!

As if the day was not fun enough, the amazing Hanssie Trainor had us over to her beautiful house for a memorial day BBQ and come great conversation.

So basically , it was a pretty perfect day. And I could not be any more thankful to be part of this great group of fantastic photographers/friends :)

Oh! and a extra special shout out to Matt Saville for taking the time to help me with some off camera lighting that I have been dying to learn more about. Matt, you are awesome!















































And I will leave you with our awesome group shot from the day.

Hanssie: http://www.hanssietrainor.com/
Matt: http://www.matthewsaville.com/
Moe: http://www.moleyphotography.com/
Ming: http://www.photosbyming.com/
Michelle: http://www.milaphotography.com/
Amber: http://www.amberfoxphoto.com/

Kacee (make up) : http://www.kaceegeoffroy.com/

(I know I did not get every ones link in here, so if I missed you just leave it in a comment below and I will update to add!)

{ Carrie & Bradley : Engaged! }

Carrie and Bradley were serious troopers, as Sean and I asked them to hike all over the place. There were a lot of bugs, and plants that liked to attack me with their stickers (okay…maybe flip flops were a bad choice on my part) , but I’m pretty sure I can speak for all 4 of us when I say that it was totally worth it!!!

Carrie and Bradley, thanks so much for putting up with my crazy requests, allergy attacks, and ever growing vocabulary of words you never knew existed till our magical time together. Sean and I had an awesome time with you guys, and seriously can’t wait till your wedding in August!


p.s. Can I just say that I am REALLY excited about these pictures? I just did. And I am.

okay folks, this one?



or this one?

Flipside Designs = Awesome.

So the ever amazing Flipside Designs contacted me today saying that my sample album design is complete. As in, I JUST sent them the pictures not long ago AT ALL, and its done. Not only done, but perfect. And I freakin love it. Not only do they bust out with quick designs, but have the best customer service in history. But I would not exactly call it customer service, more like a growing friendship - because they are just THAT fun to work with ;) . I honestly cannot wait till I can use Flipside for albums, not only for me to show off to potential clients, but to actually hand over to my brides with their own wedding images. I know that it will just be the icing on the cake when it comes to getting them an amazing album , that they will truly treasure for years to come.

So I am obvously so stoked to get this album ordered from KISS , and to get it in the hands of all my potential bride and grooms, I'm sure they will want to take it home, even though there are no pictures of them in it. Its that good.

So check it out already..... click here!



I highly suggest checking out Flipside Designs for your album designing, I stronly belive that it is something that you should "outsource" and leave to the real experts to give your customers an even better experiance, and an amazing album that will be absolutly stunning in every way.

Hope you all had a perfect (and safe) Memorial day!

{ Jen : Just for fun }

Let me tell you a little story:

Jen was once a little bit bummed out.
I asked her if she wanted to get together to hang out, and maybe take a few pictures.
She happily agreed.
We hung out.
We chatted.
It was freakin hot, but Jen looked fierce anyway.
I took some pictures.
We enjoyed each others company.
Now we are both happier people in general, because hanging out with other cool people will do that to ya ;)

Here’s proof:











































(ummm....hello sexy girl!)

The End.

(…..but not really because we will hang out again soon, maybe there will be some margaritas involved though…..and I will probably leave the camera at home.)

{ Denise and Domonic : Married! }

Denise and Domonic were the sweetest! And just by spending the little bit of time with them that I did, it was completely obvious how in love, and how "together" they are in every form of the word. Its such an amazing experience to be able to spend precious time with people that are just simply in love , and on such an amazing day in their lives, you cant beat it!!!

A big huge thank you goes out to Matt and Molly of Mathieu Photography for being so sweet and letting me tag along , you can check out their amazing images here . I freakin love you guys a ton!
[Oh and Molly, thanks for being an awesome friend and for our great chat on the drive, even though we dont hang out as much as I'd like -you are such a blessing to me! (and I'm sure to every one in your life). ]

Need a last minute Mothers Day gift?

Gift certificates are still available to ship tomorrow!

-Session with images hosted on web site for sharing and ordering - $150
-Session with images in disk (digital negatives) - $225
-a specific dollar value that you choose
-or we can work together to make your own package!
(your recipient can always upgrade if they wish!)

Gift certificates can be customized and are packaged in a cute light blue envelope, hugged with a red yarn bow.

Call today to order and pick up, or I can mail it to your mom free of charge! :)

(714) 482-5613
http://www.blairnicolephotography.com/

{ Blair Nicole Photography }

Hello Friends! I have some very exciting news that I am so happy to finally be able to share with you! After literally 3 years of brainstorming (when it seems so simple!), I’ve finally come up with a business name that works perfectly for establishing our new brand.

So without further ado , we are now….

Whats this mean for you?
You will start seeing some changes on every thing Blair Nicole Photography :
web site, blog , packaging, mailings and all that fun stuff!
But rest assured - its the same rad girl behind the camera ;) , it’s all just going to be much more beautiful and fun !

P.S. Some fun new pictures are getting ready to make their way onto the blog soon, I haven’t forgotten about ya! :)

Fullerton Shootout

So a couple weeks ago I met up with a bunch of rad photographers and we went crazy (photographer style) on some hot models! I had such a blast and can not wait till I can take part in anouther one. I made some very sweet friends and FINALLY got to meet some people that I've only been BFF with on-line till now. So to say the least, it was a fantastic opportunity to have a lot of fun and meet some great people....oh! and I took some pictures, that was pretty fun too! ;)

Oh! and my rad friend Hanssie set up this super fun contest with a bunch of the pictures from the shootout. You should go over and vote for your favorite one....and, I mean, you know, extra points if mine happens to be it. Just click here, then scoll down to where it says "click here to vote" .

...and here are some of my faves that I shot!

Yeah...okay, so I took advantage of getting married.

Yeah, so Ive had my picture taken a few times in my wedding dress.

Maybe I'm a diva and like to have my picture taken, maybe I just have some awesome photographer friends that I want my picture taken by , or maybe I still some how owe more on the dress than I bought it for 3 years ago - and want to get a ton of use out of it.......

Either way.... we now have MORE rad pictures in our wedding attire.
And when I say rad, I mean, Ohana rad.

David & Kim (Ohana) , and their awesome daughter April (April Marie Photography) had their way with us and the outcome was nothing short of AHHMAZING!! The experience/good times would have been more than enough for me, but then these totally rockin pictures ended up on their blog a few days later. I am still in awe. They are just too good.

I will stop typing and share the goodness (its much better than my explanation!).......




Totally a favorite!








One of my faves!











I am sorry that I am sooooo tall and hot! ;)


I know, I know......they are big.


One of my total faves! (tying for 1st place of all favorites)








I think this is my number one fave! I have no doubt in my mind that this will end up on a HUGE canvas in my apartment!





ohhhh man!...we should be models. ;)


We rule.


So Sean and I never took engagment pictures since we were on such a tight budget before we got married, and I am soooooo happy that we got these! Kimi totally rocked it and some how made me look way sexy (but I cant say the same for Sean ....he is always sexy) .
Warning : The following images may make you blush (well, I did at least).



wowza!

(okay....so I might have a lot of favorites......)

In conclusion, I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to David , Kim and April. David was such a rockstar working it out even though his ear was about to kill him! But I am honestly IN LOVE with these pictures. They are wayyyy too good! I love you guys! :)

Fullerton Shootout - Teaser!

Hey there friends! Sheesh! , its been a while since Ive posted. Not that I don't have any thing to show you, I defiantly do..... but some how life has been getting in the way of me sharing lots of fun stuff with you! But hopefully I can make up for it with a couple pictures from a fun session from this past weekend.

