Personal: Grateful for Photography

So I'm sitting at my desk and looking at my calendar and wondering how in the world another year came and went so fast!? I mean it's really more like another decade has come and gone not just a year. Life has a funny way of going by faster the older you get. Maybe it's nature's way of saying, "You now have less time to do the things you love than you did yesterday." Kind of a scary thought but a true one.

So I stumble around trying to get organized to finish projects before the year is up and I come across this picture of my two boys that was taken about 10 years ago. And again, the thought of "Where does the time go?" comes across my thoughts. And then I have another thought, "I'm so glad that I became a photographer." We have the power to capture and hold on to the memories that brought us here. I look at the picture above in awe because I just don't remember how they looked in my own memory! If it weren't for this picture I surely would have forgotten it on my own. But thanks to a little invention called the camera I don't ever have to forget. That is such a great, great thing. I'm grateful for that.

Forgive me for being so nostalgic lately but I didn't really notice this whole 'You only get one life' thing as much before as in 2009. Now if you know me I'm not into the New Year Resolution idea but I do look at Jan. 1st as a milestone and a way to get re-juiced to making life as best as it can be. So I look at 2o1o as a great thing. A great thing because I have lots of plans this coming year. I feel like I've done away with most of the things that weren't serving me as much so hopefully it will make it easier to advance faster. It sometimes takes a lot of time and planning and failing and thinking and beer to figure out who you are and where you've come from. I'm not saying that I'm there but I know I'm closer. And thanks to photography I'll never have to forget where it all started. :)

-Santiago Valencia

Portraits: Debra Morrison

About a month ago a photography friend of mine, Debra Morrison, and I decided to head out to Disneyland and have some fun shooting some portraits. We got there later in the day so I knew that I didn't have too much time to get the shots I wanted before the sun set. So we hustled finding places that had interesting backdrops.

Debra is used to being behind the camera so this was kind of a new spin for her. (Although, I think she did some modeling before.) Working with her was surprisingly easy! She was a natural in front of the camera just like she is behind it.

As the time came and went I was really happy with what we had found. As I looked into my camera I saw some really nice shots but I didn't really know what I had until I got home. As soon as I got the images on my computer I knew that this had turned out to be one of my favorite sessions ever. The pictures came out so great that it took me forever to edit down to the best ones. So here's a sample of my favorites. Enjoy. :)

-Santiago Valencia

Portraits: Gonzalez Holiday Session

Last weekend I was lucky enough to be chosen to shoot some holiday pictures for the Gonzalez Family. According to them this was the first time that certain members had ever been shot together. I thought that doing this at Xmas time was a perfect idea. So I went over to their home and we went to work.

Using a 500 watt strobe light and some reflectors I was able to transform the living room into a photography studio. The lighting worked very well in this medium space.



Waiting for them to mess around with each other was the perfect time for me to capture those fun moments...





The easy thing for me was working with such fun personalities. No one seemed to by camera shy. I was able to bring out some great smiles like in this shot with Monica...




Another cool thing was that it was Marcus' birthday. Happy birthday...Ummmm... you gonna eat that??



Thanks to the Gonzalez Family for inviting me into their home and recording some great holiday moments. Happy Holidays.

-Santiago Valencia

Happy Holidays from Santiago Valencia Photography

So we are heading into a brand new decade. Wow, amazing how things come and go. Looking back at this year I had such a wonderful time with my photography. I met and got to work with some fantastic photographers like Jen O'Sullivan, Holly Steen, Debra Morrison, Monica Carlson, Shannon Lee, Asgeir Bollson, Gary Fong, Joe Buissink, Julia Dean, Dennis Reggie, Alicia Jeva, Brittany Keene, Rebecca Yee, Candice Cunningham, Peter Garr, Cherie, Connie Gudino, John Siskin, Marina Dzessa-Gilham, Sarah Hasenfus, Nathalie Seguin, Suze Fernandez Shearer, Tibor Deme plus others. It was a complete pleasure.

