Polka Photoblog - Los Angeles Wedding Photographer

Postcards from Playa: Beach Cleanup

2010-03-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

Playa del Rey, CaliforniaRemember my post about all the trash that washed up on the beach after the rains? I went to my first Heal the Bay beach clean up Saturday morning. I took a few quick shots with my point n' shoot. There were hundreds and hundreds of volunteers. It seemed like this was an unusually high turnout but the folks at Heal the Bay were super organized.Can I just say I never want

Please Vote for My Photo

2010-03-20T13:51:00.000-07:00

I entered one of my animal photos in PDN's faces portrait photography contest. I would be love if you would vote for it in the people's choice awards. To vote, click on the link below & enter your email, then you have to go through the email link that's sent to you & vote again. You'll know you did it right when you click the vote button and the total number of votes goes up.And feel free to

Photography 101

2010-03-18T16:37:00.000-07:00

I've had a few people ask me some how-to photo questions recently so I thought it would be fun to have a free basic photo class. If you'd like to participate, please send an email to class@polkaphotos.com. WHO: First 10 people to respond WHAT: Basic Photo Composition Class WHERE: Online - private class forum where you can post your photos & discuss WHEN: 6 weeks starting

The Tides of March

2010-03-16T00:08:00.001-07:00

Laguna Beach, CaliforniaI was scouting out some photo locations today and took this quick snapshot on the beach.

Postcards from Playa: Sunset

2010-03-14T16:44:00.000-07:00

Playa del Rey, CaliforniaAs I turned onto Culver Blvd. last night I was surprised by this vibrant orange and red sunset. I knew I had less than a minute before the sun was completely down. I found a lone ice plant flower in the Ballona Wetlands, the houses overlooking the protected area silhouetted in the distance.

Before...

2010-03-12T07:40:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles, CaliforniaYou might remember Natalie and Gerald from their downtown wedding last year. I convinced them to take a few maternity portraits. I got help from one of the bridesmaids who practically insisted that Natalie get some shots of the baby bump. I love the idea of celebrating pregnancy, and documenting that time of one's life. And I loved how excited Gerald was about the

After...

2010-03-12T07:34:00.000-08:00

Playa del Rey, CaliforniaNatalie and Gerald came by my studio for some baby portraits of Kainani. We started out in the park. Isn't she adorable?Kainani is about two-months-old in these photos. Her fingers and toes are so tiny. But her face is so expressive.She's already a daddy's girl!Mom and dad love the beach so we took some family photos there.It started to get cold so we wrapped up. Don't

Family Portraits on the Beach

2010-03-08T15:56:00.000-08:00

San Pedro, CaliforniaI was excited when Cicely called me about photographing her family. I shot Cicely and Robert's wedding the year before and it was fun to see their family again. We decided on taking the portraits on the beach.All the girls in the family...The older cousins...In a class of his own.After the beach we went up to the park area for a few more photos.Thank you for a fun portrait

Postcards from Playa: Sky Trees

2010-03-07T11:35:00.000-08:00

Playa del Rey, CaliforniaIt's hard to believe that palm trees are not native to Los Angeles. Although the California fan palm - Washingtonia filifera for you botanists - is native to southern California, many experts say it did not grow in LA. Now many different palms can be found all over the city, like these on Dockweiler Beach.

Postcards from Playa: Reflection

2010-02-28T22:44:00.000-08:00

Playa del Rey, CaliforniaI love this beachside neighborhood. I'd like to share some of my photos from the beach to the wetlands and everything in between in a series called Postcards from Playa.This photo is a reflection of the park at Del Rey Lagoon on my car roof.

Congratulations and Be Prosperous!

2010-02-14T01:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year!I'm lucky this tiger didn't eat me as I was taking his photo. This is Sundar. He's really a sweetheart. Just don't make him mad. It's his year after all, the Year of the Tiger.

Classic Chic Wedding in Santa Monica

2010-02-12T15:51:00.000-08:00

Santa Monica, CaliforniaChristina and Zander's elegant wedding continued in the ballroom at Shutters on the Beach.Immediately after the newlywed's entrance, Christina and her dad start their dance.The bride and groom then go into their first dance, which was beautifully choreographed with just the right amount of pizazz and romance. Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire would be proud.What better way to

Congratulations Christina & Zander!

2010-02-10T06:10:00.000-08:00

Santa Monica, CaliforniaThe one word that sums up Christina and Zander best is Fun (with a capital f). Their beautiful and elegant sunset ceremony at Shutters on the Beach was punctuated with laughter from the couple and their guests. What a great way to start a marriage!I start the day taking some photos of the couple getting ready in their gorgeous suite in Shutters. Christina is a picture of

One Person's Trash...

