Photographers-A-Go-Go!

pole dancers and cocktails and condoms, oh my!

2011-04-11T22:26:00.000-07:00

we had the unique privilege of shooting the afterparty for the 2011 santa monica vday event. vday events raise money and awareness for organizations that seek to end violence against women and girls worldwide. a performance of the play the vagina monologues was followed by an afterparty that featured drinks and music and food and dancing...some of it of the pole variety. it was a fun, festive occasion and we were happy to play our part.

march madness

2011-03-14T19:38:00.000-07:00

it was the big playoff day on saturday, and the tar heels and the lions of the KARE youth league went out with a bang. aidan played some tenacious d (at least for a 5-year-old) and tyler hit lights out on some ill-advised but always thrilling 3-pointers. it was a fun season to watch. can't wait to see what baseball season holds in store!

Blog Day Afternoon

2011-02-08T09:33:00.000-08:00

Yup, now we've been reduced to blogging about other blogs!

At the end of Janaury we had the honor of shooting the MADE UP Exhibit opening reception for Art Center College of Design. They've bloged about it, so I decided I'd blog about their blog about our photos!

http://blogs.artcenter.edu/dottedline/2011/02/07/making-up-2/

-Catherine

Brand X Files

2011-01-26T15:35:00.000-08:00

Head to your local newsstand and pick up a copy of Brand X (Vol 2. No. 40 to be exact). A photo we took waaaaaaaaay back in 2009 ended up smack-dab on the cover!

For the shoot, we'd just expected to do group photos of the whole www.syynlabs.com gang. Little did we know that they'd bring a car trunk load of costumes, rubber chickens, plastic swords, Viking helmets and even a pair of giant green "HULK" fists too. Its great to photograph people who come ready to work hard for the camera, but just to be safe, we were sure to keep the guy with the Hulk fists AWAY from all the expensive camera gear.

hope your holidays...

2011-01-09T11:22:00.001-08:00

were insanely fun! we're still in recovery mode, but normal transmissions will resume shortly.

happy 2011!

—4eyes

Michigan Wine Country? Yep!

2010-12-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

If asked to list words associated with the fine mitten-shaped state of Michigan, "wine" wouldn't make the top 1,000. That's why I was surprised when I went to Grand Rapids over labor day weekend to visit my husband working there on location. We were told by a local friend to head up to Traverse City. Known as a great vacation spot for boating and wine tasting (no, not at the same time), we were promised the lovely blue waters of Lake Michigan and some decent wine to boot. Having been to Napa a few times, I imagined Michigan's wineries to be little farm stands serving welch's quality wine out of jelly jars. I'm happy to say I was mistaken.

Traverse City is this lovely little gem of a lakeside community with cool little shops, cafes and pubs. The lake waters were almost as blue and clear as the waters in Maui. Who knew?!?!

After winding up a wooded road for a few miles, we turned to our destination, 2 Lads Winery. A gorgeous modern building with floor to ceiling windows set high on a hill overlooking the azure-blue waters of northern Michigan. I must admit, the wine wasn't on par with Napa, but still we had a great time. They were actually serving up glasses of strawberry sangria too and I must admit Don and I guzzled down at least two each. Between the vista and the wine... we had a perfect afternoon.

Before & Alice

2010-12-07T20:15:00.000-08:00

Back in May we photographed April & Mark for their pregnancy photos. Flash forward a few months and we finally met their little bundle of joy, Alice.

Peace and Quiet

2010-12-07T19:30:00.000-08:00

At the end of October, I had the amazing opportunity to photograph the lovely, sweet and patient Olivia. Her eyes seem wise and her thoughts pensive... and just when I was about to forget that she was only 8, she told me that for Halloween she was going to be a big bunch of purple grapes. Not a princess or Hanna Montana... just a big sweet bunch of grapes. Too dang cute.

Near the end of the shoot she flashed a peace sign and so I mentioned something about how everyone should love peace and she agreed and said "I know! Really... who wants all that noise!?!" Again, too dang cute.

arty party!

2010-10-28T20:55:00.000-07:00

we had the honor of shooting the art center school of design's 80th anniversary gala last week. and the beauty of shooting at an art school? arty stuff everywhere you look - people included. from the reception in the galleries, the outdoor sculpture garden and car collection to the event tent itself, we had fantastic environments to shoot in throughout the evening - a rare treat. and a chance to show off what makes four eyes photography unique - basically our collective 4 eyes. shooting as a pair means we capture the big moments and smallest details of every event we shoot.

if you want to peruse the entire gala set, it's posted here.

peace out-

shootout in downtown!

2010-10-10T22:07:00.000-07:00

we had a great time shooting the old bank district 10th anniversary street party last month. obdx was held in the heart of the old bank district in the historic core - such an awesome neighborhood architecturally for photography...and the colorful locals added to the fun too. good times.

peace out-

whatever you do, don't smile!

2010-08-20T23:08:00.000-07:00

annie lebovitz tells beginning photographers to start by shooting the people around them — friends and family, people you're comfortable with and know — to get the hang of how to approach the world through a lens. the first people i shot when i started to get seriously into photography was my family, and more specifically, my nieces and nephews. and if there's anything i've learned from the millions of clicks i've clacked shooting the youngsters in my family is that kids have a mind their own (how dare they!) and it's rarely a mind that thinks "yes, i'd love to sit still and pose with a angelic smile on my face."

that's what i like about shooting kids. force them to pose and tell them to smile, you'll get stilted forced grimaces. let them run around (as they're wont to to) and tell them whatever you do DOONNN'T SMILE (!!!) and the personality comes out loud and clear. and that's what i love to capture - the exuberance and silliness and immediacy of being a kid.

two of my favorite subjects are my youngest nephews tyler and aidan. these two wouldn't sit still for a serious pose if you paid them in fruit snacks and legos. but tell them run around and DONNN'T SMILE and they appear, as they really are. a couple of rambunctious kids.

cheers-

Too Busy to Post!

