frex N grin

happy birthday to me

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:16:00 +0000

curtis is a non-practicing jehova's witness and i'm a non-practicing catholic. in a nutshell ... it makes celebrations at our house a tricky affair. even trickier is the fact that my bday lands on v-day. when we started dating i was butt hurt and near tears the first time my bday came around on his shift. we worked in the same office and although females in the IT industry were in the minority they got the majority of attention on v-day. every single girl in that office got some kind of heart acknowledgement. flowers, toys, chocolates, baskets, you name it. mind you i can't stand heart and v-day crap .. i'm not the biggest fan of roses or chocolates but just like any girl i love the acknowledgement. that day i didn't get anything. and if that wasn't bad enough, the fact that every person in our office was looking at me wondering "what the hell? isn't it your bday too? curtis really didn't do anything?" that really sent me over the edge. i left the office early that day and didn't really say much. i spent the next two birthdays going somewhere to avoid the topic. one year i visited my cousin in france and had a blast. but even at that distance i was bummed knowing what i was avoiding.

these days curtis and i meet in the middle. he has his non-traditions and i have my traditions. we both grew up with something that the other can't relate to but we talk and we compromise. we mutually celebrate the day i gave birth to kaya and we celebrate who she is and how much she's grown. we gather with my family for food and love at christmas though he doesn't really participate in the gifts. i plan nice dinners for his bday and he lovingly acknowledges mine. he actually buys me gifts now too.

THIRTY-NINE years old and TWENTY-FOUR weeks pregnant (aka 6 months). it's my last year in my 30s and i'm spending it by completing our family with a second baby. like birthdays in the past we'll be chill and cozy and i'll get lots of love. i might be planning something next year coz after all it's a big one. the goal for sure is by 40 i should be on the road back to my old jeans and ready for a vacation in the sun!

photo taken at 16 weeks

happy birthday mom

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 19:46:00 +0000

dear mom,

it turns out that no matter how hard we try not to be like our parents the inevitable happens lol. is it the age thing maybe? i'm out of energy to fight what is naturally in me... the indelible mark you left? sigh. it's those long drives home (stuck in traffic) when i have nothing but me, my brain and silence to reflect over the day and the past week and i pause. a lot. i see so much of you in me. SO MUCH. it's not a bad thing. it's just curious. now, as a parent myself, i see what you were trying to do. you knew where your weaknesses were and you tried to instill in me the strengths you wish you had but you also impressed on me who you really were. actions, actions, actions. it leaves a mark. i picked up a little of both and more. i know now what you were trying to do and i'm doing it too. i'm constantly evaluating where i can improve but it's hard to stay on top of that and i fall back to the old, easier ways. you can't always fight nature i guess. you are buried deep in me.

gosh i really miss you. maybe i'm romanticizing, wondering what our relationship would be if you were still here. how would you be as a grandma? i'm guessing doting which would be a 180 from the disciplinarian ina and grew up with. 'course nobody can resist the charms of the little kaya. you should see how much she gets away with when she's around the family. i've definitely turned into the disciplinarian. hahahah! i really would have enjoyed seeing much affection you would have showered on her unencumbered by the old responsibilities of proving yourself in your career, maintaining a social life and having nannies care for your kids 24/7. enjoying your grandchild as every grandparent can as we the parents host the internal private battle that you did when you were raising us.

we've managed fairly well raising the little one i think ... even without you around. this second one that we signed up for though scares me a little. i might have thought that it was going to be difficult without you the first time, now i'm really worried. a lot of other families obviously have managed and when push comes to shove, instincts will kick in and we just deal. but it really would have been a relief to have you around. selfish. i know. sorry. i'm sorry for a lot of things. not getting to know you more when i had the chance is definitely one. young, ignorant and stupid is my only excuse. really really miss you. these days more than usual.

happy birthday mom. wish i could give you a hug.

love lots.

p.s. she has your temper, your drama and your dimples.

photos by my friend steph burns

round two . it begins again

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 23:28:00 +0000

yep, 2 home tests and a doctor verification later... it's official. round two has begun. due date: june 6

mila | fashion . dolly couture

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 02:50:00 +0000

my friend dolly gets soooo excited when she's got new dresses for her line. and when she calls, i get soooo excited too. coz that means pictures!!! check out the rest of this fun fashion shoot on the coco blog.

fashion by dolly couture

coco gallery | max + taryn . married

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:58:00 +0000

i LOVE weddings. they make me smile, they make me cry, they make me swoon! check out the images i took at max + taryn's wedding on the coco blog and see why.

life in 12

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 09:08:00 +0000

i finally did it! i dreamt up this project a while back and procrastinated for a little while on it. then i shot some images and still dragged my feet over the post because i struggled with the presentation and the design. finally i can move forward! i would like to present to you my new project...

life in TWELVE

LIFE IN TWELVE IS …

me committing to going over once a month for twelve months. I will document life. I will tell a story in pictures and in words. At the end of it all they get a book. One that holds their story, their legacy, their proof that they were here.