I will fill you in on all the details of the shootout and give you lots of eye candy soon, but for now... here are just a few that caught my attention while editing through. These are basically straight outta the camera, so bare with me! ;)

So bright and fun!

I'm not gunna lie...I've always wanted to shoot an image like this!
Love this location!
I am soooo in love with that golden light on her beautiful face

There are lots more to come very soon! <3

OC Hotlist!!! Heck yeah!

Hello Friends!

I am so excited that I have been nominated for the OC Hotlist of photographers!
I would truly appreciate if you would hop on over to their web site and vote for me.

You do have to sign up but it literally takes about a minute, and unless you opt-in – they will not send you any thing.

Thank you so so soooo much for your time and support!

-Blair

http://myfoxla.cityvoter.com/photography-by-blair/biz/178532

In Loving Memory of Dan Lovin

On Thursday February 12th, Sean and I got snuggled into our bed with our dogs and got ready for a typical sleepy night; little did we know that our lives would change forever that night.
We got the call at about 3:00 am, when I woke up to my cell phone ringing and Sean’s mom crying on the other side of the line - I knew that life was changing.We found out then that Sean’s uncle Dan had been killed in a tragic car accident .

Dan was a big part if a large electrical company that was having a grand opening party at a casino - after spending countless hours on the building project. No one knows why he was on the road that night, as he was supposed to have stayed at the casinos hotel, which had been reserved for him for the work party. I guess God had other plans for him that no one else can understand right now.

I’ve personally had Dan as an uncle for the past 9 years. As I said in Heathers wedding blog entry, the moment that I stepped into their house that Christmas eve 9 years ago, I felt like I was truly part of that family. The love in that house and with my entire family is amazing; it’s just so warm and real. Dan was an amazing person. Not just in a typical way that people say when they feel like they should. But he was honestly one of those people that was always smiling, and always so happy to see you when you walk into his home. He had such an amazing heart, no one could say that they have ever heard one bad thing come out of his mouth. He was the type of loving husband that would get up at 5 in the morning every day to have a glass of water and a hot cup of coffee ready when his wife Debbie would get out of bed. He was the type of father to Heather and Michael that he would be there for them for anything they could have ever wanted, coached their sports teams, and was a true friend to them. As I have said before we have a fun loud family, holidays are always so fun and busy – but I can honestly tell you that Dan would make it a point to pull us to the side and just make sure we were okay in our busy lives. And would always make sure to remind us that our dreams were valid, and that we will do what we are working so hard to do in the future.

A few other things that I would like to tell you about Dan (from experience, and from the stories that I have heard over the past couple weeks) is that he was (and always will be) the worlds biggest Charger fan, a truly great friend, an inspiration to keep going (even after defeating cancer), a very hard and persistent worker, a mentor to so many, and an amazing husband, father and son. Dan’s personality reminded me so much of my dads and that’s a pretty cool thing.

The memorial service was held this past Friday February 27th in Santee, CA, there was a beautiful reception afterwards, and then the really close friends and family met back at their house for a nice night together. It was a perfect service that represented him perfectly, and an even better way to spend the rest of the day together.

Oh brother, I guess I really could go on forever about how much love I had for Dan (oh and all the stories I have...), but I will let a few pictures do the rest of the talking. Here are just a few photos from the day of his memorial service (some not so personal ones), and then a couple of the Dan that I will always remember from a few months ago at his daughters wedding. None of the pictures are edited in any way, because I just feel like the way they are just represent the day best.

Heather and Jen waiting for the service to start in the side room as hundreds of friends filled the church .

This is my favorite shot of the day becasue it really feels like the moment felt.

This flower arrangement was supposed to be the Chargers bolt, but it did not really turn out so well ;) . Every one got such a kick out of it and said that Dan would have gotten the hugest kick out of it. Some people said it looked like a dolphin, a rat or a pig but we eventually rearranged it to look like it should have.

Maronee (a good friend of the family) had these stickers made in memory of Dan.

I was so excited to put it on my new car right away. They are perfect for Dan!

All of Dans good friends and family wrote little messages to him and attached them to balloons (chargers colors of course) , and sent them up to heaven to him.

Dan giving giving Heather away at her wedding 6 months ago.

(the most recent photos I have of him)

Dan giving Willy a hard time while giving Heather away .

So even though no one can understand how such a truly amazing man could possibly be taken from us at 52 years old, I can tell you that Heaven has to be a truly amazing place with Dan and my dad there.

(p.s. I did not post a lot of photos from the memorial serivice posted here (I did not want to post anything too personal out of respect for the Lovins), but I do have a little book of most of the photos that I made for the Lovins. If you are friend or family member that would like a copy , please send me a e-mail to blairvanbussel@yahoo.com and I will send you the link to order your own copy)

I'm a Rock and Roll Bride.

I got a message today from Mathieu Photography letting me know that a few of my wedding pictures (that they took) are on http://www.rocknrollbride.com/ and I am completely stoked!

Feel free to head on over to that rad site and check out some awesome photos!

Hope you all are having an amazing weekend!
xo-Blair

Megan!

Megan is my super pretty sister! (I’m sure you will agree by the time you get through this post).
Megan pretty much rules when it comes to most things, and it turns out that modeling for me is one of them! I came to the conclusion after taking these pictures that she should totally go into modeling, and it turns out that she’s very interested (Our great minds think alike) ;). So you will be seeing more of her beautiful self very soon as I start building a little portfolio for her :) .

Any way.....I have had some fun/bright/whimsical ideas in my head that have been dying to get out, so a couple rainy weekends ago we went out and took a few pictures. I don’t know about you, but I am pretty excited about them!
Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments section below :)

(click on any of the photos to enlarge)

(my second fave)

(My favorite! - worth opening up big! :D )

Gift Certificate Giveaway!!!

Hello Friends!

Just wanted to let you know that I am now selling cute little gift certificates for my photography services. Gift certificates make great gifts for new moms (new born or maternity session), newly engaged couples (engagement session), high school seniors (senior photos), Newlyweds (bridal or Trash the Dress) ….and the list could go on forever (since it’s a great unique gift!). If you are interested in purchasing a gift certificate just send me an e-mail and I can get it sent out to ya right away!

In honor of my brand new gift certificates….. I am holding a little giveaway for a free gift certificate for a portrait session.

So if you have wanted to have portraits taken for yourself or if you know of a deserving friend that could use a portrait session- this is the raffle for you!


The winner will be selected in early March and notified immediately. Their portrait session will hopefully be set up shortly afterwards, and of course I'll be sharing their photos here on the blog. Oh yeah, although I'm based in Orange County, you don't have to be :). However, if you're the winner and choose to have your session outside of the area, then some travel fees may apply. Questions? Comments? Let me have them below in the comment section :). The deadline is midnight of March 1st, 2009. Good luck!

How to enter:
1. Just click the “comments” link below and leave a comment telling me who you are planning on giving the gift certificate to if you win (or what type of session you would like if its for yourself)
2.Make sure you give me your name and e-mail address so I can contact you if you win!
3. I would also love to know how you found my giveaway if you are new to my blog!


P.s. Don’t forget to tell your friends!

2009 is here!

Edited to add: Okay as I said in this post ...I had written this blog a while ago, and it dissapeared. Today, it reappeared! This blog has a mind of its own! Sooo....umm....Happy New Year (even though its now February). This blog is seriously crazy....

I had plans to blog in November about my mine and my husband’s awesome birthdays, Thanksgiving with our fun/crazy family, and all the fun things we did over “Christmas break”….but I have no idea where the time went!

As great of a year it was, I can’t wait to see what 2009 has in store for me, my family, and my photo adventures!