2010-07-06T10:38:00.000-07:00

Gosh, its been too long since my last post! So much going on we haven't had much time to blog, so here's one to tide you over!

RUN, don't walk, to your local newsstand and pick up a copy of Road Magazine's August 2010 issue! Flip on over to page 54 and check out my photo of world time trial champion Fabien Cancellara as he zooms past LA's Disney Concert Hall at the 2010 Amgen Tour of California bike race!

As with my photo from last year's TOC (the SF bridge see below), my trusty off camera flash was key to the success of the image. That, and again a ton of luck in having THE Fabien Cancellara pass only a few feet away from me. A couple other riders didn't see the turn coming and almost ran into the barriers. With time trials, sometimes its mere seconds that seperate the winner from the losers, so cutting the corners as close as possible means everything.

Cycling is such a thrill to watch... I grew up going to road and velodrome track races with my dad, so its in my blood. I can't think of another sport where fans can be inches from the atheletes... often running right along side them in the mountain stages, or in my case, laying on the ground on the curb in downtown LA, feeling the rush of wind and the buzz of the tires as they scream by, without a second to lose.

-Catherine

Bouncy Baby Castles

2010-05-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

Went out to Balboa Park with Mark and April to do a pregnancy shoot a couple of weeks ago. Their daughter is due in July but given the hot weather in the valley in the summer months, we opted to do our session in the breazy month of May. The yellow mustard grass was in full bloom and served as a great late-spring backdrop, but don't go thinking that its easy to take good photos in a gorgeous location. There was a kids birthday party going on 100 feet from one of our spots, so I had to do my best to keep the kids bouncy-castle out of my frame.

Best wishes to Mark and April and their soon to be little girl! With any luck, they won't have to think about bouncy-castles for at least another 5 years.

-Catherine

Happiness Spelt with a B

2010-05-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Babycakesnyc recently opened a shoppe in downtown Los Angeles. I must say that a bakery that's adjacent to skid row takes a certain kind of person to brave. One night a few weeks ago I tried going (as they're open until 10pm) but after circling the desolate block twice trying to find a safe place to park, I gave up. I figured going mid-day yesterday would be safer but still I had to keep avoiding a crazy yelling crack addict when I tried parking. I'm happy to say it was SO worth the risk.

They're a 100% vegan + gluten free + soy free + refined sugar free, spelt-flour bake shop. And before you go thinking how gross everything must taste, I'll tell you that EVERYTHING was delicious. Okay, I didn't have everything, but the 4 treats I did get were out of this world super fantastico.

The brownie bight was moist and chewy and so chocolaty my eyes almost rolled back in my head. The texture of the chocolate chip cookie was like silt... and just melted in my mouth. The bisquit with homemade blueberry jam was RE-DICK-YOU-LUS. Some jams are cloyingly sweet... but this one was subtle and light. The cinnamon bun was perfect with my cuppa joe this AM. All in all, a successful trip!

And BEFORE you go thinking I ate it all at once, I didn't. Mostly. I did drive back home with my fingers sticky from jam, but I paced myself and even have half of the cinnamon bun left for tomorrow's breakfast. Babycakes won't be a weekly destination, but if I happen to be downtown, I'll definitely stop over for a treat. The sweets were all so good, maybe they're actually made with crack. That WOULD explain their dodgey location. Hmmm...

-Catherine

Four Eyes are Better than One

2010-05-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

One of the most interesting things about shooting as a team is the anticipation of seeing one another's work after a session. Deanna and I have different styles so when we work together, its like having the same movie shot by two directors at the same time. Same cast, same set, but a totally different take on the subject. Or, in musical terms, we're the "ebony and ivory" of photographic teams.

We usually review all the images together after a session and curse one another for getting the "best" shot of the day. (I'm SO jealous of the shot of the windowsill... it makes me SICK). I think seeing each other's work pushes both of us to be better photographers because we can take more risks. I'm so lucky to be 50% of Four Eyes...

..working in perfect har-mo-ny.

-Catherine

_________

what she said!

-d

Doing the Paso Doble in Pasadena

2010-05-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

We headed out to Pasadena last week for our second year shooting Hillside's Foster Soles Event. www.hillsides.org To our delight, this year's event was even bigger than last which meant more shoes, more celebs, and yes... more sangrias. Master of Ceremonies Dr. Drew Pinsky lead the charge helping raise thousands during a NOT-so-silent-auction where celebs boisterously bid on dance lessons AND a coveted pair of tickets to see a live taping of Dancing with the Stars (talk about a battle-royale).

Aside from a never ending parade of tapas and sangria, guests were treated to performances by two sets of dancing troupes including a stunning performance of the Paso Doble. The personal high-light of the evening for me was getting to photograph and talk to Jane Kaczmarek of Malcolm in the Middle fame. Not only was she effervescently GORGEOUS, but she was also one of the nicest people I've ever met. Talk about a double threat! Ole!

-Catherine

Wear the Wild Things RAWR!

2010-05-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

April's Mindshare brought out the wild side of LA!

http://www.spirithoods.com/ came out to share some hoodie goodness with attendees... and I must say it was great seeing all the animals getting along. Talks included crazy bamboo structure building, international aid charities, a lesson in the history and future of girl on girl roller derby in LA (yes, you will get hurt) and a challenge to follow the path less taken. After looking at the Spirit Hood pics again, I'm regretting not getting one for myself, but really I can't decide if I'd make a better Panda Bear or Snow Leopard. I do like to eat bamboo, so perhaps the choice has already been made. RAWR!

Bird Watching: Storks-A-Pleanty!

2010-04-09T09:44:00.000-07:00

Get out your Audubon Field Guide and a pair of binoculars, 'cause the sky is FULL of storks! Sure, the economy might be in a slump, but it seems that every stork this side of the Mississippi is busy these days.

I know at least 10 woman who are having babies this year and we've been lucky enough to photograph a few of them. We actually did one couples shoot a few weeks ago and the wife commented on how none of her pants were fitting. I told her she looked great and so she repeated "I said NONE of my pants are fitting because my stomach is getting SO big".

