VanHatten Photography

The new blog is live.

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 11:34:00 +0000

It's official. The new blog is up and running. Click on the link below so you can view the most recent post.

https://www.vanhattenphotography.com/journal/

From here on out everything will be posted to the blog address above. You can still view posts on this blog, but nothing new will be added.

I hope you like the new site!

Cheers,

Jackie

It's Time to Say Good-Bye

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:57:00 +0000

It's time to say "good-bye" to this blog because next Tuesday the new blog and website will launch. It's been almost two years since I started with blogger, but change is inevitable and it's time for me to embrace it.

This picture couldn't be more perfect for this post. It's fall in New Zealand and you can see the leaves changing colors. There's just enough green left to show you how drastic the replacement of color really is.

Here I witnessed autumn for the first time. Sure I've seen fall before, but nothing like this, nothing that made me stop and appreciate what my eyes were telling me. Maybe my age is finally revealing some of the wisdom that I have gained in the past few years or maybe I'm a sucker for the power of nature, but one thing is for sure: I will never overlook the season between summer and winter.

A Nut Orchard Vacaville, CA ~ Picture of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 05:25:00 +0000

I've spent some time in Vacaville, CA now that my in-laws live there, but I had no idea what I was missing out on. I went wandering one afternoon and this is what I found. I think I walked about 100 steps to find this nut orchard. Who knew it would be that easy to find light worth dying for?

Simple Things

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:27:00 +0000

First of all I have a little confession: this is not my picture, but my husband's. Maybe that's why I like it so much. It reminds me of all the times we've spent enjoying the great outdoors. For us camping and hiking is a release from all the clutter and it helps us appreciate the simpler things in life.

Joshua Tree is close to Southern California so it's a nice weekend get away if you are interested. Plus the wild flowers will be blooming soon, which is when this picture was taken.

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Tenacious Motivation at Wedding & Portrait Photographers International aka WPPI

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:06:00 +0000

For those of you who are not familiar with the WPPI Convention it happens once a year in Las Vegas, Nevada and it's attendance has surpassed 10,000 people.

Some say it's spring break for photographers, but after my first WPPI, I feel it's more than just a party. Whether you are there to enhance your business practices, to learn how to be a better photographer, to find new products for your clients or to showcase your products, there is one thing we all walk away with. And that is motivation.

It gets us out of bed in the morning. It helps us edit thousands of images. It pushes us beyond all the monotonous tasks that we must do to run a photography studio. But most importantly it fuels us to pursue our dreams. And without a dream or a vision we consent to living an automatic life.

Just before we left sin city, Jeff and Betsy of the ever fabulous La Vida Creations, had a genius idea: to stop and get our grub on at IN-N-OUT Burger. It didn't seem entirely original until we arrived. There were two IN-N-OUT Burger trucks sitting at the loading docks begging us to take their pictures! Jeff did the honors of ordering our scrumptious meals -- my french fries -- and Betsy and I took to the loading docks! We also made a couple of photo stops on our way back to San Diego. It was the perfect ending to a great convention!

Brilliant Colors in Cambodia

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:08:00 +0000

I apologize for not having this post up earlier. It's been a challenge to get an Internet connection at WPPI 2010 so I am posting this one from my iPhone. Thank goodness for technology.

Here is an image of a floating house on Tonle Sap in Cambodia. Not all the houses had this much color so I couldn't help but take a picture.

Which is your favorite? ~ Picture of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:13:00 +0000

These are two of my very favorite images from our trip to Cambodia. I love how the sunlight seeps through the canopy and creates diagonal lines of light on the little girl. I also love how her reaction changes in an instant. At the sight of the camera she was super shy, but when her friends made her giggle and laugh; that's when I saw her.

It's easy for me to decide which image I like best, but I am more curious to know which of these images you like better. It would be great to know which is your favorite and why. Make a little comment below.

Shontay and Brian ~ Engagement ~ February 20, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:43:00 +0000

Finally a Saturday with no rain! We don't normally need to make plans around the rainy weather here in San Diego, but lately we have. And this past weekend was no exception. Shontay and Brian's engagement session was close to being under a watery downfall, but lucky for them the rain let up early.

Cabrillo National Monument is such a great location and I was super excited when Shontay said she wanted to have their engagement session there. We had just enough time with the stellar light before the monument closed at 5 p.m. It's such a shame it closes so early because it is one of the best lookout points. After that we drove to the Union Station downtown.

Brian and Shontay are a warm, fun couple and I cannot wait for their wedding on October 23rd at the Mission Valley Marriott. It's going to be a stupendous day!

Just Another Day at the Office~Picture of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:54:00 +0000

This picture -- metaphorically speaking -- is what it's like to start a business. It's pretty scary some days. Fear and doubt are the biggest black holes that can consume you. They eat at your ambitions and your attitude. They foster bad self-esteem and are outright unproductive.