This has been the first year that I have really been out there taking pictures for other people and trying to make a name for myself (and of course blogging it all along the way). Considering that it’s all so new, I feel like it was a pretty good first year! I have some ideas for next year, some “business ideas” and some personal photo projects that I am excited to jump into!

I have been working on my web site lately trying to put together something that really represents me (well, as best I can with my limited resources). It’s very much still a work in progress, but with my new headshots, growing portfolio, and a few very sweet reference letters from my clients, its starting to come together slowly but surly. It’s so exciting for me to know that this is only the beginning and I can’t wait to see what this next year has in store.

But most importantly,I want to thank the awesome people who have trusted me to take their pictures.But almost just as importatly- I wanted to give a gigantic thank you to the ones who have spent time reading my stories and checking out all the pictures I have taken – as that really has given me the push that I needed. The support from you has been greatly appreciated and taken to heart, and really makes me feel like I am heading in the right direction! Major thanks go to ohana photographers-david and kimi and Hanissie Trainor for always leaving me so much blog love; it really warms my heart to know you guys are always keeping up with me. And a big huge thank you to my amazing husband for always being so supportive , Matt and Molly Snelson for taking the time to chat photo with me, really wanting to help me out , and being such warm friendly people . And of course every one out there who I know check out my blog (feel free to introduce yourself so we can become friends too! :D ) .

Since it’s the end of the year, I have to post the photo that we used on our Christmas card that we sent out this year!
Yes, it’s a little dorky, but we love dorky and were totally going for that look ;)
(it was taken spur of the moment before going out, and let me tell you…it is really very difficult to get both the dogs in a little picture while trying to make it in time for the self timer!)

(click to enlarge)

[This last picture was not used on the Christmas card, but I think it was my favorite picture out of the set , so of course I had to post it too :) ]

Kristens Super Sweet 16!

Kristen and 15 of her closest friends got together to capture her 16th birthday in a very cool way.....a portrait session! These teens were very fun and it was a really cool new experience for me to shoot such a big group! Here are a handful of my favorites!

I pulled Kristen and her sister to the side for a few shots of just them!

Kristen is so gorgeous!

This would have to be my favorite from the session!

Such beautiful sisters!

These next 4 shots were taken when it was completely dark outside. The session went a little longer than anticipated ,I swear the night came out of no where! ....but I thought I would grab a few more on our way out.



A big thanks to Kristen and her family for letting me capture such a memorable time in your lives. I hope I will be able to take some more pictures for you when Kristen becomes a senior! :)

Katie and David : Married!

Katie and David had a beautiful ceremony that was focused on them as a couple in Gods big plan for them - it truly touched my heart. Even though I don't really know David and Katie too well, you can tell that God has really brought them together to do great things, and I'm sure they have an amazing future to look forward to together.

This was my first wedding that I second shot (....well the first time I have been able to second shoot). And it was awesome. But any time with Mathieu Photography is generally an awesome experience, but its extra great when I can hang out when they are doing what they do - and learn in the process.

















Every one, be sure to head on over to their beautiful post of this amazing wedding.

Matt and Molly, I cant thank you enough for letting me tag along and pick up some tips along the way. You guys are the best!

Gift Certificate Poll!

Photographers, I would love to hear (in the comment section below) how you use gift certificates as promo tools - and other ways you have used them. Thanks to every one who has taken the poll and given me their recommendations! :)

Eva - Head shots!

So I just wrote this long heartfelt blog about 2008 and my appreciation for all who have supported me this year...and uploaded our Christmas card and all that fun jazz.....then my internet went down, and some how it completely disappeared. Major bummer! Hopefully I will get hit by the same inspiration and I can rewrite it all soon.... but in the mean time,I have a quick preview of a few head shots to share!

Eva and I went to high school together. She recently contacted me about snapping some photos of her for a few sample head shots, of course I was very happy to do so!
It was really nice to walk around the park next to our old High School and catch up .Eva was much more into a serious sassy look than the big cheesy smiles I usually get out of people....but I can totally roll with that too, and loved changing it up a bit.
So here are just a few images from our mini-session before I head out the door.......

More pictures of Blair? Yup!

So a few posts down I showed off the super hot pictures that Mathieu Photography took for us. So I will spare you my raves about them, since you all know how much I love them and their work….but I will make you endure a few more pictures of me!

After our Trash the Dress session, Matt and Molly snapped a few pictures of me for my web site (since I figure clients just might want to see what kind of craziness they are getting into before they get in touch). ;)

So here are just a few of my favorites that really show the true fun & crazy side of me….
(I am still trying to figure out how I want to set up the “About me” section on my web site , so be sure to let me know what your favorite is!)

This last one is just so you can see how fierce I am ;)

Advent Conspiracy

They played this at church today and it really hit home for me, I have to admit I got a little teary eyed.
Watch and share if you would like, but just keep in mind what the holidays are really about......
& imagine the possibilities.




P.s. I thought for a second that maybe my "business" blog is not the place for religion, but its who I am. And its my blog. ;)

Maronee , Ryan and Brayden – San Diego

I know Maronee through my cousin Heather. I got to know Maronee a little better during a girl’s weekend in Huntington Beach (when we were out celebrating before Heather tied the knot this past summer). While we were out - Maronee and I talked and talked, and in the middle of it – her mom sent her a text message with a picture of Maronee’s son Brayden. She showed me his picture on her phone- and my heart melted right then and there. I knew that I HAD to take his picture! This little guy is just too adorable for words.

So Maronee dropped me an e-mail a couple weeks ago so that we could schedule a session for some Christmas gifts for her family – and I just so happened to be invited to a family party in San Diego that weekend so it worked out so perfectly – I got to hang out with Maronee and her family all day, and my awesome family that night (even though the hubby and in-laws could not make it).
Anyway…I am digressing a bit here….. I was so excited to take a few pictures of Maronee and Brayden since they are so gorgeous, then I met Ryan and he’s quite the handsome guy too! I got very lucky with this beautiful family! And not only did I get to follow them around the beautiful house, but we also met up with their BIG family at the beach afterward (the extended family photos will be posted next).

Okay okay…on to the photos…..

Are you kidding me with this cuteness!?

Did I mention that I LOVE this little guy!?

...and a little dramatic lighting

LOVE.

(I could not decide between these last two)

Maronee, thank you so much for keeping me in mind for your family photos. I am in love with Brayden, he has to be the sweetest most adorable little guy ever! He was such a trooper all day! I truly hope that my future children are as good as he is! ;) (I’m sure it has a lot to do with you and Ryan being such awesome , beautiful parents!)

Julie and the gang.... Holiday family photos.

Julie grew up with my mom (in-law) Diane and her sisters Debbie and Maria (my aunties) . She is seriously amazing and super fun, and has a few equally amazing children - Jess , Owen , and Wyatt . Last year I shot Julie and her boys for their Christmas cards, and we also met up for an additional session with her "big family" including her parents, sisters - and her sisters husbands and kids. It was such a blast. So this will be our 3rd session together!
I could not be any more appreciative for all of her continued support as I am starting my photography career.

The five of us cruised around Fullerton and found a few fun spots....
Now on to the photos! But be warned, this family is beyond hot!






















Oh and watch out for some engagement / wedding pictures some time in the near future. Julie is recently engaged and should be getting married pretty soon! Date TBA ;)
Is she not going to be an amazingly beautiful bride?!

The Hubby and I - Trash the Dress

I mentioned in a previous post that Sean and I decided to take a few more pictures in my wedding dress before we say goodbye to it. We absolutely adore our wedding photos , but we wanted something a little extra edgy that screams “us”- to have and hold forever and ever.

