I can’t thank enough people for last year. I’ve had the opportunity to have a couple of great mentors to help guide me, and incredible friends who are all coming up together. Edmund Prieto, Victor Sizemore, my thanks are not enough. Eli, Kenny, Kristen, Desiree, George, Jess/Tim, Sara/Steve, Regis, Melissa and Natalie, thanks for such a great year! God bless you.

There are still several weddings to post from 2011 that I haven’t gotten around to. Nevertheless I’m just as excited to show them.

Here’s a huge mixup of everything beautiful, in between, and moments overlooked :

P.S. Our 2012 Wedding Contest Giveaway submission deadline will be extended for ONE MORE WEEK. We’ve had some amazing submissions so far, and want to make sure we reach the maximum amount of awesome couples, because this is for them!

Please share your thoughts below!

Daniel Cruz Photography is pleased to announce our Wedding Contest Giveaway!!! This contest caters to weddings WORLD WIDE. Yes, you heard right. Every wedding across the ocean, over the mountain, and under the bridge.

What’s included :

• Engagement session.
• 8 hours of wedding day coverage.
• Retouched images on disc.
• Custom slideshow to share with your friends and family.
• (upgrades such as custom leather albums are available at an additional cost)

The idea came about this past November you see. I want to give an amazing couple the chance to earn this gift. More than hair cuts, more than nails done and more than that scarf you bought for the Winter. This is my gift of memories that will last forever.

ADMISSION

Submit one photo of you and your fiance’ via daniel[at]danielcruzphoto[dot]com with the subject “WEDDING CONTEST”.

This is what needs to be included :

• NAME OF BRIDE AND GROOM
• DATE AND VENUE LOCATION OF WEDDING (If not known you are not eligible to apply.)
• ADMISSION ENDS MIDNIGHT TUESDAY, JANUARY 30th, 2012.

ROUND ONE

Upon receiving your entry I will publish each couple’s photo to the Daniel Cruz Photography page on Facebook starting the morning of MONDAY, JANUARY 23rd, 2012.

NOW LISTEN CLOSELY :

FIRST, EVERY VOTE FOR YOU YOU MUST LIKE OUR PAGE ITSELF. From there, it is the will of the Bride and Groom, and their family and friends to vote for each couple. The Bride and Groom will gain one vote per each “like” they receive on their photo. Simple enough right? So spread the word to all of your family and friends, and gain support!

The THREE Bride and Groom couples with THE MOST VOTES by MONDAY, JANUARY 30th, 2012 will advance to the final round.

FINAL ROUND

We want to know you!

Now here is where it gets interesting. Once the three couples are chosen to advance, contestants will then submit a VIDEO telling us :

• Your names.
• How you met.
• What makes you different as a couple?
• Why you want to win this contest?
• What would it mean if you won?

Ultimately it was such a fun time being somewhere different for a change, and getting the chance to drive up to Sequoia National Park. Being in Southern California pretty much all my life brought some surprises as we walked among giant trees. It was an awesome experience being above the clouds fog way up in the mountains. Well, the fog could be called dust if you’re looking at the glass half empty. Acres upon acres of farmlands make up the California Green Belt where my parents live. Everything from oranges to chestnut wood is grown there. So the next time you want orange juice and supplies to build a table, go there for sure. haha

Here’s some images as we jumped across rocks, climbed through black widow infested trees, and screamed through the forest to hear the reverberation of our voices :

Why is it special? Sommer is the awesome owner of Kayden’s Kake Pops, who lent a big hand with my Elegant Wedding Style shoot this past November. They were so well made and so delicious that I offered her and her beautiful family a session!

When I first met up with Sommer she was missing her husband, Brett, pretty bad. He was away for a couple of months for job training, and I followed all of her status updates about how her and kids missed him. We planned for the shoot when he visited for Holiday leave this last week, and it was awesome seeing them together again!

We had such a great time hanging with the Haas family. Their kids are sooo cute and fun to watch run around. And her baby girl Kaiden was an ANGEL. Completely calm the whole time with not one fuss! …With the addition of a few ounces of slobber. Brett is one of the nicest guys too. Together they were completely down for my suggestions, and that is GOLD to me. I love GOOOLLLDDDD (video)

Sarina helped me and shot some amazing images, starting with this first one and all of the behind-the-scenes shots at the end. It was cool having her around to watch the kids while I shot some solo portraits of Sommer and Brett. I guess I could get used to it! haha
Tickling = effective. Working men.All that is man. haha Some behind the scenes :Totally surprised that Sarina fired off these 2 EPIC shots! She’s the bomb, like Corbin Dallas. (video)
P.S. What’s next? I’ll be throwing some images up from our New Year’s trip up north, mainly from Sequoia National Park! So beautiful it will blow your mindz, with a Z.

