The 12 Best Photos of 2012

2012 has been a year of great fortune not just for my business but also for me as a photographer. Having procured clients who are generous in spirit, I successfully booked and shot 125 projects! Yes, I've done the math and that equates to a very limited personal life, but having an interchangeable career and personal life make that distinction arbitrary. I love what I do and find myself documenting all the time, revealing stories anxious to be told. 

When I started my business 3 years ago, I dreamed of a long, successful career as a wedding photographer. Life is funny sometimes and I now receive 75% of my business from lifestyle and portraiture, my true photographic niche. Sometimes life chooses you instead of the other way around, so, if I have learned anything about entrepreneurship, it is that sometimes one must just buckle their seat belt and hold on for the ride. And oh, what a ride it's been!

Please help me celebrate the arrival of 2013 with the 12 Best Photos of 2012.

The first shoot of the year came out with a bang and I was commissioned to shoot the Dennes Family on NYC's first snowy day of 2012 in Central Park. 

In February I shot Al & Kate's Engagement photos in Chelsea and they were later featured in the New York Times Style Section!

Diana & Drey are not just clients, but also very good friends and I was flattered to be asked to shoot their maternity portraits in March. 

Shooting a destination wedding is every photographer's dream and I loved shooting this  Curacao wedding!

As the weather in New York began to break and spring rolled in with the afternoon breeze, my dear friends the Cimmiyotti's, commemorated nearly a decade in NYC and their move to California with a family shoot. This picture of Pablo is a favorite! 

By the time June rolled around I had grown accustomed to a seven day work week. Just when I thought I might lose my mind, I learned my Faces of Harlem Project (!) would be featured in the inaugural Harlem Arts Festival. Here was my promo piece created by the amazing, Yeri Yun Designs. 

My very best friend from childhood was expecting her second addition and we opted for a beautiful, timeless shoot on the exclusive Pt. Mugu Beach in July. What a busy month but this was my favorite shoot by far!

I spent most of August on a month long journey to Indonesia and Vietnam. Unfortunately (tsk, tsk!) I have not published any of my DSLR photos due to my workload upon return stateside. Here is my favorite Instagram photo from Bali.

Scott and Fio have shot with me twice now, both times to celebrate their anniversary. Their 2nd Anniversary West Village Shoot was as classic as it was romantic. 

The fall months were very, very busy with lots of weddings. First was Robbie & Katie's wedding at Mt. Gulian in Beacon, NY. 

Another favorite fall shoot was Dayna & Ryan's engagement in Harlem. SWOON! Timely as the iconic Lenox Lounge shuts its doors after five long decades. 

2012 ended with a bang and I couldn't feel more blessed to have a thriving, bi-coastal business. With a re branded website on the way (2/1/13, stay tuned!), sold out minisessions in NYC and another show at The Shrine, I'd like to close this post by sharing an image that exudes love and another favorite theme, urban renewal.  

The most refined works I've churned out are usually shot in my favorite neighborhoods and LouAnn & Roland's Fort Greene shoot is no exception. 

May this be a year of great prosperity to all my clients, fans, family and friends! Happy New Year! 

Central Park Maternity Shoot | Giovanna

What can I say, Central Park has been a popular destination for clients with the warmer weather and the Grouponers were no exception. It's always a challenge to recreate spaces I've already shot in, but Gio and Jared made that job easy because they were easy and generous thought partners. If they had an idea about an images they shared it, we tried it and kept it moving. Ah, the ideal clients! 


Congrats to the Millers on their baby-to-be!

Santa Monica Maternity Shoot | Rick & Vibet

Your first friend in life is usually your sibling and being an only child from a BIG extended family, my first friend was my cousin, Vibet. We are just three months apart, though you could never tell because I was always a head taller than her. We share very fond memories of childhood like weekly trips to the swap meet, dollar store and/or outlet malls {what can I say, Filipinos really know how to shop!} and swimming from dusk till dawn. We did like most California kids did, carrying on in true rascal fashion! Those memories seem very recent though they are now footprints in the sand. 


In just about a month, Rick and Vibet will welcome Baby D, a mini me, into their lives and I will become a ninang for the very first time. It's hard to believe since Vibet is still an admitted Hello Kitty fanatic herself, but with her swelling belly, all we can do is await their little girl with excitement! 


Enjoy some snaps from our mini session on the Santa Monica Pier this past weekend. 

Harlem Maternity Portraits | Sylvia

Sylvia's the homie, I mean we go way back to our freshman year in college and share so many lovely life experiences. My favorite, however included sharing a bed for a summer, in a 5 floor walk - up, with no air conditioning! 


While she's on baby #3 (born just about a week ago!), I'm birthing businesses --- not quite the same but the 'labor of love' idea certainly applies. Anywho, in search of some photos to document her "last" pregnancy, we decided to try out some studio lighting in my apartment. Not too bad for my first go 'round, right? My model wasn't too shabby either! In fact, Sylvia was glowing and feeling so fly that the second half of our shoot was dedicated to her request of shooting just her '...face, no belly.' I included just a couple of those outtakes since they had us laughing for about an hour! 


Sylvia's still got it, pregnant or not!

Expecting! | Diana & Drey

Diana and I go way back to the early New York days. At the time, we were young grad students, from California and blessed with a wide variety of dancing shoes, more time than you can dream of and a whole lot of energy. Oh, the good ‘ole days!

Like many of our other sisters who have moved away, ventured into married life and entered parenthood {not in that particular order}, Diana and Drey are now expecting a little bundle of joy later this spring. Aren’t the lovebirds glowing in anticipation?! 

Congrats Diana & Drey on the arrival of little boy Campos! We can’t wait to meet him and begin his photographic odyssey.