As if I have not expressed it enough – we cannot get enough of the photo awesomeness that comes from Matt and Molly (of Mathieu Photography).We booked them over a year ago for our wedding and I’ve become a pretty big fan and totally look forward to all their yummy blog posts (I promise you, they get better and better with every single post) . So you can imagine how excited I was to see our TWO posts that just dropped. We had an amazing time with Matt and Molly, they are honestly so fun to work with, and just plain spend time hanging out with! (Even if my allergies can be a little difficult to deal with, and my makeup just melts away every time they take my picture! ;) ) .

Soooo…. Here are some of my favorites from the photos they just blogged , but be sure to hop on over their way and check them all out! (And don’t hesitate to leave them a little much deserved photo love).

Matt and Molly, I’m so glad that God put you into our lives, and I cant wait for your guys to capture even more of Sean and my future…..and for us to become even better friends!

Oh!….and when do you want to go on our coffee date? I am excited to hang out soon! :D

Wedding for sale (dress/decorations)

After debating with myself for a little while, I decided it would be best for me to sell my wedding dress after we had gotten married. I figured that my kids will most likely be taller than I am so they wont be able to wear it, and to be honest – our apartment is just too small to hold on to it, and I could use the funding to pay off my card that the dress had originally been purchased on ;). Sean and I decided to take some additional fun pictures in my dress and get dressed up one more time before saying goodbye to my fun dress! We had our pictures taken this past weekend and we had a blast! I will be sure to post some here and share with every one when we get them!

So now the time has come to find my big pretty dress a new home….as well as all of my other wedding “things”.
When I was planning my wedding, I looked high and low for little things like candle holders and little décor elements on-line that were slightly used – trying to go the budget/green route. Surprisingly, I had no luck…at all! So I (along with most brides out there) dished out some good money on it all. Now that our wedding is over, I really hope that I might be able to pass on all of my little decorations (vases, candle holders galore, ring pillows, etc, etc, etc…..). I know that there’s got to be plenty of people out there planning weddings that don’t mind if a candle has been in a candle holder before for the sake of saving a little money ;)

So if you are interested in my wedding dress and/or the decorations – check out these two Craig’s list ads:
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/clo/914124743.html
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/for/914092326.html

And on that note….I also have a couple adorable prom dresses that need a new home as well!

Let me know if you have any questions or if you want to come check it out by leaving a comment below! :)

Oh! And all items that are listed are still available. Items removed as they are picked up.

The Miller Family

I don’t even know where to start when it comes to the Miller family. Ron has honestly been one of the most influential and most helpful people in my life (to say the very least). Ron was my youth pastor in High school. He was there before my dad got sick, helped as much as any one could while he was sick (always visiting my dad at the hospital, bringing him magazines, watching races, and reading the bible with him) , and was there to help with all of the funeral arrangements when he passed away. He also helped me in such huge ways after we lost him. I have no idea where I would be today if it were not for Ron and all he has done for me and my father. Amy has to be one of the sweetest people I have ever met, her and Ron could not be any more perfect for each other. Since I had seen Ron and Amy last, they have had two beautiful children to complete their amazing family - Sam and Sophie . When Amy contacted me about taking Christmas photos of their family - I don’t think I could have been any more excited to do it for them!


(I know this is a pretty long post, but I’m sure Amy is excited to see the pictures!)






























Ron and Amy - Thanks so much for the opportunity to take your photos and get to know your little ones, I hope we get to see each other much sooner than later!

A perfect morning.

I always do a lot of thinking on my way to work in the mornings. And today was no different. As the golden sun was reflecting on the back of the cars in front of me, and the dark blue clouds covered the sky – I was happy. This is my favorite time of year. I love the light breeze and snuggling up in sweaters. But today was a little bit different. I could feel the change in the air. Listing to the radio and thinking about the future of our country, I could not help but to be so excited at the thought of the change that is coming within the next week. I passed a gas station where the price was a little bit lower than the day before, I passed the meat shop where there was not a truck of chickens waiting for the store to open (known to put a damper on my morning mood) ,a beautiful song came on and I sang, and I thought of the future in a good way. Not just for the country and the economy, but for my personal life too. There are so many bad things going on all the time, and some times it’s really hard to deal with. But there are days like today where it’s easy to see how God is in my life, with the thoughts of what the future will bring , with the possibilities of my business growing , one day buying a home and expanding our family – and blessing me with golden light that reflects on the cars in front of me.

p.s. The next entry will contain photos from a recent family shoot, not my personal thoughts – I promise ;) ……but there are sure to be some photos you have not seen yet if you scroll down to the previous entries! :D ....(yeah, like 4 entries ago, but they are down there some place!)

I Voted!

So I am not generally big on politics and don’t plan to bring much of it to my blog. But I just have a quick comment…… I voted! It was my first time voting, and I think it was the time to start taking interest and initiative in my/our future.

So this year I decided to do some research and make some decisions! Well at least give my little vote on the matter ;)

I filled out my absentee ballot last night, and while listening to the radio about the campaigns this morning I got the slightest bit teary eyed at the thought of the future and the change of the county, and that I had a little bit to say about it.

For a girl who is not too big on politics, this kind of hit me all of a sudden and now I am so excited about the future of our country, and cant wait to see what the results of this election are.

I seriously urge every one to get out and vote on November 4th. I am not going to sit here and tell you who and what props to vote for (even though I have a few strong feelings about it). But it’s truly an experience to just get out there and make a bit of a difference and have your voice herd.

On a side note, heck yeah for gas being under $3!

p.s. I know there have been a lot of personal entries as of late. . I promise there will be a photo entry soon!

October: the loss of my dad ,and the love of my husband.

I used to be a big October hater. I couldn’t help but be really sad as I see tons of Halloween decorations, in a strange mix of memories. See....my dad was a big fan of the holiday (well every holiday really), but after a 14 month battle with cancer he passed away 6 years ago this month.I have a lot of days that are hard with out him in my life. So his love of the holiday turned into this really strange thing with all the morbid decorations, and needless to say – Halloween has lost a bit of its luster. Besides all that, I have a lot of hard days missing my dad, even 6 years later. Not only did I loose my dad that day, but I lost my best friend, and if you know me personally, you know that my life completely changed dramatically by the way his death affected a lot more than just me. October used to be the month that I went from my crazy happy self to going into hibernation in a little cave some place dark. He was truly an amazing person, and I think it was just a really hard thing for some people to deal with. As much as I could go on about how much I miss my dad, and all the things that changed with his passing – I’m going to stop right there before this becomes a sad post, and flip it right around to why October became a little bit of a happier month 2 years ago……