It's tough to admit, but I've been in the black hole once or twice. However, I've always made it out. Largely because failure is not in my dictionary. And secondly, because the journey has been one of the best things I have done since marrying my husband.

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Another Look Into the Temples of Cambodia~Picture of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:26:00 +0000

It surprised me when I realized that I hadn't posted this picture of Prasat Beng Mealea. But then again there is a slew of pictures that has not adorned our picture of the week.

If you have been keeping up with our posts, this is the hidden temple I talked about in a previous blog entry. So now you know the name!

I am working on a new website and blog so I am keeping this entry short and sweet. See you next week!

Jackie

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Waking A Stranger~Picture of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:10:00 +0000

"He's asleep. What should I do?" Brian asked me as I crammed our souvenirs into our REI backpack. We had to take an early flight from the Atatürk International Airport so Brian could get to his temporary work place in Little Chesterford at a decent time.

I tiptoed from our room to the lobby where the front desk man was fast asleep. His head rested on his upper arm while his forearm covered his eyes. Horizontal on the wee couch he snored. If we were in a cartoon, the lobby chandelier would be swaying to-and-fro as the over-weight man inhaled and exhaled.

My walk back to the room was not quieted by tiptoes because it was going to take an earthquake to wake this dark-haired man from his deep slumber.

"We don't have a phone to call a taxi so you have to wake him up," I responded.

"Do you want me to wake him up?" I asked Brian expecting him to turn down my offer.

He replied how any loving husband would, "No, I will do it."

As Brian disappeared around the corner, my heart steadied it's pace and I sighed with relief. I was afraid to wake a complete stranger in a foreign country. Was it polite? Would he be angry when he woke up? Does he speak English?

"Is he up?" I asked when Brian returned from the bear's den.

After a few laughs and a couple deep breaths Brian gave me a quick update of the situation. "Yes, he is awake now. I had to shake him a few times before he finally opened his eyes. I apologized for waking him, but he said it was okay. He is calling for a taxi now."

We stayed a couple blocks from this view in Istanbul. It's a 10 minute walk from the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) and the Ayasofya (Hagia Sofia). Even though we had to disturb the front desk man from his nap, we -- without a doubt -- would stay there again.

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Sheepish Sheep~Picture of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:32:00 +0000

After a brief discussion with Brian about today's blog post, we came to the same conclusion: write about trying to take pictures of New Zealand's sheep.

If you asked any farmer, he'd say we were a bunch of tourist city kids giving fright to his sheep, but all we wanted were some pictures of New Zealand's cream fleeced friends.

"Wow! Look at all those sheep! Pull over! Pull over!" It was tough for me to stare in one direction because I was driving and Brian was navigating. Katie, Matt and Jim were in the back seat gawking out the window as if aliens had just landed in the field next to us.

The sheep-herder--a guy driving a beat-up truck--was waiting patiently for his flock to funnel through the open gate. It was like watching a white cloud of smoke being sucked into an empty room.

Our five-door, silver chariot slowed to a stop on the shoulder of the two-lane road. "Camera! Where's the camera?" I asked frantically.

By the time we got out of the car and crossed the road a majority of the sheep had already passed through the gate's mouth. But as we got closer the herd stopped in their tracks and changed their direction. They ran back into the field away from us. We knew this couldn't be good so we withdrew our forces for another encounter.

Unfortunately the next showdown was less successful. The sound of our wagon's rubber tires against the gravel shoulder signaled the sheep to run before we came to a complete stop. There was no point of even getting out of the car, especially since my f/2.8 70-200mm was parked at home in our 26th-floor apartment in Singapore.

A few more attempts left us empty handed, and by now it was just Brian and I left to duel. As we drove we noticed that some fields were surrounded by waist-high hedges crowded with thorns. It was the perfect plot: walk below the hedge until the fluffy, four-legged animals were in shutter-release range.

We parked the car about 70 meters down the road and walked as if we were Quasimodo in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Giggling like children we drew closer. Small holes in the thorny hedges allowed us to calculate our distance to the confrontation. Slowly we observed the view above the hedge and the curly-haired mammals froze. Our heads popped back, below the hedge as we gathered ourselves for our last chance to capture a digital image of these shy creatures.

"On the count of three..one..two...three!" I whispered as we jumped standing tall seizing as many frames per second as we could. First the sheep stiffened as if frozen in time. Then every muscle in their body screamed, "release" and out came the liquid and solid waste of a grass-fed farm animals. Despite the slight delay the white-faced cowards took off running to the opposite side of their home front and we walked back to our hatchback gleaming with victory.

It's not what I had visualized in my mind, but it is such a good picture of the immense stare before the flee.

