Nightmare on My Street

I had this crazy dream last night that I had a blog, a place to keep the world up to date with my fun photoshoots and amazing couples on their wedding day. A blog where I could document all the cool places I'm seeing and the beautiful world that is surrounding us...then I logged onto my computer and realized it was no nightmare just a not-so-gentle reminder to me to get myself back on the computer and document away. So, although I've been asleep in the virtual blogging world, I have not been asleep in the photography world. I'm probably going to have to pass by many fun portrait sessions I have had--but for the sake of playing catch up and starting again, I am going to just stick to my weddings. I have too much fun stuff I've been doing not to relay some of it! So, back in the saddle...here we go!

The Circle

As most of you know, I love telling a good story. This is what makes my life so fulfilling, not only watching my own family's story play out but yours as well. Weddings are so much fun, but what is even greater is getting to photograph the new babies that follow those weddings. These past couple weeks I had the privelege of seeing two such stories in action. Both couples have boys with great names and they are both sooo adorable. Meet Micah (Andrew and Kelsey Spradlin) and Levi (Jonathan and Kayley Price). Here's a couple images, but you can see the rest on my website. I have a lot of faith in both these young families, they are good people in the stitching of their makeup and I saw first hand how great these parents are going to be. Good job guys!

Greenfitti Jungle

I'm a little behind on blogging (surprise surprise), but I wanted to go back and highlight this hike we did in LA. My sister has been doing this hike for a while and from her pictures I knew it was somewhere I wanted to visit with all of my equipment. So a couple weeks ago when I was down in OC for some shoots, I decided it was time to make that 3 hour hike. What an amazing place! I'm not allowed to give specifics on where this location is, but I'd like to describe it to you as a place where the Garden of Eden meets West Side Story; where graffiti is not only acceptible but part of the allure. It was almost too much for a three hour time period. I plan to go back with different eyes.

In addition to my amazing sister, we invited three actors to take the hike and I was worried about that being too many, but now I wish we'd taken more and so wish we had taken at least one girl! So, I'm making a list for the next times I visit. I've decided that I would like to go back there once with a senior (boy and girl), once with the right engaged couple, once with a dancer or several dancers, another time with two little girls in white dresses, maybe once with a little boy in overalls and his favorite pet, for sure once with an entire band or orchestra, and I have to go once with my photographer friends for play date and oh yeah my own family for a picnic. It holds so many different possibilities. There's so many spots to shoot there, not just the graffiti art. Then to finish off the hike, the plush meadows and running creek are almost overwhelming to the senses.

The hike was finished with perfection: A huge orange tree free for the taking which made me smile to think that God also took that hike with us. It does remind me of what life must have been like before we desecrated much of the beautiful land God gave us. But, I know that the earth will return to this beautiful state someday and I can't wait to introduce my children to it.

If you'd like to hike this with us next time, shoot me an email and I'll keep you updated as to the next trek we make there. I plan to make one more visit this Spring. Thanks for letting me digress...

Love Bakersfield Style

If you love Bakersfield, it doesn't get any better than this. A ranch with horses and goats, wagon wheels, high weeds, rusted metal--ah I love the smell of rusted metal in the morning. Ha ha. Honestly, I could shoot this kind of location anytime or at least until the cows come home. Anthony and Ashleigh are one of those couples that every photographer falls in love with. Absolutely adorable and so in love--very easy to photograph. We had a lot of fun last weekend tromping through these dusty trails letting creativity be in charge. You can check out the entire shoot on my website, but here's a couple of my favorites. Thanks guys! Loved it!

Love is in the Air

This is the season of LOVE right before the season of WEDDINGS. I love this time of year in Bakersfield, chilly air and scattered rain to keep the skies clear. My last three Engagement shoots have been such great fun! I can't wait til these weddings, which are right around the corner. For these shoots, we took to the great outdoors:

Stephen and Alaina we simply hit the beautiful agriculture in Southwest Bakersfield where the grass is as high as an elephant's eye--not really, but close enough.




Carlos and Lindsay we took to the almond orchards where the blooms are bursting. This blooming season is coming to an end quickly! We also got the edgier side of the orchards, at the railroad tracks--this is always so much fun for me, especially when you have a couple willing to get a little dirty with train oil!



Then Robert and JulieAnn--we had a lot of fun in my old stomping grounds. Back to Costa Mesa at Back Bay Natural Reserve--I used to walk it in college and was so in love with it (when my allergies could handle it). I always remembered it fondly and wondered how a photoshoot would do there, well now I know. The yellow wildflowers were only more perfect when JulieAnn showed up in an adorable yellow sundress! Crazy coincidence? It was perfect.




You can see all of these photoshoots under the "proofing" category on my website at http://www.mistydameron.com/, but here's a couple to get the idea. Thanks all of you beautiful couples, I cannot wait for the rest of the story!

Daddy's Girl

This one was a little more than just a photoshoot. I was there as a mom watching her adorable two daughters have a blast with the best date in the world--their daddy. Patriot Elementary had it's annual PTC Daddy-Daughter Dance last Friday and the girls and their poodle skirts flooded the cafeteria. I was equally impressed with many of the letterman's jackets and chuck's worn by the dads. A good time all around. The "buddy" pictures were some of my favorites, little girls giddy with their best friends. You can check out the pics on my website for a couple weeks. So much fun!