Sean and I had been dating for about 7 years (with a break in-between, but who’s counting that?). New Found Glory (our fave band for the last 9 years or so) had a couple shows in town that week. We went to HOB Hollywood the night before, and to the HOB Anaheim the next night (We hardly ever miss a show of theirs, I think we are at about 30ish shows, or more now). So I come home from work that day and Sean says he has a surprise for me ,and he tells me that he won back stage passes to this show. Which was amazing! And I was so excited!!! So we get there and met up with our friends, Sean went to go get our passes from New Found Glory’s tour Manager. The show was amazing, every one was great -Hit the Lights , Cartel , The Early November – then we ran down to the back stage area for New Found Glory. We went down there and the manager was talking to Sean for a bit, about where we could stand and watch the show from the side of the stage. All the other bands were back there hanging out with us too (along with Eisley) . It was just an awesome experience to be able to do that with your favorite band. So I was just in heaven watching and singing back there, and watching the people out in the audience. So they are done with their set and came back for the encore. And then Chad (NFG’s bass player) starts talking about his friend, and how this guy wants to do something. And I was not paying attention because I was still in awe of every one around me. Next thing I know, Sean is grabbing my hand and pulling me with him as he runs on stage. And I swear I thought he was just being crazy (as usual) and I tried to pull him back, but next thing I know we were standing there in front of a sold out crowd of 1,500 people with bight lights on our faces. So Chad handed Sean the microphone, and that’s where Sean told me he loved me the best way you could tell any one. It was beautiful! After he put the (very beautiful) ring on my finger, Chad took the microphone back and said “Well now you guys have to kiss!". So Sean picked me up and twirled me around as we kissed in the spot light on stage as every one cheered, and it was perfect. When we walked off to the side of the stage all the guys in the bands and stage crews congratulated us and gave us hugs, high fives. Their manager even came and gave us a few beers! And (in my still confused state) I asked Sean "So did you really win backstage passes?” and he laughed at me and said no, and that he had been planning this for the past 6 months. And I could not stop shaking for the life of me. Then Sean and I hugged and kissed and sang ‘Too Good To Be’ (which just so happens to be inscribed in our wedding bands) which Sean had asked them to play for us and then the show was over. So we hung out will all the guys for a couple minutes. Then the band manager (that Sean had been talking to over the last few months) told us that every one was waiting for us outside of these doors, so we went out there, and lots of friends that I LOVE were there!. The show had been sold out but the band manager was able to get Sean a few more tickets so that the people that mean the most to us could be there.

Believe it or not, that was the cliff notes version. If you know me, you know that I don’t know how to keep stories too short ;).

So needless to say, October still has its really hard moments (along with a lot of other days), but a lot of those feelings of overwhelming sadness, loss and emptiness have been replaced by overwhelming feelings of happiness, love, and contentment. I feel so blessed to have Sean (and my new family) in my life. No one will ever be able to replace what I loss when my father passed away, but it sure helps to have such amazing love in my life. When we got engaged 2 years ago we started planning every thing right away (including buying my massive dress right away that did not fit into my venue we later decided on), I was so excited to marry the man that I love unconditionally – and I felt like the wedding could not come fast enough. Now that the 2 years has gone by, I have no idea where the time has gone. But now, I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with him! As the last 4 months have flown by since the wedding, I’m sure time will keep flying just as fast being happy together. And now we have our entire futures to plan together.

I’m still getting the hang of the new rules of being married. But if we are still celebrating other anniversaries….Happy 2 year engagement anniversary babe! I love you sooooo much!

Whats a blog with out some photos.........................

My attempt at some engagement photos using our point and shoot and a tripod

Married!

Oh....and I figured I would toss one in where we are not kissing ;)

Not the best picture of us , but I love it.
On our mini honeymoon at the JW Mariott in Palm Desert on the boats on our way to the most yummy dinner I've ever had!

Time for a "big" change!

So last year Bobbi (of bobbi + mike) set up this awesome weight loss “program” where every one encourages each other along the way, and I followed along and cheered for every one. At the time I was planning my wedding, and was not ready to completely put my heart into loosing any weight as much as I wanted to.

But to be completely honest, I’ve put on way too much weight over the past couple years. Even more while planning my wedding – and I’m sure a lot of it had to do with the stress that surrounded it as well as some other issues. But then even after the wedding! The last few months I’ve only been adding to my belly.

Let me just say, I’ve never "believed" in diets and it used to drive me nuts when people were so crazy about what they ate . It seriously drove me crazy! I always figured that you only live once, and to do what makes you happy – as I sat there confused at the people eating salads and I downed my chili cheese fries (sadly….this is not an exaggeration). I can admit that 70% (or more) of my diet consists of potatoes (..and cheese!) of some shape or form (and its not easy that I make the best potato creations in the entire world….I know…..I’m talented! ;D ). I’ve also always been really tiny. In high school I was running around Knott’s Berry Farm with a giant Snoopy costume on (not as some strange freak, but as my part time job!....well I was a little bit of a strange freak too, but I got paid for it) . So I guess that’s what kept me a bit smaller. But now….now… all of a sudden, even with my 4’11” frame, I’m not so tiny any more. Others might argue this, and its only because I feel like maybe I have been able to hide it pretty well in the past. But now that I am beyond tired all the time, and feel so sluggish and most importantly so very uncomfortable with myself. Its time for a change!

Sean and I did the whole wedding thing on our very own and needless to say – as the youngins we are ( trying to handle this world on our own, working multiple jobs, putting the hubby through school, crazy high rent, and just getting though day to day life) – we don’t exactly roll in the funds. As hard as we busted our butts for two years to pay for it all, (after much disappointment) we ended up canceling our honeymoon since it was just out of reach at the time . Luckily for us, a family trip came up that will allow us to take a trip for twice as long for half the cost. And we have the benefit of being able to save for it for a whole extra year. Plus instead of our one location that we were planning on before, we are now going to 7 different islands AND leaving from Puerto Rico! As the original honeymoon inspired me to save like crazy for the wedding, this revised (belated) honeymoon is now REALLY inspiring me to feel comfortable in my body for the trip. I really want to be able to wear a bathing suit and feel good about myself , look good for my new hubby , and get on the healthy train to prep myself for future additions to our family in a couple years.

So as motivation I bought myself an adorable new bathing suit for next years trip (from J.Crew!... still on the clearance rack, of course!)– after my first summer of my life searching and searching for one I like – only to be left in tears in the dressing room, and/or returning any thing I think may be okay (but then coming home to realize that I look like I could possibly have grandchildren while wearing it). And let me tell you, I've never thought of myself this way before – I'm a really confident person, and to be this torn up about how I look and feel is just not a good thing at all.

Alright, so its time to wrap up this confessional. So as of last week I have been eating great, working out a few days a week and I already feel much much better about myself. I was not sure if I would have the will power for this, but I feel like this is a new chapter of my life that I am excited about and I don’t even really want to eat “bad”. I am really excited to be hot! ;)

So I’m on board with Bobbi this time! (….oh , and Heather too!).

Wish me luck on my journey to being healthy!

p.s. after a long debate about weather or not our scale works properly with my husband, he convinced me that I may have actually lost 4lbs this week. Holla!

p.p.s. Oh I guess this is where I am supposed to declare my goal. My goal is to loose 25lbs by June. Believe me , that's big for me - especially since I'm not a tall girl.

p.p.p.s. I'm ready to drop it like its hot!.....yeah, I just went there.

Lissette - October 11th, 2008

I met up with Lissette for a VERY quick session just before the sun went down today.
It was the shortest portrait session I have ever shot, but some how we risked our lives multiple times. Eh, scary! But it made for a very fun adventure, and some really fun shots! I only wish we had more time for all the locations we found later on our detour back to the car.














Thanks Lissette! I had an awesome time on our adventure!

A day at the Natural History Museum

My husband and I went to visit the Natural History Museum yesterday , it was really fun just to go and take our time checking it out - and do something completely diffrent than what we normally do on our days off. I snapped a few pictures while we were poking around and thought I would share - (but don't check them out too hard , these are straight out of my little camera.)

Some very pretty gems/rocks...etc.

A few from the insect and reptile area...

So we were walking along and there was this diorama type thing explaining the steps the mother turtles have to go through to lay her eggs and have her babies....well at the very end - there was this one about how the birds apparently come swoop up the babies and fly off with them. Now I find that very sad and not funny at all.....but you have to admit that this diorama is pretty funny with the fake bird holding the (glued on) fake baby turtle in its mouth and flying off....well at least we thought it was pretty hilarious (Sorry baby turtles!!!)

Fun with horns.