*HINT HINT*

Rule 1 is that you never ask a woman if she's pregnant. EVER. She could be 8 months pregnant wearing a shirt that says "lil' bun in the oven" and until she tells YOU, it is best to assume she isn't pregnant, but rather she is an avid baker with a thyroid problem.

Anyhoo... we've done a few baby bump shoots and its been a blast. Its the only time when women want you to take photos that focus on their bellies so we have as much fun with it as we can.

The aforementioned "pants don't fit" woman and her husband are moving to Paris this month (the one in France) and after seeing our pics of another pregnant friend (pics below) she said we'd have to come to Paris in September to shoot her pregnancy pics.

OUI OUI!

Our passports are ready.... now we just need to figure out a way to get to the city of lights and red wine and baguettes. Perhaps a couple of out of work storks could carry us overseas.

I wonder if they charge for checked luggage.

Undergrad Version 2.0

2010-03-31T08:53:00.000-07:00

For the past two weekends, we've headed to the tranquil downtown campus of Mount St. Mary's College to do some shooting for their new Prospective Student marketing materials.

I may be biased because I'm an alum myself, but MSMC is an amazing oasis in an otherwise frenetic metropolis. What sets the school apart is that they have both a traditional undergrad program as well as a Weekend College format for working adults. It's not one of those "learn gun repair from home" kind of degree programs, but an honest to goodness 4-year liberal arts program that just happens to take place 18 jam-packed weekends a year instead of the normal Monday through Friday format.

Even as I was attending almost a decade ago, I was humbled by the tenacity of my fellow students. These weren't kids fresh out of high school living in dorms and going to keg parties, rather working adults with families and obligations. Sure, I worked 40 hours a week while carrying a full course load (which was BRUTAL), but many of my other classmates had children or aging parents to care for on top of studying.

This past weekend, I went into one of the classes to take some candid shots of students giving a marketing presentation, and was once again in awe of what these students go through while still going to classes. One man stood to give his presentation while wearing a giant metal neck brace. Before he began, he said "pardon the neck brace... I was in a car accident last week and broke my neck".

HE BROKE HIS NECK.

HE BROKE HIS NECK AND WAS STILL PREPARED FOR CLASS.

Damn. Take that in for a moment.

Getting my business degree at Mount St. Mary's gave me both the courage to start my own business, and, more importantly, the business acumen to make it a success. It feels so great to have come full circle... returning as a paid professional to the school that gave me so much.

Here are a few sample images from the shoots.... hopefully you'll see at least one of these on a giant billboard soon. All the subjects are either professors or current students.

www.msmc.la.edu/weekend-college

March Madness Mindshare!

2010-03-24T11:28:00.000-07:00

LA’s best kept secret isn’t a secret any more. This month’s Mindshare, held at Club 740 downtown, was packed to the rafters with hundreds of attendees. From Harvard professors to indie rock stars, Mindshare is always a mash-up of the best of LA’s social scenes.

The night started off with a hands-on lesson is negotiation, which included maybe the largest group of people ever engaged in single round of competitive arm wrestling. (I’ll have to check with Guinness on that statistic.)

Then, after talks on 21^st century tree houses for adults and a project providing sustainable housing for the homeless of Los Angeles, the evening closed out with an olde-tyme gospel revival. The whole crowd stomped and clapped in time to the wailing of the gravely-voiced lead singer (who looked more like and IT consultant than an old time gospel singer).

Proving once again, that you can’t judge a book by its cover, nor an IT consultant by his pocket protector.

-Catherine

To Shoot a Mockingbird...

2010-02-26T10:09:00.000-08:00

Headed downtown with the lovely Harper Leigh for a head-shot session last Sunday. Lower Grand Street under the Disney Concert Hall has the BEST diffused light for portraits, so combine that with a gorgeous subject and its hard to take a bad photo. We were lucky enough to have the LA Philharmonic's rehearsal session next door as our background music. All in all, a great morning.

-Catherine

Pink or Blue?

2010-02-14T12:58:00.000-08:00

So much for warm southern California weather. Krisztina, little Morgan and I braved the cold and mud to hike up on Mullholand Drive for a 26th week pregnancy photo shoot. Morgan was a little more interested in my car keys than smiling for the camera, but I really prefer capturing the moment as it happens. He was snacking on a handful of cherrios then marched over to Kristina and grabbed her leg for reassurance... then just as quickly, stomped back over to to the bag of cereal. I was lucky to be able to snap him in action.

Krisztina's husband is away on business so we decided to head out to take these shots as a little Valentine's surprise for him. The happy couple have decided to not find out the baby's gender until the big day, so the pink top isn't giving anything away... but it would be sweet if it did!

-Catherine

New Year's Ink......Ankles Away!

2010-01-06T10:14:00.000-08:00

To ring in 2010, Deanna decided to man up and get some ink done! We headed down to the Purple Panther on New Year's day with money to burn and a design in mind. ( Luckily, as a graphic designer, she didn't have to pick one of the generic tribal/fairy/menacing-black-cat-holding-a-revolver designs off the wall of the tattoo shop.)

Anyhoo... she was very brave and only winced once or twice.... after an hour or so in the chair, she walked away with a super-fun tattoo. Luckily, I brought my camera so she'd have something by which to remember the day........

other than her tattoo, of course.

-Catherine

'Tis the Season...

2010-01-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

December at Four Eyes means lots of family portraits... so, armed with light diffusers, ladders and even a few dog treats Deanna and I hit the streets with a few families to do some holiday snaps.

I get such a thrill when I look through the view finder and KNOW that I got the perfect shot. Its even better when our client says "WOW".... or in one case.... I think the client said "that's a pretty &$%*#$% awesome pic." Cursing is, after all, one of the highest forms of flattery.

Happy $#%^&&!!^%$ 2010 everybody!

-Catherine

Power of the Pen

2009-11-15T16:58:00.000-08:00

How often do you get hand written letters in the mail?