P.S.S. This weekend I’ll be announcing BIG NEWS for 2012 brides. You don’t want to miss this, bro!

Please share your thoughts below!

Here’s a few of my favorite shots:

While Kristen covered the girls in a second room, I was with the guys in a wood furnished locker room. The tones were amazing!STOP.HAMMER TIME.P.S. I do have a few more posts coming up to end this amazing year for me. Perhaps the best posts. ;] Until then I’ll be creating a “The Best Of” post for you all. Until then, be well!

Please share your thoughts below!

Fast forward to Thanksgiving, I brought my camera along to document recent times as my Grandma Rose goes through cancer treatment, and as my Grandpa Miguel recovers from his recent leg amputation. Ultimately he needs both legs amputated but his body was too weak to sustain losing another leg.

Give thanks for having time with the ones you love, and give thanks for being alive.

Here’s a few shots I took in between stuffing myself with food, and playing football on the most narrow and sketchiest block:
Pee-Wee, the new addition.Life is so fragile. Over the last couple of years I’ve told Sarina countless times that I value my family so much more these days. When I was younger, I thought as so: Video games were more important than staying by my Grandma Gloria’s side when she was passing. I didn’t know any better, as expected.

Life is so fragile. I remembered it all over again when I saw Grandma Rose stand a little shorter than what I had remembered. I remembered it all over again when I gave her a hug and felt a very prominent bone structure on her shoulders. She was in great spirits though, masking the pain I’m sure. I’m just here to blog, and say that I love my family. :] My dad’s brother Bubba. My cousins are always cracking jokes. My dad gave a prayer before we ate. We all said what we were thankful for too. Thankful for all that I have.

Center: My grandma’s sister The Geraldine. Not just Geraldine, The Geraldine. Everyone on the block knows her name. She’s the definition of an OG. She’s seriously the baddest woman I know. haha
My nephews Nate and Dom.Cruz, Becerra, and De Alba: UNITE. 

Love this guy so much I can’t even put into words. Throughout his whole life he’s proven to be so strong. He gave his life to Christ and got away from gang life in Casa Blanca: One of the most deadliest places to be back then. This post is inspiring me to tell the story of my father. Perhaps this coming year I’ll have a story ready to tell of why he means so much.

Yup, that’s my dad. Daniel Roy Cruz Sr. Wait, did I just give out my middle name?! :O

And who can forget Ahumada’s market? It’s been on my grandma’s block FOREVER. Many a’ sketchy dealings go down here. From at least 4 people hanging out in front at any given time, to conspicuous “hand offs”, this all comes to mind when visiting Grandma Rose. P.S. Reflect on what you’re thankful for. Hold on to it.

What’s next on the blog: A wedding from Sierra La Verne.

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This is the accumulation of those 2 months.

Prior, I’ve had an itch to start doing styled shoots, but never had a go at it until I finally forced myself to tell Sarina out loud: “I think I want to set up my own shoot”. I knew exactly how stressful it would be throughout the whole process, so when it came down to it, I was ready to bend and flex under the pressure. The pressure of every item but THE PARK BEING CLOSED ON THE DAY OF THE SHOOT.

-__- We’ll get to that in a second.

My planning had begun: slow at first, and built up to a climax all the way until the night before the shoot. On day one I knew who most of my team would be, though I still had to meet up with these amazing vendors and win them over.

Flash back 5 years to high school, I had the hardest time even talking to girls. Yes, I’m 23. Awesome math. I’m a shy person even to this day, though not as bad. What God has brought in my life was a precursor to me doing what I love. One of my first jobs was serving at a restaurant. As crazy as it was, I learned to come out of my shell and approach everyone like second nature.

I stopped by Blooms De Amor a few months back and had a long conversation with Sarah Payten, the owner. We talked about business and life, and built a pretty awesome friendship. I dropped some business cards off that same day and walked away knowing that she would be a great help in the future.

That’s what it’s about though. MAKING FRIENDS. Don’t be concerned with what he/she can do for you, or even what you can do for them. Build and upkeep a relationship with them, then go from there. Everyone needs friends.

About two months later, I pushed through my nerves and asked if she’d like to be apart of my team. I was ready and prepared to hear a no. Perhaps I just like to prepare for the worst. haha It wasn’t a no, but rather absolutely. She believed in my work, and gave me creative control to any design I’d like! I walked out with a smile, thanking God’s grace, and for wonderful people in the world.