That's a great thing about our photography community...we support each other. You would think that we act cut throat when it comes to business but surprisingly it is quite the opposite. We are always there for each other when the need arises. There was always something to learn.

I myself am very much looking forward to the new year of 2010. I have lots of exciting plans in the works including a few photography trips to Montreal, Spain and Mexico. I'll keep you all posted. In addition to that I am shooting some more great weddings in 2010. Now that we all seem to be part and moving forward with the digital photography revolution I think that we are going to see some incredible things when it comes to quality, work flow and technology. So hold on to your hats.

On a more personal level I sincerely wish for you and your families to have a great season. Stick together and send out much love. We all need each other at all times. Also get out there and see the world - it's an amazing place. And take a camera with you too! ;)

Happy Holidays. xoxo,
-Santiago Valencia

World Series: Irish Silence

Arriving at the Dublin Airport was exciting. I'd always wanted to see Ireland. They say that the whole place is green. They say that the air is clean and the people are nice. Now at last I get to check it out for myself.

The airport was small but that's okay, I like them that way. A car is rented and the bags are put in the trunk. There's a map in the glove compartment and I realize that I can go anywhere. I don't have any appointments. I don't have any deadlines. So I get the idea to put away the map and get lost. No map, no plan, no specific direction.

I get on the freeway and see that the legend is true. It is green everywhere. On the sidewalks, in the mountains, in front of people's homes. Green is the national color and with stunning reason. I'm not sure where I'm headed but my compass in my dashboard tells me that it is south.

I decide to get off and check out the local scene. I see the beautiful homes and can only imagine how simple there lives must seem. Time here passes slower than in a big city like L.A. or N.Y. And that's a good thing - more time to enjoy life and friends. A paved road ends and a gravel one begins so I accept the invitation and go up a small hill not knowing what to expect. As I go up all I see is blue. It's a blue that is vivid. Wow. Then the road starts down revealing the coast and the Atlantic Ocean. There are only a couple of homes out here right on the sharp edge of Ireland. Talk about solitude. I get out and walk around. The breeze is hard but liberating. I smell the freshness of the wind and then notice it. There's no one around. There are no cars (except mine) and there's no sight of any civilization as far as I can tell. It is silent...

-Santiago Valencia

Travel: Night Streets of Dublin

The last time I was in Dublin I got to stay a couple nights and enjoy the night life. I cruised the streets and saw so many interesting images that I went back to my hotel and grabbed my camera. I knew that I would regret it if I didn't. I was impressed with the lighting job they did to the buildings - it was all color coordinated!! Cool.


As you can imagine the pubs always had people surrounding them. Now I'm not sure if it's the water or just that I was in Ireland but the beer there tasted soooo good. I'm not really a big drinker but when in Rome... ;)



Sometimes it was like being on a film set. Something we are only used to experiencing at Universal Studios...





If you haven't been there I would recommend you bring someone special. The walks in the city are very romantic.



There it is. The main building for Heineken Beer in Dublin. Think they give free samples??? :)
-Santiago Valencia

Wedding: Dimitri & Stacy

On May 29, 2009 I shot a really cool and fun wedding. The lucky couple was Dimitri & Stacy. What made it so fun were the great people that attended. They were in such great spirits and so funny. Alongside Jen O'Sullivan, I experienced this Greek Orthodox Wedding that produced some great shots. Enjoy.



I guess that's an inside joke...



Yes, practice makes perfect...


Dimitri was so animated with his looks that sometimes I couldn't tell if he was joking or really scared! ;)



The crew...


The kid:
the only one to keep his cool...




And here she comes, Stacy...




I love capturing those inquiring looks from the brides. It always makes them look so beautiful...



A gorgeous shot just moments before the ceremony starts...





I bet you didn't know but there were actually 5 Beatles... ;)



The church had such great details...




Sweet...

Dimitri & Stacy
May 29, 2009