When I was in junior high, we'd slip notes into one anothers lockers and pass crumpled slips of paper in science class. By the time I was 18, my family had moved over a dozen times, so I got used to writing letters to friends in the last town we'd left behind.

Years of moving from west to east and back again yielded boxes of letters from last year's best friends. Hand written, with lots of drawings on the envelopes, doodles in the margins and distinct lapses in time. Often it would take a few days to write a letter so moods and ink color could change from one paragraph to the next.

Not that you don't already know this, but thanks to e-mailing, texting and social networking, letters are far and few between. Further, we expect immediate satisfaction when contacting others. We hit send... then refresh and expect swift replies. Anyway... herein lies the point of this blog....

I'd sent an e-mail last Monday updating my alma mater's alum board on the success of the bake sale we'd had that weekend (see my previous post). So, I'd expected an e-mail back from the director with a note of thanks. Monday.... nothing. Tuesday... zip. Wednesday.... zilch. I was starting to get annoyed.

Then Thursday rolls around and after work, I check the mail. There's an envelope addressed to me from the director. Inside, a thick, creamy note card with the College's seal. AND a LOVELY noted inside thanking me for my efforts. Not just a "thanks".... but a long, thoughtful account of the role I'd played in the success of the event.

I welled up with joy. Seriously. It was WAY better than getting an e-mail.

It's SO rare that anyone (including me) takes the time to write. Getting that note (written in cursive even!), made me want to buy some fine stationary and pick up a pen and start writing to people again. I don't know if I'll doodle in the margins this time around, but I like the idea that years from now, the letter might end up in the bottom of a box of mementos, dog eared, and permanent.

-Catherine

I'm sensing a theme...

2009-11-10T08:24:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I know this is supposed to be a photography blog dedicated to weddings and events and such, but I seem to post a lot of photos of food. So sue me! In reviewing the last years posts, we've done a ton of charity and fun raising events this year.... and so it was this weekend.

I'm on the alumni board of my college www.msmc.la.edu and we threw a fundraising bake sale on campus to help raise money to adopt a needy family for Christmas. It was the first bake sale we'd done, so we were a little nervous about what kind of response we'd get. I spent all day Saturday baking... peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, mint chocolate chocolate chip cookies AND... Mexican Wedding Cookies (that's sort of wedding related, right?). And I spent all Saturday night worrying about the sale on Sunday. Would anybody buy our cookies?

To my great relief.... it was a GREAT success! Along with generous donations from fellow alums, our table was overflowing with goodies... and a few apples and pears just to make us look a little healthy. In two hours of selling, we raised just over $300! (I was afraid we'd only get $40 or so). I'm so thrilled knowing that we've made some family's Christmas a little brighter.

Anyhoo... here's a photo I took of the Wedding Cookies.... basically, sugar, flour, vanilla and tons of pecans rolled in powdered sugar. YUM.

-Catherine

I <3 Halloween!

2009-10-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

Can we all agree that Halloween is THE BEST?! I mean seriously people.

Not the dress-like-a-tarted-up-nun Halloween.... and DEFINITELY not the Saw VI movie Halloween.... just the good ol' fashion spooky Halloween. I LOVE Jack-o-lanterns, the Great Pumpkin, the Legend of Sleepy Hallow... pumpkin carving, bobbing for apples, the crunch of fall leaves, the silvery full moon, the tacky orange pumpkin head candy pails, ghost stories, witches brew, warm mulled apple cider.....and most of all....plastic pullover costumes with stiflingly dangerous plastic masks with tiny eye and mouth cut outs.

I'm terrible at costumes.... I never really dress up.... but I tear up each morning when I drive past the pumpkin patch on Moorpark.... like I wanna load up all the orphan pumpkins and hay stacks in my car and bring them home so they have a warm place to stay on a cold Halloween night.

If you're lucky... you go to sleep that night with the sweet sting of sugar on your lips, piles of candy under your bed, and the faint hope that this is the year the Great Pumpkin will rise from the most sincere pumpkin patch... which just happens to be on the corner of Moorpark and Hazeltine.

-Catherine

Zach + Jude 10.17.09

2009-10-22T09:32:00.000-07:00

After three days of pouring rain, we were so happy to see Jude and Zach's blue-sky wedding day!

From the I-phone video processional to the synchronized secret handshake, their ceremony was so much fun.... but also super touching too. Between the poems read by old friends, the traditional breaking of the glass and the thoughtful words of support to their friends who don't have all the rights that they enjoy... I found myself welling up with tears more than once... which, as it turns out makes it hard to take photos.

We've got hundreds of images to go through, but here are just a few from the day. MANY more to follow.

Cheers!

Catherine & Deanna

That Time of the Month

2009-10-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Another month of mindshare brings mirth, masks, mayhem and fire.

Lots and lots of fire.

-Catherine

We want to shoot you...for a good cause

2009-10-16T13:05:00.000-07:00

Deanna (2 of our 4 Eyes) will be taking part in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk in San Diego this November. She'll be walking 60 miles along side her BFF Sherri in honor of Sherri's grandmother Geem, who lost her battle with the disease earlier this year.

The two have been best friends since the Reagan administration - Deanna is basically the 5th Beatle of the Fry/Suchy clan - so when Sherri asked Deanna to join her family in the walk, she said yes without hesitation. The trick now (aside from training to walk 60 miles...yikes!) is raising the $2,300 in sponsorships needed to qualify for the walk.

So that's where you come in! We're offering a limited-time, Pink Ribbon $75 Portrait Session (just in time for holiday cards) with proceeds going directly to Teem Geem and the Susan G. Komen foundation. What's included?

• Tax write off!

• 1/2 hour portrait session in LA area

• 15-20 custom edited images uploaded to a private on-line viewing gallery available for purchase at a special Pink Ribbon Rate (50% of print sale profits will go to the cause)

• Low-res set of digital proof images (with Four Eyes Logo) suitable for posting to social media site (facebook/myspace)

Pink Ribbon Rate Extras:

Single edited high-res image on a disk (no logo): $20

Disk of low-res digital files (4" x 6") images suitable for printing (no logo): $80

Disk of high-res digital files of images suitable for printing up to 16" x 20" (no logo): $125

If you're interested, let us know! Offer expires November 15!