WHO ARE THEY?

grandparents, first time moms and dads, newlyweds, a high school senior, 20 year marriage veterans, an author, a celebrity, a photographer, a small business, a corporation, models, bus drivers, doctors, happy families, challenged relationships, you, whoever you are .. whatever you are.

WHAT IS THIS?

a documentary, a story, a challenge, a personal commitment, an opportunity for expression, a time capsule, a chance to explain, a visual journal, a journey, a goal, a legacy, a release, a quest for truth, ordinary, creativity, a photographic novel, a life, your life.

WHEN DO I COME OVER?

before brushing your teeth, during afternoon tea, while you meditate, as you put your makeup on, while cooking, on Tuesdays, on weekends, when it’s quiet, after everyone arrives, right before the storm hits, first thing in the morning, last thing at night, any time is the right time.

WHERE?

at home, in the office, at the grocery store, in bed, in the car, under the sun, at the nail salon, at a restaurant, on the famous couch, in the infamous room, at your desk, in your mind, in your environment, out of your comfort zone, wherever your life happens.

WHY WOULD ANYONE DO THIS?

to document a story for the generations to come, to share a perspective with others, because life goes by so quickly, to presere a memory, because we are our own reality shows, to mark a milestone, to give as a present to ourselves and the ones we love, because if you don’t do it no one else will.

click on the image below to go to the site and check out the two families whose lives i'm etching on the wall

coco | taryn + max engaged

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:13:00 +0000

i was just a fly on the wall. these two were adorable, totally into each other and in their own world. see the rest of the post and the pictures on theCOCOblog.

wonderin 'bout coco and the curator titles? Coco Gallery is me and three friends under one brand. the goal: elevate our photog to art status (not that photog isn't art btw but you know what i mean -- we're waaay beyond snapshots). anyway.... coco has a home and it's perfect! we're housed in a contemporary art gallery with other media artists, all of them amazing neighbors!

we call ourselves CURATORS OF LIFE since our photography is a depiction of life in our art form.

milaPhotography and this blog are still the home for my personal work.

coco | turtle rock family

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:55:00 +0000

i love me some fun family pictures. kids running around just being themselves. parents that are totally chill. it's the BESTEST. take a look at the rest of the photos on theCOCOblog and i'm sure you'll agree.

coco | regina's bump session

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 17:51:00 +0000

just posted up a new bump session! check out the coco blog to see the rest.

mila | permission to be stupid ... granted

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 03:10:00 +0000

at nineteen i decided i knew what i was doing and nobody could really tell me what to do. i thought i was the shizat and my parents were just too old skool. at twenty-one i looked back and thought ... "wow, i was dumb. i knew nothing THEN! i know what i'm doing NOW though". i must have hit that evaluation semi-annually until i was 27. i'm a little slow sometimes. at twenty seven i knew i was growing up coz by then i thought ... "i really AM dumb and slow! i STILL don't know what i'm doing!"

twenty seven was a good revelation year but despite the knowledge of how short on life experience i was, i was still afraid to LOOK dumb. i tried to pull off "intelligent" and "competent" constantly (which btw can be way exhausting) but for the most part i was walking around caring a lot about how people perceived me.

twenty nine was a vicious year. i think it is for a lot of girls. something about leaving your twenties and crossing into the point-of-no-return-thirties was enough to make me miserable for a year literally up until the night before my birthday. any kind of meaningful evaluation might have been put on hold that year and replaced by the age obsession. the silly thing is that i woke up on the day of my 30th bday feeling no different coz technically i was thirty long before then (29 and 6 months rounds up to 30 right?). in fact, it was just a number and just another day and nobody would believe me when i said i was thirty anyway. since then my age has been a badge of honor and my self eval process started again.

