Sunday, March 21, 2010

Postcards from Playa: Beach Cleanup

Playa del Rey, California
Remember 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.

Playa del Rey photographer

Can I just say I never want to see another styrofoam container in my life. Although I picked up a few big pieces like a Hershey wrapper, a few cigarette butts, and random pieces of plastic, the majority of what I found was little teeny tiny pieces of styrofoam. I am not exaggerating when I say I probably picked up about 200 pinkie-nail-sized pieces of that stuff.

Playa del Rey photographer

Thank you to Heal the Bay for organizing. If you'd like to help out, they do a beach clean up every month at a different location.

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posted by Polka Photos at 10:27 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

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Saturday, March 20, 2010

Please Vote for My Photo

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 send to your friends - the more votes the better. (Only 1 per email address is allowed).

Here's the link to vote:
Fearful Symmetry

THANK YOU!!!!

Playa del Rey photographer

The Tyger
by William Blake

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?


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posted by Polka Photos at 1:51 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

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Thursday, March 18, 2010

Photography 101

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 April 1 (no joke!)

HOW: I'll post a new assignment every Thursday. Then you'll take some super awesome photos and post them by the following Tuesday. We'll all discuss each other's photos.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Digital camera (point n' shoot OK, no camera phones) & online access to post photos

COST: Freeeeeeeeeeeeeee


Photo of Aleks and her first student by Michael Gonzalez

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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

The Tides of March

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

Playa del Rey photographer

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Sunday, March 14, 2010

Postcards from Playa: Sunset

Playa del Rey, California
As 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.

Playa del Rey photographer

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posted by Polka Photos at 4:44 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

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Friday, March 12, 2010

Before...

Los Angeles, California
You 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 baby-to-be. Without further ado, here's some shots of the happy expecting couple.

Los Angeles maternity portrait photographer

Los Angeles maternity portrait photographer

Los Angeles maternity portrait photographer

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posted by Polka Photos at 7:40 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

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After...

Playa del Rey, California
Natalie and Gerald came by my studio for some baby portraits of Kainani. We started out in the park. Isn't she adorable?

Los Angeles mom and baby portrait photographer

Kainani is about two-months-old in these photos. Her fingers and toes are so tiny. But her face is so expressive.

Los Angeles baby portrait photographer


She's already a daddy's girl!

Los Angeles baby portrait photographer

Mom and dad love the beach so we took some family photos there.

Los Angeles baby portrait photographer

Los Angeles baby portrait photographer

Los Angeles baby portrait photographer

It started to get cold so we wrapped up. Don't cry Kainani, I'll take more photos of you when you're bigger.

Los Angeles baby portrait photographer

Thank you Natalie and Gerald for coming out here and introducing me to your beautiful daughter!

Los Angeles baby portrait photographer

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posted by Polka Photos at 7:34 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

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Monday, March 8, 2010

Family Portraits on the Beach

San Pedro, California
I 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.

Los Angeles family portraits photographer

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 session! We'll start out with the monkey next time. For those of you that don't know the monkey (a Polka Photos exclusive), ask me about it at your next portrait session. It's guaranteed to make you smile.

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posted by Polka Photos at 3:56 PM 1 Comments Links to this post

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Sunday, March 7, 2010

Postcards from Playa: Sky Trees

Playa del Rey, California
It'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.

Playa del Rey photographer

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posted by Polka Photos at 11:35 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

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