Or, if you'd just like to make a donation, click here.

Nothing but Nets!

2009-10-14T08:33:00.001-07:00

Friday night I shot a charity event in Hollywood for www.causeitsmybirthday.com. Doug Campbell, ring leader of www.mindshare.la, gentleman adventurer www.tuxedotravels.com, and all around generous guy turned 30 last week, so instead of just spending it in a drunken stupor, he used his 1,964 contacts on facebook and beyond for good. He and a friend, Sloane Barrent, also turning 30, set out on a 7-day, 7-city party to help raise money to buy malaria nets for families in Northern Ghana. Don't you feel bad now for just having cake on your birthday? I know I do.

Anyway.... day 7 landed the two back on their home turf in Hollywood for one last blow-out. I was there to capture the last event at Club Ecco. As of today, the two have raised over $17,000 with all proceeds going to buy nets. Cheers to Doug and Sloane for partying their way across America for a good cause!

-Catherine

Toil & Trouble...

2009-10-09T12:59:00.000-07:00

photo credit: Sweetina

Have you ever shopped on Etsy.com?

Well, you should!

Basically its and on-line shopping mall where crafty people post their goods for purchase at a set price. It's like going to the coolest boutique in town but finding pieces from across the country. The bonus... everything is reasonably priced!

You can choose from a list of categories: jewelry, baby clothes, art, etc or you can just put on a word search like "vintage sugar bowl" and EVERY dang cool sugar bowl in the country (869 to be exact) is at your fingertips! Sweet huh?

Get it, cuz its sugar?

In the past few months, I've gotten an AWESOME necklace, gardeners apron for my step-mom, a Munich Germany graphic print, and, my most recent acquisition... this SWEET Halloween Shadow Box from Sweetina http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6228309.

I mean seriously... have you EVER seen anything cooler!?!?!

When I logged onto Etsy, this just popped up in their scroll of new products available. It was LOVE at first site. Anyway... I can't wait to get home to hang it up!!! Plus it feels good to know I'm buying stuff from artists instead of mass produced stuff from Pottery Barn.

The holiday shopping season is upon us, so consider shopping http://www.etsy.com/!

(this is NOT a paid endorsement)

-Catherine

...and i'm so gunna steal this the first chance i get.

—d

Joy, Part 1of 2

2009-10-05T11:41:00.000-07:00

At first, seeing Thom Yorke on stage without Radiohead was sorta like seeing one's father with his NEW wife for the first time. You're sure she's nice and all but you hate her because its not your mom and your afraid life is going to be ruined now and how could he do this to you!

And so it was last night.

It took a few songs for me to relax into the Eraser stuff. Its NOT Radiohead in any way other than that 5' 5" lead man Thom Yorke singing sweetly and dancing across the stage as only he and Ed Grimley can.

Matching his footwork was Flea of the RHCP... who I wanted to hate, but just couldn't. Effortlessly working his bass.... I could tell where the bass ended and he began. Its sounds lame, but its true... he was mesmerizing.

About 2/3rds of the way through, they all left the stage and after 5 solid minute of applause, Thom came back alone to play some new Radiohead stuff. (insert deafening cheers). He moved between solo guitar and solo piano... and though he was alone, I could see Jonny, Coz, Phil and Ed building the music around him. Deep sigh of relief.

So.... all is right with the world. Tonight, we see them again and this time, from note one I'll be at ease, able to enjoy the Eraser as a 1-night stand, knowing Radiohead is still in the studio coming up with new ways to leave me breathless.

-Catherine

Using Our Photography for Good... and Pancakes

2009-10-02T13:18:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning we're getting up at the crack to drive down to Escondido for a fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk!

Deanna is doing the 3-Day walk (60 miles!) in November as part of TEEM GEEM with Sherri Fry-Suchy (her BFF since the Reagan Administration) and Sherri's family. They're all walking in honor of the memory of Sherri's grandma Geem, who lost her battle with the disease earlier this year.

Anyhoo... so you ask..... how are pancakes involved? Well, the Fry family is having a pancake breakfast at the Esconido First Church of the Nazerene tomorrow morning from 8am - 11am.

http://www.efcn.com/

There'll be pancakes, and vendors selling candles, and holiday goodies. AND your two favorite photographers (that's us) will be there to snap family pics for the low sum of $35! What a bargain! We'll shoot you with your family, your dog, your Camero or heck, even with your pancakes! If you can't join us, consider donating a few $$ to the cause!

Go Teem Geem!

http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/Walk/SanDiegoEvent2009?px=3501262&pg=personal&fr_id=1298

-Catherine

Notre Raison D'être

2009-09-29T10:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a late night text from a fellow devotee (Kidj), we've got tickets for BOTH nights for Thom Yorke at the Orpheum Theatre this Sunday and Monday. I can hardly believe that we did it.... we're all getting in! I haven't had much time to process this yet, so it doesn't seem real.

But it IS... SO SO SO real.

-Catherine

Shooting Up, Downtown

2009-09-24T17:05:00.001-07:00

Shot another month of Mindshare downtown. Art, 3-D music, personal aircrafts, talks about tantric, bass fueled fire displays, cocktails, tacos and fundraising for malaria mosquito nets in africa.....it always makes me wonder what else is hiding in the dark alley ways of our quiet city.

-Catherine

Zach + Jude

2009-09-24T09:58:00.000-07:00

We're shooting Zach and Jude's wedding at Pitzer College in October so met up with them a few weeks ago to see the campus and snap some practice pics. They met at Pitzer so it seemed the perfect place for their I do's. Should be a super-fun wedding!

-Catherine

Vegan Cinnamon Bun Cookies

2009-08-09T10:11:00.000-07:00

My sister Laurie is an AMAZING baker. AND though she's not vegan, she is one of my only relatives that doesn't looks at me cross-eyed for being one myself . Sooo... as a vegan sympathizer, she used her baking powers for good and sent me this batch of Cinnamon Bun Cookies for my birthday.