thirty-two and i realized i'll NEVER know what i'm doing and every day is an experiment and i should just have fun with it. and then just a few weeks ago i thought, there are old ladies out there whose clothes are stuck in a generation long gone, women who will stop anyone to ask for directions to the exit out of a parking lot they've been circling for half an hour and grannies who are still writing checks at the grocery store. all these women have either stopped caring about people's perceptions, never cared or just decided that they are fine the way they are and are happy about it. whatever it is, i wanted in on that.

they say that men hit their midlife crisis between the ages of 40 and 50; a period when they realize where they are, the passing of youth and the oncoming aging process. different people react differently to this awakening. could it be that since women don't generally age as gracefully as men do that our midlife crisis is between 30 and 40? maybe it's just me... but have i just hit that? coz a few weeks ago i was ok with not knowing everything and didn't care who knew. in fact, it's a relief to be able to look silly, ask questions without a care and get answers! i'm not entirely prepared to have my fashion dated and frozen yet though but i'm gosh darn i'm getting there!

here's some photos from my new project SELF-INFLICTED. me, working on getting better and teaching myself to know.

mila | my wedding details

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:36:00 +0000

it was the second time for both of us. we have a baby to think of. we have bills to pay. this was not the year for extravagant parties or major expenses. we had every reason to postpone getting married but i was more than ready to become michelle ford. i'd already practiced the signature a few times (since 2 years ago). we had talked about it but hadn't lifted a finger and then all of a sudden we just wanted to get married so we planned it (in 3 months).

how were we going to keep it real, on the DL, super simple and inexpensive? we tried our best to not tell anyone. we would have opted to pull two strangers from the street to bear witness for us at the courthouse but our siblings matter to us a lot so we told one from each side. we picked a date (our 6 year anniversary) and we talked about a nice dinner with our invited siblings (dinner for 4 and a half ... including kaya) and we were ok with that for a while. then... i wanted to look special, after all it's an auspicious occasion! then i just couldn't let go of the pictures. i HAD TO HAVE pictures. of course i had to have pictures! kaya needs it. i need it. my grandchildren need it. how else do we share our story?!?! where's the proof?? we only have one wedding picture from my grandparent's own wedding and that left us wanting more. christmas came and the family brought up the topic of us getting married. CRAP! i suck at lying and omission. so the plan spilled out and we were met with scowls. of course they were coming to the wedding! ok so now the dinner list was 14 1/2. i still hadn't told any of my friends.

i wanted pictures. how was i going to get pictures without hurting feelings and grow our invite list by another mile? all my friends were photographers. who do i pick? any of them? none of them? this was such a conundrum. i lost sleep for a while. then i had a light bulb. katie neal started this journey with me. if not for her i wouldn't have met everyone else. i love her and i love her work. she was on a film kick on top of everything and so was i! that was that. i had picked my photographer. now the budget. to keep it low and simple i opted for a quick first look at the courthouse, ceremony shots, a fun couple shoot in downtown santa ana and that was it. for the "reception" katie and her second (harmony) were instructed to leave the cameras in their bags and join us for dinner.

the morning of the wedding i tweeted my plans to get married. the reactions made me smile. it ranged from elation to shock to furrowed brows at not being invited. i was pretty quiet all day, resisting the itch to respond and holding off till the end. nothing was going to interrupt my fun. i knew that in the end they would all understand what we did and why.

16.5 people were told and 16.5 people came. it was all very manageable, low key and affordable, exactly what we wanted. the photos took up half the budget and it was intentional. i bought my dress from a shop in fashion island the night before. my hair and makeup were done by amazing artists and friends. the shoes were meant to be mine for this day coz i found them on sale in vegas during wppi the month before. kaya's dress i found on amazon. curtis already had his suit. my dear friend sussanna of french buckets made my bouquet and she made curtis a boutonniere but i gave it to kaya instead since i made him one myself. my head piece i ordered from be something new and dinner was at our favorite indian restaurant clay oven. i figured out my priorities and appropriated the budget accordingly. i've seen way too many weddings to not know what's important. today i look back with no regrets. in fact, i'm very very happy about how we did it. who says that a court house wedding can't be just as gorgeous as a year long planned wedding with all the bells and whistles?