Right off the bat I knew I’d have to have Celeste Bernabe, of Celeste Styling & Artistry, on the team. She had been killing every project she worked on with some great photographers, so it was an easy decision. Like Sarah Peyton, I didn’t know Celeste before calling a creative meeting with her. We had some coffee and looked over more images of hair and makeup than a normal guy is used to. Freals’. Fast forward to dropping her off at her car after the shoot, she proved to be a sweet soul and a common Filipina sista’ alongside Sarina. Really though, we tested her blood. Sarina gets stoked when she meets new Asian friends. haha

Again, I FORCED myself out of my comfort zone to make something happen! As photographers, we NEED to scratch the surface of things, and let out a loud yell battle cry, or no one will know we’re here.

So you can see a trend. I had to teach myself about everything I wanted! I had to learn about flowers, and dealt with the reality that the flowers I wanted were not in season! Of course, I found an alternative that was just as beautiful. Just like flowers: WHAT THE HECK IS A SMOKEY EYE? O__o

Just like a smokey eye: HOW THE HECK DO YOU MAKE CAKE POPS? O__O

Also on the team was the fabulous Sommer Haas of Kayden’s Kake Pops. When I met with her, she had an amazing presentation. She had her order sheet and flavor list ready to go, alongside her business cards and company sweatshirt she was rocking. AWESOME. For the shoot, she produced such beautiful work and matched the color that I wanted perfectly. Not only did they look great, they tasted FREAKING AWESOME…AWESOME…awesome (with an echo).

At the last minute I also had my good friend Jc Guzman take some video of the shoot which was later made into a sneak peek for this post. He’s been a good friend of mine since we had long, straightened rock n’ roll hair during the band days. Anyone who was brave enough to rock on stage is a brother of mine.

And finally, my right hand man woman, Sarina Harbin! She has been with me every step of the way, from the beginning of Daniel Cruz Photography. If you’re curious as to what keeps me going, it’s her. And if you didn’t know, we’ve been together for 3 years. No seriously, today is our anniversary! :]

Sarina helped me brainstorm this whole look, and scouted/found every item featured in this shoot. She’s such a hard worker, and sometimes…sometimes, I can say she inspires me to do better. ;] I can’t tell you how many hours we’ve invested in this shoot, but it definitely was a lot. From meeting with Sarah to construct a floral design that was very specific, to hand-crafting the golden plate favors and other props, we did it all. And it can be done!

For the models, Stella Simona and Caleb Wilson were the perfect choice. Did I mention that they’re actually engaged, models, and photographers?! Winning. The way they work is effortless, and a photographer like myself really appreciates that! Check out their beautiful jewelry line Haati Chai that has been seen on the likes of Kelly Rowland! They are definitely doing their thang’.

This has already been a massive write up, so I’ll save a story for you at the end.

To all of my team, thank you for your hard work and commitment. God bless you.

Polo roses, white dahlia’s and baby’s breath were the perfect choice! Photographer : Daniel Cruz

Models : Stella Simona & Caleb Wilson 

Stylist : Sarina Harbin

Hair/Makeup : Celeste Styling & Artistry

Bakery : Kayden’s Kake Pops

Floral Design : Blooms De Amor

Video : Jc Guzman

P.S. So here’s the story of what went down the day of the shoot, that almost ruined the day:

I had already been worried due to the downpour of rain the last few days prior to the shoot. With my iPhone showing clear skies for the day of, we pulled off the road and were stopped by a sign reading…uh…I don’t know…something along the lines of: CLOSED! Fail. I laugh about it now, but my team didn’t know that my heart dropped to my feet.

Here I was, the day of the shoot with fresh flowers, cake pops, props, and 2 models coming a long distance, absolutely, internally freaking out. Jc and I hopped out of the car, went under the fence, and searched out the only ranger on duty. Even though we had a permit, the ranger gave an absolute NO at the first plead. Perhaps then, my heart sank past my body, and into the ground!

Every plea she shot down, and I learned that she grew tired of my bargaining. I was pushing the wrong buttons. So I stopped for a second, and informed her that the flowers would die, the cake pops would be wasted and we’d all have to drive 3 hours back home. Not to mention everything purchased would have been in vein.

By the grace of God, she decided to give the head ranger a call to get an approval. Of course, she didn’t pick up. Of course. And we had to wait to see if she’d even call back that day. It seemed like forever. I prayed and prayed and prayed, as hard as I could. I made calls to everyone, trying to make something happen.

While I was talking too fast on the phone, Jc ran towards with his arms up and said, “We got it, she’s opening up the park for us!” *EXHALES DEEPLY* She opened up the park to just my team. Praise God! Though the trails I had planned to shoot on were shut down, I banged out the photos at lightspeed with the sun quickly falling behind the mountains. I shot for 20 minutes on details, and about 15 minutes for portraits.

Even then, it was a good day.

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Right to it, here’s a video peek of a huge upcoming post.