Despite traveling 3000 miles, the cookies arrived without being broken into a zillion pieces. Frankly, I would have eaten them anyway, but I just love seeing the ribbon of cinnamon swirling around like that. Ahhh. Along with the cookies she included the recipe too... so I guess she expects me to make them for myself from now on. Jeeez.

Vegan Cinnamon Bun Cookies:

Requires chilling dough in fridge for 3 hours.

Filling:
1/2 cup organic sugar
2 tbsp. ground cinnamon

For the Dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup vegan butter at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
Equivalent of 2 eggs (using egg replacer like Ener-G)
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Filling:
Combine sugar and 2 tbsp cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

Dough:
Whisk flour, baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl and set aside.

In a new bowl, cream butter and brown sugar with a mixer until smooth. Add the egg replacer and vanilla; mix until Incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients, blending until just Incorporated; do not over mix.

Trace a 16" x 9" rectangle on a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Using your hands, pat the dough into the rectangle shape.

Sprinkle filling mixture evenly over the dough.

Beginning on the long side and using the paper to help you, roll the dough into a log. (do not roll paper into the log... duh.) Wrap the log in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours. (At this point I'd probably just eat all the raw dough, but that's just me.)

While your waiting for the big chill, go for a nice hike or bike ride.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Remove dough from fridge and remove plastic wrap. Slice the chilled dough into 1/4" thick slices and arrange on the cookie sheets spacing about 1" apart. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cookies cool on the sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

Enjoy!

Catherine

Life Gave Me Lemons

2009-08-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

So, we went on a picnic Saturday night in honor of my birthday. What with it being summer and all, I thought it would be fun to make some simple, fresh treats to eat. Aside from home made Sangria (thanks Deanna!) and a Mediterranean spread from our local middle eastern market, I made a crazy good Herbs-de-Provence roasted onion and tomato to slather of french bread and sliced up some sweet summer watermelon for dessert. The secret ingredient to FANTASTIC watermelon is to add a big ol' squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top. The two flavors are perfect together.

Don't let me fool you... we also had vegan cupcakes, lemon shortbread cookies and cinnamon pinwheel cookies too, but I was too busy eating them to take any photos!

-Catherine

Gina + Paul 6.20.09

2009-07-09T22:11:00.000-07:00

Deanna and I had a blast photographing Gina and Paul's (99.9% Vegan) Fullerton Arboretum wedding. We're still going through HUNDREDS of images, but here are a few to wet yer whistle. We knew this wedding was for us when we found out that the happy couple were going to have a wedding trophy. Freakin' sweet.

The Final Count Down

2009-07-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

On a beautiful early summer night in May, Mount St. Mary’s College held a graduation reception for their ’09 Weekend College graduates. The weekend program is designed for working adults to complete their undergraduate degrees while still maintaining full time jobs and family lives too. As a graduate of this program (Class of ’03, whoo-hoo!), I know how difficult it was to maintain all these aspects of my life at once. The grad reception was such a fantastic ending to long years of late night studying and sleepless nights.
Not only do grads and their families mingle with professors, councilors and fellow students, but each grad has the opportunity to give a short speech (like the Oscars without the annoying “get off the stage” music). I’m such a sucker for this kind of stuff and had to hold back tears as some students recounted their challenges, sacrifices and triumphs.
Anyway. I’m on the college alumni board so I offered up my mad-photography skills to shoot the event and give the grads the images at no cost. In these tough economic times, I challenged the students to find ways to give back to the school that gave so much to them. If one can’t afford to donate money, what about donating a skill, or one’s time? We’ve all got to find creative ways to be generous, even if our bank accounts can’t take the heat, so I used my photography super-powers for good. Here are a few snaps from the event.

-Catherine '03

Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes

2009-07-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

We had the honor of shooting a charity event for Hillsides.org, a foster children care and advocacy non-profit based in Pasadena. The Foster Soles event is an annual fund raising auction featuring signed celebrity shoes. A List celebs like Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal, Shia LaBeouf & Elton John (and dozens more) all chipped in with a pair of signed kicks for the event. And yes, there were hired goons there to make sure no one ran off with Jennifer Love-Hewitt's mile-high silver stilettos (not that you'd make it half a block without breaking your neck).

Bar Celona on Colorado Boulevard hosted the event where well-healed locals mingled, sipped A-FREAKING-MAZING sangrias and feasted on a never ending array of tapas. The evening was capped off by a "Best in Show" shoe contest where attendees flaunted their best footwear. Now, I'm not a shoe snob, but I think I actually fell in love with a gorgeous pair of gossamer-thin black Jimmy Choo stiletto boots. Like, I might leave my husband to marry these shoes (see photos above). Luckily, they weren't my size.

-Catherine

rio filho!

2009-05-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

soooooooo, way back in march, i went on a spectacular 2-week vacation to south america with some friends to see the radioheads...and do other stuff. it was amazing - everywhere you looked in rio and buenos aires was a phototunitiy. (sao paulo was another matter, but i digress.) and i shot some photos...600 or so...really good ones...of really beautiful places...but no one believes me because no one other than me has seen them. because since i've been back, i've taken a million pictures...of lovely people and events...who have paid us money to do so and expect their photos in a timely fashion. but that fact hasn't stopped the chorus of "WHEN ARE WE GUNNA SEE RIO PICTURES???" messages i've been getting from pretty much everyone i know. so, yesterday morning my brain clicks awake waaaaaaaay too early. and instead of diving into work pics, i decided to make a quick run through the vakay pics to quell the masses. so, here are 6...594 to go.

gin courtesy of united

iguazu falls. so ridiculously beautiful.

christ the redeemer. i was more knocked over by this than i thought i would be. the clouds had a lot to do with it.

sao conrado beach in rio...i know, huh!

the view from sugar loaf at twilight...dramatic cloud cover included with admission price.

tchau-
d

And the Winner is....