2010-01-23T16:10:00.000-08:00

Not a Treasure Playa del Rey, CaliforniaI was going to blog about how beautiful the beach looks after it rains. I can see all the way to Santa Monica and Malibu on one side, and the Palos Verdes Peninsula on the other. The views are sharp and crisp. Even the palm trees seem brighter against the blue skies.Many people think photos, unretouched photos that is, don't lie. The truth is, every time

Can You Stop the Rain?

2010-01-21T11:20:00.000-08:00

Playa del Rey, CaliforniaThere's something refreshing about the rain in Los Angeles. It washes away all the grime, clears the air, forces us all to slow down just a little bit. After three days of rain, it gets scary. Flooding, lots of accidents, potential mudslides. Maybe it's time for the rain to go away, and come back another day?

That's Amore!

2010-01-09T18:35:00.000-08:00

Huntington Beach, CaliforniaI met my husband a week after the start of the new millennium. We celebrated ten years (!!!) of knowing each other with a romantic and relaxing gondola ride through the canals of Huntington Harbour. Thank you to our awesome gondolier and to Sunset Gondola.Sunset Gondola imports their vessels direct from Venice, Italy. This gondola was crafted by hand. The details, like

Happy New Year!

2010-01-08T18:25:00.000-08:00

I'm finishing up my last wedding of 2009. Congratulations to Christina and Zander, and their fun-loving dog Einstein, seen here in front of Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica.If you haven't noticed, Polka Photos is also sporting a brand new logo. More exciting news to come! Happy 2010!

Congratulations Roxana & Claudiu!

2009-12-30T21:12:00.000-08:00

Anaheim, CaliforniaFall weddings are different in Southern California. For one, the days are often still sunny. And warm. Roxana and Claudiu had just such a day for their nuptials.But I'm getting ahead of myself. First things first. In this case, that would be the getting ready.Claudiu makes sure his bowtie is just right.Roxana holds in her dress as her mom and bridesmaid tie the corset

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T14:11:00.000-08:00

Hope your holidays are picture-perfect!And may all the magic and joy of the season be yours.

Photo Holiday Cards

2009-12-25T14:07:00.000-08:00

I love cards, all cards, Christmas cards, wedding invitations, birth announcements, birthday cards. I get excited when I see a card in the mail. It's almost a ritual from admiring the handwriting on the envelope and seeing which stamp the sender chose, to carefully opening it, feeling the weight of the paper in my hand, oohing the photo or design on the front, and only then opening the card and

Vote in the People's Choice Awards

2009-12-18T22:32:00.000-08:00

I recently entered the Top Knots wedding photo contest. I would love it if you would vote for my photo of the lovely Ashley & Brian for the People's Choice Awards.To vote, please click on the link below. There is only one vote per email address. You will get an email from the contest & need to click on the email link to verify your vote. Then click on "return to voting page" and THEN click the

Polka Wins the Bronze!

2009-12-14T08:22:00.000-08:00

I received an email this morning from the International Aperture Awards letting me know my photo of Claudia and Tony won the bronze in the wedding division. Woohooo! This year bronze, next year platinum!

Fun With Trains

2009-12-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

Poway, CaliforniaI took a trip to Old Poway Park for some fun family portraits. If these faces look familiar, it's probably because I took their family portraits last year.This family started with Liz and Joel, the very first wedding I photographed. I knew Liz in college, where I was studying photojournalism. Their first kiss lasted less than a millisecond but they've been making up for it ever

Good Charlotte

2009-12-11T21:25:00.000-08:00

Chicago, IllinoisI met Charlotte on a hot Chicago day. Here she is chillin' on the couch.This baby likes to fly.She loves her mom...and she loves her dad.And she loves playing with her doggies Ricky and Lucy.What doesn't Charlotte love? The grass. I think it may have been too scratchy so we only took a few photos on the grass, then took the rest either on her blanket or indoors.Charlotte has the

Wishes Do Come True!

2009-12-11T19:58:00.000-08:00

Chicago, IllinoisI thought I'd catch up on posting family and baby portrait sessions from this fall.This is Ava. And yes, she is that cute.I met Ava's parents, Sandy and Albert, when I photographed their Vegas wedding. I also met Ava's grandma, who wrote a special wish for the couple.Well her dream came true, and Grandma loves her new grandbaby.The photo session was very relaxed and we talked