Flowers by Sussanna of French Buckets http://www.frenchbuckets.com/

Hairpiece by Jill Prettyman http://www.besomethingnew.com/

Makeup by Kimberly Bragalone http://kimberlybragalone.com/

Hair style by Jen Alvarez of AG lounge http://aglounge.com/

Dress from For Joseph http://www.shopfashionisland.com/Search/For_Joseph.aspx

Photography by Katie Neal www.katienealphoto.com

p.s. i guess a few people agree with my method since it's been blogged in a few places including style me pretty!

peggy + chris . engaged

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:15:00 +0000

they met in high school. he was in band. she was in color guard. it was a picture perfect match made at universal studios. here they are ... eight years later and ready to tie the knot.

mila | kaya updates

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Mon, 23 May 2011 02:19:00 +0000

we've had sleep disruptions presumably caused by teething. she has 3.5.5 now. as in 3 whole ones and 2 halves coming through. my life was busy when she started crawling and now it's insane with her walking. the little bugger insists on assisted walking btw; assisted by ME and only if we aren't in densely populated places like aquarium of the pacific. something about crowds makes her feel strongly independent god help us. god help ME. watching her fight through a crowd and stand in a dangerously wet tub during bath time is giving me ulcers. my lack of alone time and my razor burned legs (from shaving in a cold draft exposed bathroom since she insists on being within line of site at ALL times) and her attachment 24/7 makes me feel trapped and cabin fever is not an unusual issue at home. i really miss having the bathroom to myself. she's figured out that tantrums break me down and whining can be effective when mommy is trying to work. her one or (if i'm lucky, two) short naps a day don't buy me enough work time so i stay up late to catch up on my to do list. by friday i'm frazzled, exhausted and ready to pull my hair out. thank god for curtis. he's so awesome, he'll do whatever it takes to calm her, including crawling into her crib with her and laying there till she falls asleep. he's our referee and my personal savior (kaya would say the same). he gladly takes over parental duties, tames the monster's tantrums and calms my frayed nerves. and still... when she's sleeping, i can't help but give her kisses. when she smiles at me (or gives me the naughty grin she's recently acquired) i melt. and when she cries i feel guilty. people tell me that she's such a good baby. wow. i guess life really only gives you what you can handle. lord knows i couldn't handle a crazier baby.

p.s. we're still trying to have baby number 2. i know.. CRAZY

the beginning of the end... right here.

mila | NEWSFLASH!

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Sun, 22 May 2011 16:28:00 +0000

milaPhotography has some big news!

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BIG NEWS!!!!

hi friends!

this is the year i've decided to take a big leap. i'm collaborating with a couple of my buddies and we'll be opening a studio together! it's going to be called the coco gallery. we want to bring our clients a full experience. something to jog the senses beyond the visual love that three photographers can bring to the table. what does this mean for milaPhotography? the brand itself is going on hibernate for a little while. but don’t worry, i'll still be very accessible to you and all my past clients, actually more so now than ever. all my existing clients with events booked in the future are safe as well. no real changes other than MORE love and BETTER service. i can't wait to show you what we have in store! If all goes well, we're hoping to have the doors open in a few months.

And that’s not all! To celebrate the new chapter, we’re kicking off with a GREAT coupon! Jump over to BuyWithMe.com and get a great deal on a photo package.

$69 for 1-hour photo session, one 11x14 print and 25-30 image proof book Discount: 86%, Savings: $431

$129 for 1-hour photo session, one 16x20 print or two 11x14 prints, 25-30 image proof book and five digital print-ready images on CD Discount: 86%, Savings: $821

cheers everyone and look forward to the grand opening invitation.

review me thru YELP here
review me thru GOOGLE here

hugs, love and a million smiling memories!
michelle

mila | ayesha + norvil . jumping the broom

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Wed, 11 May 2011 21:58:00 +0000

they had a looooong engagement ... and she bought the dress a while back and has always loved it. ayesha told me that when norvil wasn't home she would have date nights with her dress complete with wine and cheese. and still he'd never seen her in it till the wedding day. don't you just LOVE that? talk about getting maximum use!

you know what else i love?? adorable grandmas with strawberry mojitos in hand, grinning aunts, cheery cousins and guests that know how to get down with some great moves. mmmm hmm... i love me a great party!

a note on jumping the broom (from wikipedia)

Jumping over the broom symbolized various things depending on the culture. In the American south, the custom determined who ran the household. Whoever jumped highest over the broom was the decision maker of the household.

