City: Madiera, Portugal

So I was in a black & white mood today. To date this will constitute as by biggest blog post with 27 images. The place is Madiera, Portugal but it really was a world apart. The island was very cool and calm weather. The food very good and the people very inviting.




Here is my small little boat called the Ruby Princess. Just a shot to compare the size to the rest of the city. Hmmm....



The little streets had such character in the detail of the construction...





I found a great vacation resort on the edge of the city over looking the Atlantic Ocean...





This was great...a little ride down the hills of the town. First they get the cars off the truck...



Then you pay 25 euros to take a pretty cool and fast ride...








A great place to sit, read a book and let the rest of the world go about it's crazy day...




Beautiful gardens to climb and explore...

Wedding: Heather & Abe

The day was perfect. A light breeze filled with the shower of the sun gave the blue sky a glorious glow. The city was calm and traffic seemed to take a vacation to another city. I walked over to The Green Hotel and suddenly I was taken back to a time when Nat King Cole, Glenn Miller and Doris Day ruled the radio. The hotel was gorgeous and seemed to say "I will not go forward with you in time. This is where I will stay. You are always welcome to visit."

A nice day for a white wedding. Heather & Abe. Both very sweet and welcoming people that treated me like they'd known me for years. And I gave back the sentiment. I automatically loved this couple. They had taste. They had to in order to pick such a great place to say their vows. The wedding was shot alongside Cakes and Kisses Wedding Photography. Enjoy a peek to the past.

Santiago Valencia

My Two Cents: Taking Care of Your Back

So I was talking to a friend and great photographer Peter Garr. And the topic was our backs. What I mean is taking care of your backs and how we break them at work. As wedding photographers we go through the ringer on the weekends. Usually it is a 8 to 12 hour day on your feet, carrying a large camera with an even larger lens. Then we run around and bend over and crouch and stretch just to get the shot. Don't get me wrong, I love doing my work but it can take a tool on our bodies.

So we started talking about how important it is to take care of our bodies but our backs in particular. Going the chiropractor and getting a massage every couple of weeks or month seems to be a good idea. I know that it can add up in $$$ but it's well worth it in the long run. I said that we should set some money aside for this as you would saving for taxes or lenses or any other needed business expense. Afterall, I don't want to be a 40 year old Quasimodo one day! I still have lots to do and I need my back to get me there.

That's just my two cents.
Santiago Valencia

Wedding: Lily & Will

Lily & Will have to be one of the most kindest couples I've ever come across. We met through a friend and as luck would have it they were on their way to getting married. When we met they were so into each other and had fun at their engagement session. (See blog post on July 1st, 2009)

Their wedding was so beautiful and the church they picked was equally impressive. But once the night time came that's when the guests let loose. Party time was here! It was laughs and fun through out the night.

Thanks guys for letting me a part of the great day. Enjoy the pix.
SV