2009-05-07T12:08:00.000-07:00

So, when I don't have my camera strap slung across my shoulder, my day job is in the magazine printing industry. I work with publishers to get their magazines printed and on the newsstand, or in my case, crammed into my barbie-doll-coffin-sized mailbox.

Anyway... there's an association (http://www.wpa-online.org/) that honors the best of the west in magazine publishing at an awards event each April called the "Maggies". Deanna and I shot this year's event and the HIGHLIGHT for me was seeing my favorite magazine, VegNews (http://www.vegnews.com/) winning two Maggie Awards! (THE best Vegan Lifestlye Magazine EVAH!)

When the Publisher and Associate Publisher from VegNews each left the stage with their award, I swooped in for a photograph AND had to tell them that I was Vegan and I loved their magazine and they were awesome, and that VegNews made being Vegan easy and and and and .... okay.... I'm sure I came off like a total freak stalker, but in the end I took a fun photo of them!

I LOVE getting their magazine in the mail and read it cover to cover. I was so happy that they won two WELL deserved awards!!!

Cheers times 2!

-Catherine

Here are a few other fun photos from the event too.

Orange Coast Magazine celebrates.
My favorite photo of the night... these gals from Nails Magazine won at least 5 awards!
Foot and Ankle Magazine posse pose for me.

Heather + Chris + The Easter Bunny = True Love

2009-04-24T09:36:00.000-07:00

We shot a Chris and Heather's wedding out in Redlands on Easter weekend and wanted to post a few photos for the happy couple. The Asistencia Mission where the ceremony took place was just so lovely inside.... so after the friends and family went to the reception, we snapped a few shots in this doorway. Thankfully, the rain stayed away and the heavy cloud coverage made for some really soft light. I could have stayed for hours, but its rude to dance to YMCA at the reception without the bride and groom.

-Catherine

Card Tricks, Cross Dressers & Herd Nueroadvantage

2009-04-23T01:14:00.000-07:00

Yup... all this and more means another month of Mindshare.

http://www.mindshare.la/

As I've written before, mindshare is this crazy cocktail of science and art.... but there's been an unfortunate side effect. When I shoot, I lose all other perception... hunger, thirst, sense of hearing... it all goes away. I just see light and shape and how best to photograph it. But the moments in between, when I start talking to people, I want to talk more, but I can't because I need to shoot.

Anyway, I've thought about maybe next month just going for fun. Have some cocktails, play some 6-person atari-pong, and most of all, actually stand still and TALK to people for a while. I never really understood the whole social networking thing, but its crazy how many cool people I've met each month (you know who you are).

So we'll see... when May rolls around, I don't know if I'll shoot, or just relax for once and enjoy a night of enlightened debauchery.

-Catherine

Buckle Up!

2009-04-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, so usually we just post stuff about places we've gone and stuff we've photographed... but now I'm setting aside some time for product placement. We're on a newsletter list for a website called photojojo.com.... basically, its a site for cool photography stuff... things to buy, techniques to try, etc. When I got this one today I had to share.

Recycled seat belts used as camera straps! So Cool! I want one in teal and another in purple. My birthday is months away, but its always the right time to get me something I'll love!

http://photojojo.com/store/awesomeness/seat-belt-camera-straps

-Catherine

Happily Ever After 4.4.09

2009-04-08T08:40:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous Flowers by David Blair Designs

On Saturday we had blast photographing Jacque and Kirk's wedding in Santa Monica. Not only are they a beautiful couple, but they're super fun too and were game for anything we asked them to do. It will take a while to go through all of the photos but we wanted to send the couple a few shots to tide them over.

E X T R A ! E X T R A !

2009-04-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

It's been a good month here at Four Eyes! A photo I took durung the 2009 Amgen Tour of California bike race was published in two, count 'em, TWO , magazines this month! Yay!

Anyhoo... here's a copy of the image as it appeared in the May 2009 Issue of Road Magazine along with a caption I wrote about how I got the shot. In the April 09 isssue of San Francisco Magazine it ran as a full two-page spread.

(Is it lame to high-five yourself if nobody else is around?)

I didn't shoot the cover... I just wanted to show the issue in which the image appears.

Just in case ya can't tell... that's Lance Armstrong there in the yellow/black helmet to the right.
Gotta go pat myself on the back for a while!
-Catherine

Can You Swim a Marathon?

2009-04-01T13:57:00.000-07:00

Dark storm clouds loom ahead in Pasadena.

Dan and Marie-Helene laughing with or at Nicola who ran the half marathon.
Therapist working out sore muscles.

Nicola with Husband and family after the race.

Trying to stay warm.

Finish line colors.

On March 20th, the city of Pasadena held its first annual Marathon and I was there to shoot the Founders Club VIP tent reception. The "Founders" are the group of people who initially provided financial backing to get the race going, so yay to them!

Family and friends came out to cheer their loved ones on... but the runners didn't just get medals... they got completely soaked. So much for the "it never rains in California" myth. It was completely pouring for several hours that morning, so while I was under the tent snapping pics, people were running 26.1 miles in the RAIN!

-Catherine

Oh look, the race is over and the sky is blue.

Enlightened Debauchery

2009-04-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

So we've been photographing this event in downtown LA each month called Mindshare. No, its not a creepy cult, its a bunch of brainiacs, artists and hipsters that get together once a month (3rd Thursday of the month) to network, sip cocktails and hear short presentations on topics ranging from The Expanding Universe to Pole Dancing.

Beyond that, there are interactive technology displays (think Mr. Wizard with a Gin & Tonic) and a bar that just keeps pouring drinks. Stir all that together with mood lighting and sweet DJ sets from Android Cartel and you've got yourself a party. Here's a selection of pics taken from the last few.

www.mindshare.la

Party-A-Go-Go!

2009-03-31T22:57:00.000-07:00

During the 2009 Tour of California bike race, Road Magazine threw an awesome party for the finish of stage 7. DJs were spinning, Red Bull was flowing, mirth was had... and I shot it all (well, I left before things got sloppy).