To view in HD, follow this link: http://vimeo.com/32014985

P.S. The official write up will be huge, explaining all the details of the styled done by myself and the lovely Sarina, and a huge problem we ran into the day of the shoot. I’m so excited to share the whole post with you guys. No diggity, no doubt!

Until then, stay posted on here! God bless!

Please share your thoughts below!

Jake and Nicole were one of the coolest couples to work with; openly inviting and extremely hospitable…And not to mention extremely good looking. haha Their wedding ceremony and reception was held at the beautiful Hotel Palomar of San Diego, with hip, elegant settings at every corner. Both Jake and Nicole’s wedding party made for a super fun day. For certain, they knew how to have a good time! Nicole and Jake, thank you for being so kind, and God bless you both!

Here they are, Nicole and Jake Bentley:
They had a beautiful view from their suite, with Coronado Bay not too far off. :]
LOVED this!Nicole was looking beautiful even before the makeup had begun. While everything was going on around her, she still found a lot of time to try and stuff mine and George’s faces with the ridiculous amount of food they had ordered.The champagne bottle was popped right after each of Jake’s men shared a story of what they remembered most about him, embarrassing or not. Before I got to know Jake, they all told stories of him being the nicest person each had ever met. Considering how giant Jake was, and how he could straight up toss me at the slightest displeasure of the images I was taking, I really had to trust the groomsmen that their stories were right! Every chance I get, I suggest doing a first look for any couple. Though a few people were around by the lobby, they still had an intimate moment that was not tainted by a huge crowd.
For the portraits we hit the streets! Downtown San Diego provided some of the best aesthetics to shoot in. Looking good girls!This was the first ceremony done at Hotel Palomar’s pool deck. It was a beautiful day to have a rooftop wedding. The skyline didn’t hurt either!Nicole’s Dad gave a very moving speech. He emotionally told of how Nicole was his best friend, and that was enough to capture this beautiful moment that ensued below. After the formal dancing it was time to break out the GLOW STICKS. Every day I’m shufflin’. P.S. What’s next? I predict some more beautiful weddings from Pelican Hill, and The Langham in Pasadena. Stay tuned!

P.S.S. Don’t forget, now is the perfect time to book your senior session! Whether you’re graduating from high school or college, let’s make some rad images.

Please share your thoughts below!

I met Kevin Wynn at a Shootsac party hosted by the awesome Jessica Claire earlier this year. He was pretty much the only guy shooting Nikon there, so you know, we got along immediately. ;] haha At that point I was in the market for a new camera. So seeing Kevin rocking the new Nikon D3s was a sign for me to go up, introduce myself, and ask to be blessed by the glory of that camera by placing it in my hands for at least 1.5 seconds. I can say that Nikon WORKS for me. The way it fits in my hands; how it’s programmed. It all fits perfectly into how I think.

So fast forward a few months Kevin hit me up to shoot Megan and Michael’s wedding at the beautiful Cravens Estate in Pasadena, CA. The day finally came, starting with the common syncing of cameras. He handed me a walkie-talkie and an earpiece, which was the first time I used radios for a wedding. What a perfect idea it was! No more calling on phones. Just a simple “Bleep, Daniel come in”. I felt like a Star Wars pilot on the Millennium Falcon. Yes, it deserves to be capitalized. haha

Back to the point, Kevin is one of the most kind photographers I’ve met. The way he directs his couples is effortless, and contains not a hint of stress. He did a great job coaching Megan and Michael’s engagement shoot to get them ready for their big day.

Megan and Michael:

The day started off right…I mean…cold!
Yes. Beautiful heels by Badgley Mischka. One of my favorite shots ever. Looks like threats. hahaTheir first look was very intimate, while some ladies and gentlemen watched from the corner of the room. Some tears and laughter were had.
I couldn’t tell you how many photo spots there were at the Cravens Estate. Nearly every room you went into there was perfect light and decor. Beautiful floral arrangement by Commerce Flowers. Hi-yah!Exit via classic Mustang.
P.S. What’s next? A San Diego gas lamp district wedding, and some wonderfully amazing venues I’ve had the privilege of shooting this wedding season.

P.S.S. With the closing of 2011′s wedding season in a couple of months, I can say that I’ve been super blessed by the people I’ve had in my life, and a couple of people that have been my mentors. This beautiful wedding is one of the blessings to my career. I can’t stress the importance of being bold. I’ve had to learn this. If you’re a photographer, intentionally put yourself out there and get uncomfortable. Scratch the surface of things and meet new people. Don’t be afraid to ask, “Hey, if you need a second shooter, I’d love to help”. If you don’t make some noise, no one will hear you.

P.S.S.S If you’re a photographer, tell me what you’re doing to make your voice heard.

Please share your thoughts below!