I 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 you point your camera you are choosing what to show, and what not to show. As many of you know, I went to school for photojournalism and freelanced for several newspapers. A photojournalist's job is to tell the story truthfully. As a wedding photographer, my goal is to tell the story of your day honestly, but also beautifully. So if your wedding location is undergoing renovations and there's a construction-orange fence on one side (which did happen last year), I will choose the pretty trees as the background for your ceremony photos.

I could've done the same thing with this post, but instead I thought I'd share what I really saw on the beach.

and labels...

Maybe you're sick of looking at photos of all this junk. So am I. And so are other Angelenos like the volunteers for Heal the Bay's Nothin' But Sand cleanups. Next clean-up for Dockweiler Beach is March 20. Anyone want to join me?

There'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?

I 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 this seahorse, are gorgeous.
It's a bit surreal floating in a boat that could have been made centuries ago, passing by modern day cruisers.

Happy Anniversary to us!

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!

Fall 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.



The couple said their vows in an outdoor ceremony at Kindred Community Church.
Roxana's mom and stepdad share a laugh before escorting her down the aisle.



Then he took this photo of me.



And of course we had to include Winston the dog.

The flowergirl's sister took photos all night long.
This salad looks so pretty!

Hope your holidays are picture-perfect!

I especially love seeing the cards made by Polka Photos clients. All of my wedding and portrait packages include photos on disc because I believe that photos keep memories alive for years to come. I also think it's fun to use those photos on cards from save-the-dates to holiday cards.

Here's a couple of cute cards from Charlotte's photo session. Her mom couldn't decide between two photos, so she made two different cards. I think both are adorable.