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Erin and Adam~Engagement~La Jolla, CA

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:00:00 +0000

My grandmother has always said that good things come in small packages and I know Adam would agree with me on this one. Erin is petite and she fits perfectly in his arms.

If you recognize this beach it's because they were taken at Windansea. It's the hot spot for this month and for good reason; there are endless photography opportunities.

I am super excited for their wedding at the Bali Hai Restaurant. It is going to be a fantastic day and I am honored to document it with my camera!

Brittany and Rich~Engagement~La Jolla, CA

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:16:00 +0000

They traveled the world together, from New Zealand to Australia to Thailand to Laos to Vietnam to Cambodia to Mauritius to South Africa to Greece to Italy to Austria to Hungary to the Czech Republic to Poland to Germany to Switzerland to France to Spain to Portugal to the Netherlands to England and to Scotland.

Now they are ready to embark on their next journey together. And with the help of their handsome, well-behaved, chocolate Labrador Retriever, Jack, it will be the expedition of a lifetime.

For Rich and Brittany's engagement session we met at the noble Windansea Beach, which is famous for its epic reef break, but it also beckons photographers for its unique backdrop. It's tough to deny a perfect A-frame, but we still had a smashing good time.

Stronger

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 06:14:00 +0000

Have you ever wanted to jump for joy and cry at the same time? Well today was one of those days for me. I was driving when Brian called. "We had the best offer on the house so it looks like we could be home owners." "Cool," I said with some enthusiasm. It was tough for me to wrap my brain around the idea because I was headed to the doctor's office.

I have been afraid of going to the doctor since I can remember. For most people the fear is being stuck with a needle or stepping on the scale. For me it's what the doctor has to say, and today it was something I was not ready to hear, "With your condition you can expect to have surgery every ten years. It may not be what happens, but you should be aware of it."

Surgery? That seven-letter word made my palms sweaty and my stomach turn upside down. I had surgery five years ago and I am doing just fine. I finished listening to my doctor and I returned to the car feeling defeated by Crohn's Disease.

When I got home I looked at my work space and I picked up a card that I received from a client just yesterday. I began to read it. "Jackie--We just wanted to send a note of thanks for our engagement session on Saturday. We both enjoyed it more than we thought we would. We are SO excited to see the photos! You did such a great job and we are so happy to have you for our photographer. Until May! Erin and Adam"

Tears filled my eyes, and as I blinked I could feel them leave watery trails down my cheeks. Their thank you card meant the world to me and I am incredibly blessed to document their wedding day in May.

Today wasn't easy, and I feel more vulnerable now that I have shared this with you, but I cannot hide how my challenges have made me a better a person, wife and photographer. With my husband's support and my love for photography, I know I can achieve anything. We get one life so we must live it with love, passion and laughter!

Here is the picture of the week from Queenstown, New Zealand.
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Contrary to the evidence I was not digging! Treat please!

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:46:00 +0000

It's about time I get some say in this blogging world. I've only been a part of the family three years now. Well, I am a husky of some sort, but everyone calls me a wolf. Even before I was adopted my name was Wolfy. It's tough for me to identify with because I have the stomach of a golden retriever; all I really want to do is eat.

You've probably seen some of my pictures on the blog before and that's because my owners are wedding and portrait photographers. I never really got into the whole photography thing, but somehow I cannot escape it. Jackie has the camera in my face all the time. But as long as I get a treat when she is done taking pictures; I will do whatever she asks. Usually I get a dog treat, but every now and then I'll get some raw meat or raw tuna. That raw stuff is to die for!

I dwell outside so I prefer not to stay in the house, even if it is raining. My coat is as thick as a wolf's and it's winter time so I do not need to be sitting around staring at four walls. Although sometimes I will stay up at night to have a one on one with the NSS, Neighborhood Skunk Squad, or I will hunt rats for the old man. That's when Jackie lets me inside for my morning nap. I give the glass door a little scratch and she can hear it from the depths of the house. She's a good owner like that.

So today I was out in the yard minding my own business when Jackie came outside to check on me. She looked at me funny and started laughing. I was out digging for gophers earlier because the ground is much easier to dig through when it's wet, but I thought the rain had washed the evidence away. Apparently I was wrong. She ran into the house and when she returned her hand was clenching that darn camera. Eventually I was okay with it. She took her pictures and I got my treat! Maybe I should dig more often?

Imperfections

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:15:00 +0000

Today I am letting my guard down. I selected an image that I have overlooked many times. It's out of focus and blurry and it makes me dizzy. But what in life is perfect?

This picture was a result of experimentation. I usually shoot at wide apertures, but I wanted to try something different. I never thought I would post it, but here it is, imperfections and all.

If anything, this is what it would look like to be lost in a forest somewhere. Clear defined shapes begin to falter and become fuzzy. But maybe this is what it looks like to chase your friend through the woods? As you run, you scan the trees for a moving object and they begin to obscure into each other.