The Calm Between the Storms

We've seen our fair share of rain these past two weeks, and I love every minute of it. But the greatest thing is the amazing skies between these storms. Sometimes it's easy to forget that we are surrounded by mountains here in Bakersfield! But right now, with this beautiful air we can hardly see anything else. Snow capped mountains and clouds that are every photographers dream. Last week, we did two engagement shoots between such storms and the skies make the pictures, well so do the cute couples in the pictures.

Justin and Corinne, Nick and Diana are not only great physical subjects for photoshoots, but they are such great people to the core! We had so much fun with both these couples. You can see their entire shoots on my proofing gallery, but make sure you check back in a couple months to see their weddings--which I cannot wait for! Thanks for a great time in the rain guys!

Any Facebookers out there???

Just a quick note to share with you what we're doing with Facebook. I have had a personal page for a while (I would love to be your friend, by the way), but now we have started a Misty Dameron Photography page where you can sign up to be a fan. It's a little weird, asking you all to become fans of mine, but a lot of fun nonetheless. On this page, we'll be updating news and events--in fact this blog will be followed on there as well. In addition to that though, I'll be updating pictures and slideshow clips of recent photoshoots and weddings, paying particular attention to the ones with fan members and will tag your photos and slideshows for you to post on your own pages! So fun is this new world we live in!! So, if you don't have a facebook page--get one. If you do, become my friend and fan!

Nick and Megan Wedding

One of the most adorable and compatible couples you'll ever meet! We loved every minute of your special day. You really can't go wrong with St. Francis and Stockdale Country Club, but everything seemed so smooth the whole day. Our favorite time was rockin' out during our posed portion of the day. Your IPod workout music really made us get in the groove quicker than ever! So much so, that I think I'll start suggesting that to future brides. Good job guys, I wish you many years of happiness together--I know you don't need the well wishes, you'll do just fine without them! There's a few pics on my website right now, but the rest will be up on Valentines Day--how appropriate!

A New Year

I've been putting this off for so long, feeling like I needed to catch everyone up on where I've been and post so many things that happened this fall. But so much time has passed, I don't think I can possibly do that! Yes, I had one of the craziest Falls ever and I guess the one thing that was left behind was the blog! So, if anyone is still out there...I'm baaaack! If you are a facebooker, find my Misty Dameron Photography page on Facebook--I'll be posting recent pics and slideshows on there, so check it out!

I heart Zach and Katie

Aside from the fact that my own kids' names are Zack and Kate, this Zach and Katie made last Saturday an entire day filled with joy. You'll never see a more laid back couple on their wedding day! They really trusted us, and all their vendors actually, to make their day run smoothly. I can't tell you how much of a difference that makes! We had so much fun, feeling the groove as we shot our way through the day. The bridal party was as fun as they were beautiful, so photographing them could have easily been an all day event. Here's a few of the fun pics, there's a few more on my website. But for the rest (and there will be a whole lot), check out the website the end of November. Thanks Zach and Katie for a memorable night!

Oops, one more thing...

I'd like to give credit to Jeff Egan for taking this wonderful pic of me and my two talented assistants, Stephanie and Natanya this weekend. I'm always making my bride and groom jump, so I thought maybe it was time for a bit of my own medicine. Thanks Jeff! I think I'll make this my new profile pic too. Maybe you should leave the movie business and head into photography!

Nothing short of a blast!

I don't think we could have had much more fun than we had this weekend in Huntington Beach. The wedding and posed stuff was great, but this reception at Silvera's was awesome!! It was just the best setting for pictures with so much great window light and cool architecture. Then the crowd, which I swear Jeff and Tammy hired to make their party more fun, was so great! Even the 8 month pregnant swing dancing mama! But the highlight of the reception was towards the end, with an entire Turbo Kick Boxing class showing up in workout gear, led by one bride in white who was kicking and jumping higher than any of them! It was fabulous to say the least. There's a few more shots on my website, the rest will be up in a few weeks.

Thanks Jeff and Tammy. I felt very trusted by you and that makes so much of a difference when trying to be creative. Thanks for letting my inner creativity come out to play! I know you'll be so happy with the results!

Like a good wine...

The mixing of two different wines was the metaphor used in place of the traditional unity candle and it couldn't have been more perfect or in a more beautiful setting. Lang and Amanda tied the knot last week at his parents house and it was a perfect pairing. We enjoyed both families and had so much fun capturing this day for you. I've posted a few pics on my proofing gallery, the rest will be up in a few weeks. Thanks for making us part of your amazing day!

Pure, Simple, Breathtaking

There are few things in this world that are as stunningly beautiful as a pregnant mother. Nothing shows more love, more beauty than a portrait of a mother to be especially when you mix it with her precious family. If you read my blog a couple weeks ago about my new favorite way to photograph newborns in a much more journalistic way, you knew this posting was coming. My last couple maternity shoots have been done the same way. This shoot was 100% available light. I did bring my flash/softbox to the shoot in case I needed to cheat, but I didn't use it. And because it was so much less obtrusive than all that equipment in my studio, I got to move more where the action progressed to and I got real emotion from everyone including their two year old! Not to mention that this is so much more real. Real real life. This is how I want to proceed for my maternity and newborn shoots as much as possible. I know this is not always practical, so obviously I will still shoot in my studio. But I love it, it is so creatively inspiring for me. You can't see the rest of their shoot since it's a little more personal, so their proofs are hidden. But, this gives you a taste of this type of shooting. If you are an expectant mother and would like to schedule an artistic consultation for a shoot like this, call me.