it was an ALL WHITE WEDDING

photographers must blend in with the guests. that way if we get caught in the shot we don't look out of place. so yeah ... hanssie and i were in white too ... oh and coordinating shoes!

mila | ayesha + norvil . a peek

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Wed, 11 May 2011 03:26:00 +0000

i gotta go feed the kid ... so all you can have is a peek.

mila | congratulations anne

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Thu, 05 May 2011 20:48:00 +0000

CSULB is producing another fresh batch of graduates this june. congratulations anne marie! all that hard work has paid off. you made it! now it's time to start your own soccer league outside of college.

learn how to post process with SCOTT ROBERT

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Tue, 03 May 2011 19:04:00 +0000

POST PROCESSING IS AN ART FORM

Shoot . Process . Deliver

In the film days most photographers relied on labs to take care of the time consuming image processing step for them. The art doesn’t always stop at the camera and today’s photographer is a one man show with expertise at everything, including post-processing. Photoshop and Lightroom are the digital photographer’s lab.

We invite you to see how a master photographer does his post processing. Come see Scott Robert as he shares with us his Lightroom techniques and his Photoshop tricks. Learn how to add and use textures to enhance your images and turn them into art!

Here’s our tentative itinerary for our workshop

WHEN: Wednesday May 18, 2011

LECTURE LOCATION: Brea Community Center

695 Madison Ave
Brea, CA 92821-5741

9:00 am – 12:00 pm lecture

Investment is only $99. You can't afford to miss it at this price!

Requirements:

All skill levels accepted. Gear: no camera gear necessary.

All payments are non-refundable and can only be exchanged for similar Scott Robert Lecture Workshops. New students welcome! No previous experience required.

Space is limited, be sure to reserve your space today! Email me to reserve your spot . michelle@milaPhotography.com

About Scott Robert

Internationally acclaimed, master photographer, Scott Robert Lim (Cr. Photog, AOPA) was awarded the prestigious 2009 WPPI Kodak Award and was inducted into WPPI’s Society of Excellence and has earned an Accolade of Outstanding Photographic Achievement by one of the world’s largest photographic societies. He is recognized as one of the finest and leading educators in the county and honored at Imaging USA 2011 were he was awarded his Photographic Craftsman’s degree. He has won over 50 international awards. His work has been published in books and magazines distributed worldwide and has taught and mentored many professional photographers around the world. Scott is a popular international speaker with an exciting and inspirational style.

To learn more about his journey click here. Also see the latest news on him.

mila | sexy time

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Tue, 03 May 2011 05:26:00 +0000

i love shooting boudoir. it really is the gift that keeps on giving. it doesn't matter if the original intent was treasured intimate images for the love of your life. in the end it's a gift to yourself. i just saw one of my past boudoir clients recently. she's had two children since her session with me. i remember when she shyly asked me if i thought it would be ok for her to do a boudoir session. she was thinking that i might consider it vain. NO WAY! i say celebrate who you are and how you feel here and now! it's something to look back on and smile at later. those pictures are her motivation to get back in shape now. it also makes it very clear in her head that what she remembers was NOT a figment of her imagination. and i'll tell you what, i know this girl. she will work her butt off and look better than she did before and then she can look at those pictures again and feel even more accomplished. ah happiness!

here's my most recent session.

this sexy siren and mommy of one has a passion for shoes that rivals mine. her sweet hubby (the birthday boy) supports this love by bringing home gorgeous leather presents from his travels. to show him some love back... his birthday present. i can picture the big grin on his face ;)

mila | dol . a first birthday

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 22:07:00 +0000

in many traditions the child's first birthday is a big celebration. in the korean culture this is called dol. last weekend was little evalyn's dol. happy birthday evalyn! your mom and dad prepared a beautiful celebration.

at a dol one of the main events is called toljabee. it is where the child is presented with a tray of items to pick from encouraging them to pick up an item they are attracted to. the item they select foretells their future. the list of items include things such as a calculator (accountant), string (long life), pencil (scholar), stethoscope (doctor). guests are invited to guess which item the child will select. evelyn looks like she's leaning towards a career in medicine!

evalyn's great grandmother had a special song for the group

in traditional dress...

party styling by chicreve

mila | facebook freeze

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 04:11:00 +0000

last week i decided to conduct a random personal experiment. i took a hiatus from fb for a week. i wanted to see if ...

i could do it
i would be more productive -- as in, was it really as much of a distraction as i thought it was
how i would feel without it.