Anyhoo, a bunch of the pics can be seen in the April 2009 issue of Road Magazine so head out to your local bike shop and pick up a copy, yo! www.roadmagazine.net

the harmony of twisted metal

2009-01-18T11:43:00.000-08:00

i saw the la phil on friday nite, and besides the FANTASTIC concert (the rite of spring, so damn right!) i was thrilled to have a chance to walk around the fantastical walt disney concert hall. this is such an incredible building - i discover some new little corner or nook or wrinkle or everytime i walk around it's twisty goodness. my favorite place to go "just to go" in downtown, hands down. so inspirational.

-d

new roomies

2009-01-06T10:31:00.000-08:00

so, i was given a fish for my birthday. i think his name is walter (or really, waltah) but i've also called him pedro, ed, and dr. fish depending on my mood - he doesn't seem to mind. i quite like him and hate that he is alone all day long, so i got him a friend. i think they like each other.

-d

Earth Spins Off Its Axis!

2009-01-03T00:29:00.000-08:00

Went to Disneyland today to get a glimps at the Christmas decorations before they're put away on Monday. I'm fairly certain that the entire Earth's population was at the Disney parks today so I'm a little shocked that our little planet didn't go spinning off its axis as a result. Still, love that little Mouse... mingled with the heady scent of churros.

-Catherine

Happy Birthday D!

2008-12-31T10:40:00.001-08:00

Crack a Smile

2008-12-28T20:25:00.000-08:00

When it comes to family photos, my mom and brother seem to have the same idea. Keep the sunglasses on, and by all means, don't smile. Its tough convincing either of them that their faces light up with a little grin, but when they do, it makes me really happy. Don't get me wrong, I think my brother looks bad-ass with the aviators on, but for a family photo (which is RARE with us), its nice to see the family baby-blues, and the pearly whites making special guest appearances.

-Catherine

view from the passenger seat

2008-12-23T09:36:00.000-08:00

i was riding shotgun this weekend and was fortunate to have the mach 5 with me. the sky was that insanely blue socal winter blue and the clouds were just insane. made me glad to be in southern california...and then i saw the bro mobile, which made me doubly-glad to be in southern california.

rock on bro!

-d

Before the Tofurkey

2008-12-01T11:14:00.000-08:00

Started out my Thanksgiving morning with a hot cuppa joe and a slice (or 4) of home made vegan orange blueberry bundt cake. SO good! Even my non-vegan family thought it was yummy (and no, they didn't feed it to my cat or hide it in their napkins when I wasn't looking). Or did they?

-Catherine

4,000 Words

2008-11-15T23:41:00.000-08:00

Viva Las Vegas!

2008-11-14T15:31:00.001-08:00

In September I shot a wedding in sin city at the Palms Hotel. Katy and Ken rented out two super-posh suites for the ceremony and reception. And whether guests were playing pool in the G-Suite or dancing the night away across the hall in the Pink Suite (along side two gorgeous Go-Go Dancers), it was a great wedding bash!

I had such a blast with this couple and their friends and family just made it all the better. Its always so fun shooting people so in love.... and so ready to have fun. From pole dancing, go-go dancers, blow up dolls and a tower of sparkly sugar coated cup cakes... this wedding had it all.

Of course, there were some pics that screamed "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" which I won't share, but there were tons more of people just having the night of their lives. I'm so stoked I was there to capture it all. I've got to admit it was hard not to just drop the camera and start dancing when the song "Gold Digger" started blasting. Its the sacrafice you make as a photographer.

-Catherine

Veteran's Day - Supporting our Troop!

2008-11-13T23:09:00.000-08:00

Back in July we did a shoot with Heather. She's engaged to Chris, who's been stationed in Iraq since April and is coming back to the US later this month. As our little way of supporting our troop, we treated Heather to a mini photo shoot so she could send some photos to Chris for his birthday.

To keep Chris close to her heart, she had a special dog-tag engraved with his name and birthstone. She wears it around her neck on a black satin cord; she hasn't told him about it.

Anyway... here are a couple of my favorites from the shoot. The close up of the dog tag wasn't sent to Chris... she didn't want him to see it until he gets back.

Thinking about Veteran's Day this week, we couldn't help but think of Heather and Chris and their time apart. We can't wait for him to come home!

-Catherine

Woot!

2008-11-04T21:21:00.000-08:00

You know what we're talking about. It's November 4th. Yay. Yay. Yay. Yay!

*snifle*

Catherine & Deanna

P.S. Nuclear. Nuclear. Nuclear!

Hollwood Undead

2008-10-31T15:40:00.000-07:00

In line with the Halloween theme...

I shot promos for the band The Hollywood Undead back in mid September. They were just released on the band's web site as special bonus material for fans who bought the CD so yay for that! (yes, people still buy CDs)

In case you're wondering... the best part about shooting people wearing masks is you don't have to worry about the blinking. This is a shot of Johnny 3-Tears.... I liked this one the most because I found this cool butterfly mural to shoot in front of. See.... cuz there are butterflies on his mask. Us photographers don't miss anything!

Happy Chocolate day!

Catherine

happy halloween!!

2008-10-31T08:23:00.000-07:00

hope y'all have a lovely time gettin' yer pumpkin on. watch out for razor blades in fruit and whatnot...in fact, just to be safe, ditch the apples and stick with the butterfingers.

ciao!

Blog-A-Go-Go!

2008-10-23T12:25:00.000-07:00

Hey hep cats and kittens!

We decided to start a blog about all the wiz-bang photo shoots we're doing. It's been a busy first year here at Four Eyes. We've shot weddings in Denver, Las Vegas, San Diego, Los Angeles and even snapped a few shots at weddings in Savannah and Hawaii. It's been a year full of lovely I-do's and we can't wait for the next.

We're also crazy insane happy that a few of our friends are having same gender weddings. Everyone should be able to find their own special person with whom to share their happily ever after.

Cheers!

Catherine