we went to a photographers' convention in las vegas. it's called wppi. we took very few pictures but here's one i set up in the hotel. some of us look better than others, but then this project is about yan.
new and lovely things | utah wedding photographer
i love looking around this time of year and seeing the way everybody's souls seem to come alive after winter. its these first, bright warm days of the season that wake us up with their newness, and inspire the beginnings of things. around yan land, we have been making changes that we are excited to share. the new website is only a day or so away from launching, and with it a giveaway bigger than we've ever attempted before. though i wish i could share all of it with you right now, its not quite done cooking. but it smells really really good.
however, there is one element of the new site i can show. and it has all the prettiness and fresh feelings of spring. i have a talented friend who seems to exhale loveliness. she is a giver and a maker, and just wonderful all around. i've really been wanting to incorporate other types of art into my art. i asked for her to make a painting of a bride, and she presented me with this:
isn't she perfect? the artist is named ashmae, please go see more of her work here:
http://birdsofashmae.blogspot.com/
i promise it will be a nice way to kick off your weekend.
edited to add:
after consulting with uncle marty, he encouraged me to put up some of our favorite photos that will be appearing on the new site. oh alright. walk down memory lane, starting with the artist mentioned above:
one to twentynine . four / utah wedding photographer
martin: when i was younger i would insist my eyes were grey. it never went on my driver's license or anything, but occasionally someone would squint at me and lean a little closer and ask, "what color are your eyes?" at first i wasn't sure why people kept asking me that, but i took a good look in the mirror and decided they really were strange. almost grey.
in the beginning of diana and martin, during one of our all-important discussions about life, the universe, and volvos the subject of eye color was brought up. by that point i was over the "my eyes are grey" thing, but i still felt a special connection when diana said her eyes were "watery brown." it's the color of our daugthers' eyes. yes, watery brown. let's get that on your driver's license.
marty's 1 to 29, behind the scenes | utah photographer
let's all hold hands and chant serenely, "we'll get through this together...we'll get through this together." because let me tell you that when the last few strands of daylight are slipping behind the mountains, and marty says to me, "we need to take your picture," and i haven't showered since, well, since, and i've spent the entire day yanking my shirt down to cover the fact that my stomach quadrupled in size in less than 24 hours, and my pants are never buttoned---well, i feel for my clients. because sometimes getting your picture taken is really really really super a lot hard. sigh. i want to support marty, really i do. but do you want to know what actually happens during picture time? i get all stressed out and suggest a million different things for him to try, and ask annoying questions like, "is the camera even on me? it doesn't even look like you're taking a picture of me....did you lock the focus? i didn't hear the beep....shouldn't i stand over there? are you even listening to me?" and on and on and on and on....and marty get's frustrated that i'm trying to "take control," and then i realize i'm my worst nightmare in terms of a client, and try to shape up, but by this time the shoot is pretty much over.
then i snatch the camera from him and scroll through the pictures mega fast, telling him all the things he did wrong and picking apart my appearance just like every other woman i like to pretend i'm not like. yes, i'm THAT mean, and let's not forget, hypocritical.
but, there's good news. namely that i married the most patient man on the planet, on every planet actually, including pluto before it got the boot.
second, i like this picture. even though everything i said about its circumstance is true (i ended up taking a five minute shower, insisting a wet hair portrait would be cool). even though i don't have any makeup on, and was not blessed with eyebrows (though i hope in the next life?), even, even, even though, there is a limb chop i won't even mention...
i think this portrait is really nice. so thanks marty. you made me feel pretty. and i promise i'll do better.
p.s. people, don't worry, we have photos of other living, breathing humans we are excited to share soon!
uncle marty's second portrait, and baby update | utah photographer, idaho photographer
so i saw the dr. today. not my doctor. but the ultrasound doctor. i get to have some extra ultra sounds during this pregnancy because of what i so ominously mentioned before about the baby's "condition." i really feel bad for going and getting you all worked up and concerned, because truly, it appears as though things will be just fine with our baby boy. you see, his umbilical cord (or is it mine? not sure how that all works out...) should have three vessels, but his only has two (way to stand out junior! you know i enforce being different!!!). also, apparently this cord is truly delinquent because it decided to implant on the side of my placenta rather than the center....both of those things increase the risk of additional birth defects (none detected thus far), and a baby that may or may not be a little on the small side. so the dr.'s have to keep a close eye to make sure he grows the way that he should. all things considered ---- namely one of my best friend's who just lost her brand new precious little one, and another friend who sadly miscarried at 9 weeks, we are extremely, extremely lucky.
and i think that's good to remember.
dear yan,
yesterday i did some reading on these cluster headaches i've been having. the weirdest thing about them is how scheduled they are and that's how i know they're not migraines. right now i'm having them at noon and 3 am. remember in hawaii how i had them for over a month? well, apparently that's normal. and it's apparently normal to think suicidal thoughts because the pain is so intense (i must be either really tough or have a 'mild' case of cluster headaches although i did wish i could die once in hawaii). i read one statement from a physician who said he believes cluster headaches cause the worst pain known to man (he mentioned childbirth specifically, but i still reverence childbirth as the pinnacle of pain).
i just want to thank you for being so sweet. it warmed my heart that you got the medication for me this morning. and i was so grateful that you took an initiative since a headache came on just as you came through the door.
sticking to the bright side, i'm grateful for the pain i've experienced because it's taught me to work and serve even though i'm uncomfortable. it helped my self-esteem the other day when i helped my dad lay the floor through my noon headache. and i feel better about myself when i can still be a nice person to everyone (especially our girls) even when i'm in extreme pain. so i'm grateful for what it's taught me and made me believe about myself. and i love you all the more for what it teaches me about you. yesterday, when you said you were too self-absorbed, i couldn't remember ever disagreeing with you so strongly. you are the most unselfish person i know.
i love you.
marty