It's not a picture of beautiful colors that you lust over, but it does seek attention in a different way. It's mysteriously engaging.

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Franny and Jim ~ Engagement ~ December 27, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 02:06:00 +0000

During the Christmas/New Year holiday I had an opportunity to do an engagement session for Brian's brother, Jim, and his fiancé, Franny. It was quite an honor to take their engagement pictures, and after two days of eating Christmas cookies and playing cards it was time to get some fresh Vacaville air.

Timing is Everything

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 01:12:00 +0000

Why ruin a good thing? Since last week's picture was taken in New Zealand, I am continuing with the Kiwi theme.

The big idea for this post is timing; it is everything or nothing in photography. And sometimes you just get lucky! Just minutes after I took this picture a slight gust of wind came through and turned this watery mirror into a lake full of ripples. It's a good thing I had my 5D ready to go and I knew exactly how I wanted to compose my shot. So the moral of this post is always be ready.

I wish I could remember exactly where this picture was taken, but I am not 100 percent sure. Although I do know we were headed North from Queenstown on highway 6. If I had to guess I'd say it was taken at Lake Hayes, northeast of Queenstown.

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On the Way to Arthur's Pass

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:25:00 +0000

Before I get to the meat of this post I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! We are all blessed to be here experiencing 2010, so let's live it like nobody is watching!

Also I want to be sure you know the details of our picture of the week. It's pretty simple, but a little explanation goes a long way. Last year Brian and I lived in Singapore and Cambridge, United Kingdom. We put VanHatten Photography on the back burner and Brian's career took the reins. And even though we went abroad for work, we took every travel opportunity we could muster.

Now we are back at home in San Diego and we have gigabytes of pictures to show you, so we came up with VP Tuesday, which is VanHatten Photography's picture of the week. Every Tuesday I will post a picture from our experience abroad. We are open to suggestions and comments so please let us know what you think.

Now onto the meat of this post.

Brian and I had the pleasure of being guests at a wedding this past Saturday and it was such a vibrant reminder of all the great adventures we've had since we got married! It also stimulated conversation about traveling, which is something Brian and I hold dear to our hearts. So in perfect form New Zealand became a topic of many stories that night, mainly because it is so hard for us not to talk about it.

One of the most difficult things to conquer when you travel through New Zealand is the urge to stop driving and look around. Everything is so breathtakingly magnificent that you want to stop every 20 minutes, and at that pace you will never reach your destination. So our advice is plan your trip well! Talk to people who have been there and listen to what they have to say.

This picture was taken at Lake Pearson on our way to Arthur's Pass; it was one of several stops along the 73, also know as The West Coast Road.

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Zach and Jody|Chapter 2

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:37:00 +0000

Here is the second chapter from the Pictage shoot workshop in New Orleans. It's been great working with Pictage and I look forward to all the new developments in 2010!

Zach and Jody|Chapter 1 ~ Pictage Partner Conference Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:31:00 +0000

This week I am departing from the picture of the week and I will resume after Christmas. But I do want to share some images from a shoot workshop I attended at the the Pictage Partner Conference in New Orleans. Not only was the light stellar, but our models, Zach and Jody Gray, were stunning, and are amazing photographers as well!

This workshop wouldn't have been possible without the talented Jeff and Erin Youngren, so thank you for an unforgettable opportunity! You are rockstars!

❄ ☃ Happy Holidays! ☃ ❄

Blarney Castle, Ireland

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:25:00 +0000

High in the tower is the Blarney Stone and tradition says that those who kiss it will be empowered with the gift of eloquence.

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The Perfect Morning ~ Malmö, Sweden

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:21:00 +0000

With an average high of 53˚F (11.4˚C) and a low of 41˚F (4.8˚C) we crossed our fingers for good weather. But when we arrived the train was late due to stormy weather. It was just our luck!

As the train stopped we entered its parting doors with hopefulness, despite the nasty weather. After all we were on our way to meet great people in a new exciting city.

It could have been our giddiness or our jet lag, but we were a little too hasty stepping off the train. We were one stop early. Thankfully, we managed to get in touch with our friends and they laughed knowing we would make that mistake.

After some reminiscing, midnight snacks and red wine we let the night ease our tiredness and we put faith in Saturday's weather.

Wow did Saturday come fast! It was light at 3 a.m. It was too early to realize that the sky was clear, but it stayed that way until we woke 6 hours later. It was the perfect morning in Malmö: not one cloud on the horizon!

This picture is from Sunday. There were a few clouds in the sky that day.

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Bangkok, Thailand

noreply@blogger.com (J VanHatten) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:12:00 +0000

Even after a major protest and the grounding of all flights, we packed our bags and flew to Bangkok. For Brian and I it was an easy decision.

What is the point of living if we don't take any risks?