Dinos! We have to wait till 2011 for the big dino exhibit to open back up again :(

running off .....

I thought this shadow was pretty great.

The end.

(yes.....I am very short)

Amir and Ashley: Married! - September 20th, 2008

Amir is another friend that I also knew from church and high school!

Amir contacted me about a month ago to shoot his intimate chapel wedding. Unfortunately it was pretty early in the day and I already had some plans that were set in stone and made months ago for that morning. Then a few days before the wedding, I get a call from Amir once more telling me they did not find any one else – and by that time I also had plans that evening! But there’s no way I could leave them with out any pictures of their big day! So I adjusted a few things and came to get a few shots at their adorable chapel wedding at St. Paul of the Cross Church- just around the corner from where I live - in La Mirada, and also grabbed a few family portraits. Amir and Ashley have a beautiful family. I shot new born portraits of their amazing daughter last year, and now they have a son on the way – due in a few weeks! I can’t wait to meet their new addition! Their intimate ceremony and reception were the perfect way to celebrate family and I am so glad that I was able to squeeze it into the busy day! :)

Such an adorable little chapel

Ashley waiting patiently for her missing attendant

This little girl was seriously cracking me up - making faces at the guys behind her

Amir's buddies having a good time - played with something a little different & fun here.

Click the photo to view larger , I LOVE the texture of the veil!

One word : fierce!

Hes almost here!

Thanks so much Amir and Ashley, I cant wait to meet your new addition very soon!

Krystal & Anthony : Engaged!

So I have known Krystal and Anthony for quite a while now. We all used to go to the same church back in high school, and Krystal and I had a few classes together. But I would say we really became good friends while I was planning my own wedding. She was so supportive and was always there to listen to all my crazy plans. When it came down to my big day, she was 100% there to help along with my bridesmaids – no questions asked! :) ……she was even there for my one “moment” of the whole day that I almost lost it (just for a second) when I realized that my flowers (that I was so sooo excited about) – did not turn out at all how I ordered them – and guess who made the phone call before I could mess up my fresh make up? Yup, Krystal! Let me tell you, Good friends are there to call florists and tell them how it is. Needless to say – Krystal took care of business and mostly every thing was fixed. You may be wondering what the point of this story is….. Well basically, that Krystal is an amazing girl who is there when you need a friend (not only just to take care of the flowers either), and I could not be any happier for her and Anthony. Krystal and I were talking about me shooting her wedding next September and I was really excited after hearing about all the beautiful details. Then…. I was asked to be a bridesmaid!! How cool is that? So the first people we both thought of after that was Matt and Molly of Mathieu Photography (who did an amazing job shooting my wedding). So I am really excited that they will be shooting Krystal and Anthony’s wedding!

Krystal and Anthony wanted to take their engagement pictures at the ridiculously fun California Adventure…… as you can see below…..we had a blast.

As you would expect, we had an awesome time!

P.s. I know my posts are way long.....I cant help it though. I dont know how you photographers are able to narrow them down. I will have to work on it ;)

Follow me....?

Hey there.... So I've been on Twitter for a little while now.....and Im following some people that I am super interested in - buuuttttt I think you guys should follow me too. I swear - there might be a few updates that thrill you....you never know! ;)

follow BlairVB at http://twitter.com

The OC Fair

Okay so I know I am really late on this post - but I did go to the fair this year, and here is some proof.

Lovin the colors!

(Dani, don't kill me for posting this one...... its just so fun)

The fair = delish BBQ and Australian potatoes!

Annnnndddd of course a couple of the hubby and I .........


One more photo booth strip to add to the collection!

Oh how I would LOVE to shoot an engagement session at the fair one of these days.

Pimp my Ride

Sooooo maybe I did not get to go on Pimp my Ride and meet Xzibit.....but my ride did get a bit of a make over. Its pretty hot.

Who would have thought that finding the most gigantic Hello Kitty sticker with bling to match would be that hard to find. Well, I ended up having to have it custom made, and Melanie over at the fab Etsy store If Walls Could Talk did an amazing job creating exactly what I wanted.I highly suggest sending her a message if there is any thing you want custom made.

(sorry for the bad camera phone picture)

You are going to have to see it in person though becasue the bling is not limited to the back window. Its all very exciting.

So this should hold me over in the fun depatment untill I am able to buy myself a nice new car ;)

Oh man....my husband is really looking forward to driving this little thing around town now! ;)

Heather & Willy Married! : August 2nd , 2008

Heather is my gorgeous cousin! Shes actually my husbands cousin , but we have known each other for almost 8 years and is as close to family as I have ever had. I love her with all my heart and could not be any happier for her and Willy . They make the most perfect couple - constantly showing what true love really is. I cannot wait to see all the perfect things that the future has in store for them. I did not shoot her wedding, but did snap a few while enjoying her amazing wedding (while staying out of her photographers way!) ;) .

The ceremony & Reception was held at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina.
This was the view from our hotel room at the hotel they got married at.
They had pretty much the same view at the ceremony and reception....amazing!

Saying that Heather and Willy are Chargers fans would be a bit of a understatement ;)
This was the perfect choice.

And one of my husband and I with the beautiful bride....I have no idea where willy was...

Funny story about Heather and Willy, and Sean and I…… 8 years ago I went to Heathers parents house for Christmas, this was the first time I had met most of Sean’s big fun family. That day was when most of Sean’s family met Willy too – since both the relationships were pretty new. The October 06’ Sean proposed to me, and a few months later…..Willy proposed to Heather (in Cancun!!). Now this summer, Sean and I got married in June (Heather was actually one of my beautiful bridesmaids!) and they just got married in August. Is that not very cool? I think it is! :)

Just to end things off, I feel blessed to have been married into such an amazing and fun family. Since the moment I walked into Heathers parents house that Christmas 8 years ago, I have felt a sense of warmth and love that I had never experienced before- the feeling of true family. Willy has been part of the family just as long as I have (long before the weddings) and I’m so glad that it’s all finally official! :) . Congratulations Heather and Willy, I know that you’re life is going to be full of love, fun trips, great memories, and your own little beautiful family – and I am so glad that I get to be part of it.

Oh!!! And Heather…I can’t wait to have babies together!!! (Inside joke ;) )

Magon & Dustin : Married! – July 5th, 2008

Magon & Dustin flew me up to northern california for the holiday weekend to shoot their beautiful wedding held at the Wedgewood – Foxtail Golf Club in Rohnert Park. It was a very busy weekend but I loved every minute of it! Magon looked stunning in her gown and Dustin was the most polite groom – he went out of his way to thank me for coming out in a very sweet way, and it meant the world to me. I was so happy to be there shooting their big day!






The flowergirl was following me around while the other girls were getting ready- helping me find a place to take some shoe shots and she wanted to get in on a couple pictures. She was too adorable.

Love this shot, so romantic!

So the flower girl decided to take a little bit of a break durring the ceremony.....



Run away groom - the credit goes to Magon and Dustin on this one, they came up with this fun idea.

Okay...I could not decide bewteen these two!

Magon and Dustin were referred to me by my good friend Meagan – Thanks Meagan…your next! ;)

Any friends and family that would like to view more photos from this wedding, or place an order, please e-mail me for link to the personal web page set up for Magon and Dustin. Blairvanbussel @ yahoo.com

My New Face

Well......a new face to the part time business.....
(.... I finally got around to posting them per the requests of the oh so lovely Hanssie Trainor and David & Kim over at Ohana Photography )

I ordered my cards from Moo.com and I am pretty much in love with them. Simple as that.
They are made of very exciting thick card stock. And the very best part is that every single card has a diffrent photo on the front. These cards are so much more fun and well.....more me!