i totally survived without it and YES, i was much more productive. i've felt guilty on many occasions that i spend so much time on the computer and particularly fb, just surfing around doing essentially ... NOTHING. chores get pushed off, projects aren't completed as quickly, kaya gets ignored on occasion, conversation in the house comes to a stand still and the computer is a permanent fixture on the dining table where we gather for "together" time. fb has become an addiction and one that i must control.

i had a co-worker from back in my pacsun days who told me about her parent's table conversation rules. first off, all the family members had to be at the table for meals without distraction. they also had to come prepared with current event topics for discussion. i LOVE that. in this day and age i find that the TV or the computer have become family members at our table ... if we're even at the dining table. many times the TV trays get more use than the dining table does, especially during laker season. these distractions have seriously hampered daily communications in our household. i can't even say that we've dwindled down to irrelevant topics or gossip because we're too busy watching and typing instead of talking. i'm fearful that when we get old and gray, curtis and i will find ourselves sitting to dinner at restaurants QUIETLY chewing and staring into space or using movies to create our own soundtrack. i've found myself hanging on to juicy morsels to share, saving them for quiet times ... just for filler! mind you, when i had a newspaper subscription a decade ago i can't say that i was an avid reader of current events either. i only subscribed to the sunday paper and only to cut coupons. i hated watching the news and would rather rot in front of jerry springer than listen to nasal voices talk about violence, storm watch or the economy. ah youth! but with age comes wisdom? or perhaps just a need for seemingly intelligent topics. having a toddler takes away from my ability to concentrate on a novel but just enough time for fb or (in the case of a fb freeze) short little news paragraphs that conveniently get sent to my phone up to date by the minute if i so choose - though to be honest, when it comes to the death of famous people and earthquakes, fb and twitter ARE the news source.

so although my little study taught me a few more things about myself than i initially hypothesized -- i AM interested in the world and fb is not my only resource though too much time away and i feel disconnected. it was the week following my fb freeze that taught me the most. if for whatever reason i'm feeling blue (ie down on myself, depressed about anything) i should REFRAIN from entering fb. those are probably the worst all consuming surf on nothing days. and the relentless search for i-don't-know-what which causes me to jump from one fb page to another creating a spiral of misery that takes a day or two to recover from. i may be over dramatizing but i'm serious about the effect of fb on my damaged psyche. viewing other people's lives and work whose seeming perfection is the epitome of nirvana makes me want to puke at my own flaws. i sit in front of a computer flogging myself for inane reasons. this must stop. there is a time and place for this book called face and it is NOT here, now and always. so the next experiment is ... FINDING BALANCE.

i dunno how many of you know that on the last trip to the philippines i signed up for my very first tattoo. always wanted one but never knew what to get till i had a daughter. kaya simone in alibata (ancient filipino script) with room for more below.

mila | happy bday evalyn

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 04:34:00 +0000

tomorrow we celebrate this adorable little girl's FIRST birthday. happy birthday evalyn!!

mila | the corporate look

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 03:31:00 +0000

one of my favorite clients called recently inquiring about corporate headshots but he didn't want anything typical for his company and his team of awesomes... he wanted corporate with a twist. after he explained the concept to me i was SOLD! it was so up my alley. he wanted something that reflected their brand and who they were. professional, approachable, creative and amazing.

schiefer media whose history is rooted in the automotive industry used to have a website that had a really sporty, race car look to it. now with all their recent changes, the brand is a reflection of who they really are ... an atypical marketing agency with a relaxed koolness factor and a team of superheroes. i'd like to think the "michelle" touch helped get them there. just check out their new website and you'll see what i'm talking about.

here's some of my fave interior office shots ..

mila | money woes + wedding pictures

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:32:00 +0000

the current economy is killing budgets across the country ... well, everywhere except for north dakota i hear. it sucks to be an artist trying to make money right now because art is not a necessity for most. it also sucks to be a bride planning a wedding.

curtis and i finally got married this month! we kept it very very small and very very private. to be quite honest, it was just a formality for us. we've both been through this before and we really didn't want to do much OR spend much. we would have opted for just a sibling each to invite since we needed witnesses but if you invite one you should invite all. so four turned into sixteen but it was still beautiful, intimate, fun and memorable but very very chill and affordable. it was a courthouse ceremony and a sumptuous dinner. i'll have to share all the gorgeous details when the photos are ready to be shared which....as a photographer, it was the one thing i couldn't sacrifice. and nobody should!!! so i asked my good friend katie of katie neal photography to take our pictures. she was the one who introduced me to the wedding photographer industry a LLLOOOOOONNNG time ago. or so it seems anyway.