Random Thoughts.....

Things that are running though my mind……


*My new tattoo is sooooooo itchy!!!

*I would really like to have some pictures taken of me to put on my web page.

*I can’t freakin wait to see my wedding pictures….they should be posted by the photographers to a web page any time in the very near future- and I know they will be amazing!

*Is that guy from I Survived a Japanese Game Show not pretty much the exact same person as the dad from Wizards of Waverly Place? ……..they could be brothers!

*I really wish I had more funding to pay off my credit cards :(

*I think I need a spicy chicken sandwich from Jack in the Box…..like right now.

*I LOVE my new business cards ……I can’t wait to give them out. Want one? :)

*I am super excited to get my hair cut on Saturday …..it’s been a long time coming (after letting it grow for the wedding) .

*I want to take some fun pictures!....and not be at my 8-5 job right now .

*I have to edit A LOT of pictures, get a smog check and pay registration, get gas on my way home, go through all my wedding stuff and get it organized for my Craig’s List buyer to come pick it all up, and wash my hair….Pronto.

*I pretty much have the best tan I have ever had in my life right now. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that I did not go outside once last summer, and my skin is proud of me for bringing it into the day light this year.

* I have a love/hate relationship with Betsy Johnson. I’ve never been a big brand name girl, but I can’t get enough of any thing with her name on it (butt….I only have one thing of hers!). But it’s not the name…I haven’t turned into that girl….it’s just all simply adorable, but oh so expensive. Next time I see one of her cute bags at TJ Max (at the maximum discount)….I’m all over it!

* I am pumped about my boudoir project coming up in November…..stay tuned for more info on that!






annnnd these little gnome friends to end things , cuz thats just the kind of mood I'm in.......

The fair is in town!

The fair is in town, and I can’t wait! Some good friends + the hubby and I are going on Tuesday. Sign me up for some Australian Potatoes and a deep fried Snickers!

I’m sure there will be some exciting pictures afterwards, but here are a couple random ones that I love from last year.

Bridal boudoir session - Oh So Sexy!

I headed down to San Fran this past holiday weekend to do two things.
One - take these super sexy boudoir pictures , and two- shoot a very fun wedding.
So this is part one of that exciting weekend.

Boudoir sessions are so fun, and totally different than what I am used to, but a very fun change of pace. I also really love doing these because its great for woman to feel beautiful and gain self confidence.

Magon really worked it out for this session and as an end result - we ended up with some super hot shots! My goal is to keep the blog as close to PG-13 as possible, so here are some of the more modest ones. And of course..... Magon gave me full permission to post these photos!

(On a side note - I will be scheduling a full day of boudoir sessions with available time slots just for you . It will be located at a lux beach front hotel and the end result will include some very personal Christmas gifts for your honey! I will have this around the beginning of November , but will only have limited time slots available - if you are interested, please let me know ASAP so I can get the details to ya!)

Our Wedding / Mathieu Photography

This coming weekend will mark the one month “anniversary” of Sean and I getting married. I can’t believe its been a month already! It was an amazing day and I am so excited to just be married and happy with my new Hubby!

I meant to post this as soon as I could, but time has just flown by! Anyway….. Let it be known that we had 2 of the most awesome photographers, and I could not be any happier with how the pictures that we have seen so far have turned out. Matt and Molly (of Mathieu Photography) are a really fun husband and wife photo team of awesomeness. They were just so fun and fit in perfectly with our crazy group.

So with out further adieu…. Here is the blog post over on their side of the fence of our wedding.

Now I am just like all the other brides in the world waiting on the edge of my seat for all the rest of the pictures ;)

(Oh so sexy photo from disposable cameras at our wedding)

Sophia - 1 year old!

Yesterday I met up with Yajayra and Rick to shoot some pictures for Sophia’s 1st birthday! Sophia was ADORABLE…..a little shy with the smiles, but they were so worth the wait when they did come out…..oh and her little random expressions were to die for! You may remember seeing a shot of Sophia in Sue Ellen’s wedding pictures…. Rick (Sophia’s dad) is Sue Ellen’s uncle! Oh and of course Brooklyn (the big pup) got in on some of the pictures too , because he was too cool not to!

I just loved this family and really hope to be able to take more pictures for them in the future.

Any friends and family that would like to view more photos from this session, or place an order, please e-mail me for link to the personal web page set up for this session. Blairvanbussel @ yahoo.com

My awesome kids.

My children deserve a blog post. They are amazing and brighten every single day .

Rocko is our big boy - we adopted him from the pound when Sean and I were first out on our own when we were 18 :) . Hes such a good sport (with his little sister always bossing him around and takin his toys) and an awesome dog all around!



Cali on the other hand is my little baby, shes our little AKC pup that I just HAD to have and waited very patiently for . I grew up with Cockers and could not stand not having one. But shes not just any Cocker Spaniel . Shes pretty much the best little girl ever!

Sue Ellen - Trash the Dress!

So there's no way Sue Ellen could look less than beautiful.......we all know that!
But - Oh Man! She really worked it out in this session that I know we were both really excited about.

Josh and Sue Ellen are married!!!

Two of the most amazing people got married on Friday May 9th . I adore them so much, and the wedding and reception were both prefect! I could not be any more happy for them.

Here are some photos from the big day….isn’t Sue Ellen gorgeous!? (and she’s even more beautiful on the inside!...I know, Josh is a lucky guy, hu?)
They brought me to tears on more than one occasion that night.

Attn: Awesome Photographers

So the only right thing to do is to post a photo of myself so my clients know what kind of crazy girl they are about to start this photo journey with……..but yeah, I am running short on headshots. And my sad attempt at a self portrait is nothing to brag about.

If there are any photogs out there that would like to do me the amazing favor of taking my photo – I would be forever grateful. Although I am running low in the money department (…..with all the wedding vendors I owe lots of money to next month), I would be happy to work something out (weather it be to assist, exc…your call!.).

Please contact me if you would like to help a sista ( /struggling photograper) out ;)

p.s. I promise it will be a great time (because of course…. I am fun like that)

My new adventure in the works

I’ve always loved getting creative and letting my personality shine through my work. Photography is a really hands on type of “project”, but I am really itching to let some creative juices flow in more of a crafty way. I have this big idea that I am ready to put into action! (It will be a fun fusion with my photos incorporated).

During my wedding planning I have fallen deeply in love with Etsy and all the endless handmade treasures. Any thing I need, I know I can go there and find exactly what I am looking for – and feel really good about where it’s coming from. Well, soon I will a very excited seller on there too, and can’t wait to join the amazing community! :) I will be sure to let every one know when I am up and running (which probably wont be toooooo soon, only because I think I need to focus on getting my wedding wrapped up before I jump into my new adventure – but we shall see). But soon enough my friends! I really hope this idea is something other people will enjoy as much as I will!

So I will leave you with that little bit of excitement for now and promise to let you know when it is up in full swing.

Our wedding location / Sunday brunch!

This past Sunday I went to brunch with my fiancé and a handful of our good friends – most of them are in our wedding party. This brunch was extra special…. (not only because of our bottomless glasses of champagne ;) ) ….because it is at the location that our wedding and reception will be held. It was so nice to be reminded of how beautiful the place is and how great it will be when the big day comes about 12 weeks from now! This was also the first time that most of them have seen the place, so it was really exciting for all of us. After brunch we walked a few steps down to the harbor (just below the restaurant) and walked around and relaxed.

I shot a few fun pictures while we were down there!

Sean and I on the bottom right & and our best friends

My MOH Danielle and friend Jenny

Best man Jon and Bridesmaid Alexis

Our really good friends Josh and Sue Ellen

Alexis

Jenny

Swings

Some how I was talked into going to the park with my fiancé and a couple friends to plan tennis. Hummm yeah, not a good idea AT ALL. I did terrible, but I sure as heck gave it my best effort. After I put every one through the torture of playing tennis with me- I talked them all into going to the playground. Sure we are adults, and it was a little late. But man was it fun!

Things have been so crazy with our wedding planning lately, especially that day. It was nice to let loose for a little bit . So with my expertise in the matter, I say you should go out one night and play at the park. It was good for my soul …. [Oh and my body needed the work out too…it was obvious the next day ;) ]

Here are some fun/crazy/ghostly pictures I took while playing around at the playground.

Blogroll Exchange

So I know I don’t have many readers (or at least commenters), but hopefully that will change soon! But I just added a new little section on the side of the page called “Blogroll Exchange”. I read many (too many!) blogs and I would be happy to exchange links and network a little more. Please leave me a comment here and introduce yourself if you are interested :)

Have a great day Friday, and a even better weekend!

On the baby note.....

I was inspired to post a few more baby pictures. Oh I can’t wait till Sean and I have a little one, not right now, but they are just so adorable and sweet!! Here are a few pictures from a session last year…..

This little one was born very premature, but was so adorable and happy. What a little miracle!

Baby Zepa!

I photographed Jesse and Jezelle's wedding back in November, and there beautiful little girl Zepa just came into the world! So much excitment!

Zepa was not having a great day, but we were able to get a few fun shots!
I was more than happy to reschedule, so we should be seeing more of this new family very soon.


This first shot is a little shadowy but its such a sweet moment with mom :)

A few sweet moments with daddy!

Tired girl! :)

As always, you can find lots more on my web site and myspace page .

Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day!

I’ve never been a HUGE valentines day kinda gal (because I love my man equally every day and his love is just gift enough for me of course!!! ;) ) . Besides that, its one of those holidays where I am never too sure what to give.

This year is a little bit special , as it is my last “single” V-Day. So since the fiancé has gone through so much with the wedding planning and all I thought I would do something fun for him that I knew he would really love.

So after lots of planning and picking out yummy flavors, I took the long trafficy drive out to Beverly Hills to pick up a dozen Sprinkles Cupcakes!!! Yummy!!!

He had never had them before , but since “The Girls Next Door”, Jimmy Kimmel, and all his faves love them….he knew he would too and would ALWAYS talk about them. Needless to say, they were a hit! I left them out for him to find on my way out to work, after he found them when he woke up this morning I was a hero :).

Thank you Sprinkles for being nothing but wonderful!

Allie - Portrait session

I have been dying to get my feet wet with some “edgy / moody “portraits. So this weekend I did a quick session with my fun model Allie and had a fantastic time. I love doing different things and trying out new ideas. I hope I get to do a whole lot more sessions just like these really soon (with Valentines Day just around the corner!).

“Whatever package you come in, put a bow on it!”- Chenin Boutwell (an amazing photographer)

I have just recently been exposed to Chenin’s awesome photography and I love her photos and her perspective!

Chenin was featured on the DBUI blog and when asked:
What advice do you have for photographers just starting out? , she responded :

"Be true to yourself! If you are truly genuine, decisions about what to shoot,
how to shoot, how to brand and market yourself - all of it - becomes so easy.
Plus, it sucks to be constantly trying to be someone else. I have a saying that
I use almost daily - “whatever package you come in, put a bow on it!” "

I love her advice and I think it’s so right on! And the quote is one for the books! I adore it, and will now and forever hold on tight to it. And although I am very casual, outgoing and like to have a good time, I always thought that being this person will eventually hit home for my clients. I hope to always mix business with pleasure – after all this business is my pleasure and I hope to share that passion and out look with any one in front of my little ole camera.

Trash the Dress

I am in love with “Trash the Dress” photos, and any other fun unique ideas in general.

Disclaimer: I know some people are haters and think it’s the worst thing you could possibly do to your wedding dress when you have paid so much money for it, or if you can donate it. I’ve read these responses to all blogs regarding the topic. In reality we all know you don’t have to destroy the dress, you can get it pretty filthy then clean it up and donate it if you wish. No harm done.

Any way, I think it’s an awesome idea to have a little fun in these dresses that you really will never wear again – and give it one last bang for the buck before it’s in the very back of your closet…like wayyy back there where you never see it again! Were talking Narnia status guys, so ya might as well have some fun ;)

People are doing these after their weddings to seal the deal or to wear it one last time, or whatever the reason . High School Seniors are also doing this in their prom dresses as some awesome Senior portraits.

I had the chance to do some really awesome portraits and they were posted on the Drown the Gown blog. This blog is dedicated to the senior portrait type TTD photos, and is the sister site of the Trash the Dress blog. SO I was super stoked to have my photos posted on the site , they chose the photos that they wanted to use, so I will go ahead and post my favorites here. These are not so much TTD , but were taken durring the same session and I thought I would post them becasue they were just too fun! :)

Hi. I am Blair.

Hello there! My name is Blair and I am a amateur photographer located in Orange County, CA. I have always had a very strong passion for photography and am always trying to learn more and just be out there capturing it all with my camera.

A bit about me: I am a fun outgoing quirky gal. Sometimes I’ve got more energy than I know what to do with, I like to have a good time and make lots of friends. I’ve got some strong passions that include yummy food, being inspired by unique photography, and clearance racks….Urban Outfitters racks particularly (but hey, what girl doesn’t like to shop?). If there’s one thing that I am not – its shy or unpersonable (yeah I know, prob not a real word per say). I am out there and honest, and don’t have any thing to hide, if there’s something you want to know about me – it’s out there on a silver platter! I work full time in a Los Angeles office, and (most of the time) I really love my job. And I try to fill all my weekends with photo jobs. The most important person in my life is my fiancé Sean, whom will be my Husband very soon (on 06-07-08), we have been together since we were 15, I know ….cute hu? ;) . Then our children (they are really dogs, but who’s really counting these days?) We’ve got our big boy Rocko who is a pit-bull/ridgeback mix from what we’ve been told…..we got him at the pound about 3 and a half years ago when he was just a little pup. Then the baby - Cali who just turned a year old, and is the most spoiled little thang ever – but she 100% deserves to be! (Well at least her and I think so, Sean and Rocko, maybe not so much :) ) She’s our little pure bred Cocker Spaniel straight from the breeder the day she turned 8 weeks old . Yes, I love my soon-to-be hubby and our little ones way too much!! ;) I’m sure you will be seeing a lot of them on here, so I thought you ought to know them!

I decided that I needed a blog too because I am always prowling around checking out some amazing photographers blogs just about every day (my subcription list is serious and growing) , and am constantly inspired by amazing unique ideas and fresh minds. I don’t have tons to blog about as far as photography goes just yet (but that will change!), but I love to share all that I have and this will probably be a lot of personal things too. I hope that by having a blog and sharing my experiences - people could poke around on here like I do and can let me know what they like and how they feel about it all!

To all of the magnificent photographers out there : please feel free to give me all the advice you have and let me know if you ever have an opportunity for me to give you a helping hand. I am always happy to 2nd shoot or assist.

And to my future clients: I am happy to work with all different types of ideas, people, and places. Please feel free to contact me at any time for pricing , questions, or just to say hello :)

So that’s me in a nutshell! I hope to have the opportunity to work with and be awesome friends with as many people that stop by!

Xoxo-Blair

My web site: http://www.customshotsbyblair.com/
My E-mail: Blair@Customshotsbyblair.com
Myspace : www.myspace.com/bvbphotography