this process of planning a wedding in 2 months really made me appreciate that brides who want something simple and affordable don't have very many options unless they are willing to sacrifice quality and reassurance. by that i mean that there aren't very many qualified photographers willing to book weddings far in advance for budgets under $2500. i want to help this little segment of gals out so i have a proposal. i'm going to offer 2 options to choose from at a magic price of $1500 for one 2011 budget bride a month .

WHY?

i was there and i get it and you shouldn't have to sacrifice your memories * you need help * i might be available

WHAT'S IN IT FOR MICHELLE?

it fills my need to be generous * the economy sucks for all of us * it's limited time so i finish your wedding and i still get home to my daughter at a decent time

WHAT'S THE CATCH?

i'm not doing this just for anyone * i need to know that you truly value photography * i will only do this for small, intimate weddings like mine or the brides that are real victims of the budget crunch * i need to know that the effort will be appreciated * i need to know that i'm choosing to help you instead of making money elsewhere or having fun with my family for a very good reason * you need to convince me that we are right for each other * i will only do one of these per month for the remainder of 2011 * acceptance is subject to availability of course and is at my discretion

WHAT'S THE FINE PRINT? WHAT PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE?

email me and i'll send you all the details.

HOW TO APPLY

send an email to michelle@milaPhotography.com

on the subject put WEDDING CRUNCH

tell me some details about your wedding and WHY i should consider you

expect a response at most after 3 days. if i haven't responded you should follow up w a nudge of some kind.

please don't email me wanting in on this very special deal and then tell me you are expecting 300 guests or that you have a vera wang gown. all that tells me is that you and i don't agree on the value of photography in which case i'll either send you my regular price list or refer you to a fellow professional. please, this is a special deal for the people caught in the middle of a financial storm but still deserve to preserve memories of love.

and now i would like to share a sneak peek of our own intimate wedding. photos courtesy of katie neal.

noreply@blogger.com (michelle cunningham) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 18:03:00 +0000

Location: Outdoor Education Center at Irvine Regional Park 2 Irvine Park Road Orange, CA
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A SMUGMUG MEMBER TO ATTEND AND IT’S FREE.

IMPORTANT: don’t pay the parking fee. use the gate code. there are 2 keypads by the gate look for the small silver one and enter #0328 … follow the road till you see the SMALL signs to Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center.

Imagine a place where every step you take in your business is FORWARD. That’s Jeff Jochum’s world, and he’ll show us how we can make that our world, too. Recently, Jeff founded Startup-Strategy, a company dedicated to helping every photographer business learn to succeed using goal-based strategies. At the next SMUG, Jeff will show us some of the ways we can use these powerful concepts to gain some clarity about how to turbo-charge our businesses. Bottom line: This is a business-centric presentation, so you can leave your cameras at home. And, come prepared to have your tree shaken, because Jeff’s is a pretty straight-shooter and won’t pull any punches if it’ll help you get clear on how to better succeed. As Jeff says, “Clarity is the new black.”

We will also be fortunate that Jeff will lead a FREE 2-hour “Selling” workshop (10am-noon) the next day followed by a PAID Biz Clarity 1 workshop (1-5PM). Info on registering for the PAID workshop are on the site.

About Jeff Jochum

For over 20 years, Jeff has enjoyed continued success in the computer technology industry. Today, he is a sought-after Community Builder & Marketing Strategist and has most recently been the Chief Marketing Officer at SmugMug.com. Jeff has been fortunate to hold senior executive positions working with amazing teams at many successful technology startups, including as CMO at deviantART.com (top 100 website in the world); SVP Marketing at Pictage.com (sold to Apax for $29 million in 2006); and VP International at Homestore.com (now Move.com). He also co-founded EBZ International, Inc., creator of ‘eBIZ in a BOX’ – 1999′s best-selling e-commerce website development & hosting product.

A SMUG is a place where you can learn, teach and meet up with other photographers who share your passion. It’s also how we can tell you what’s happening in our world and discover what’s happening in yours. SMUGs are a great way to connect with other photographers and add a few weapons to your creative arsenal.