Photography by Studio G

I Am...an Extreme Couponer

2012-01-23T23:38:00.000-08:00

Dear 2012 Brides, I am an Extreme Couponer…

Running a Wedding Photography Business is not light on your wallet…believe me. Some of you may think “she is just shooting pictures, why is she charging so much?!” well my dear happy brides, the equipment alone runs you in the thousands, sometimes tens of thousands. Then you have advertising, and marketing, and developing software. Oh yeah, don’t forget the computer with enough speed and memory that can outlast an elephant (if that even makes sense).Then add maintenance for all of your equipment and your car, and insurance, and the taxes….and my head hurts.

So on one particular Saturday last year, I was folding the laundry and telling my boys for the millionth time not to jump on the furniture, that I came across a show called “Extreme Couponing” on the TLC Network. For those of you who are not familiar with the show “Extreme Couponing”, it is a TV show that follows these super savvy couponers on their extreme couponing shopping trip. These shopper swill take home thousands of dollars’ worth of goods for less than a hundred bucks…sometimes even for free.

I immediately became intrigued and asked “where can I sign up?!”

Now, I am not new to couponing, my mother clipped coupons and I used to coupon while I lived in England with my husband while he was active duty in the military. The grocery store on base had a coupon center and they took expired coupons (thank you couponers for sending us military families those coupons by the way, I saved so much money at the commissary because of you. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU) Anyway, when my husband was on shift and since we still had no kids at the time I would spend a couple of hours shuffling through the coupons and planning my shopping list. I think in one of my biggest shopping trips was saving over $80 on my grocery bill, I remember getting so happy that I began to make it a weekly habit of checking the coupons in the coupon bin and planning my shopping trips whenever the hubs was on shift.

When we moved back to the States, I stopped couponing.

So here I am watching this show and remembering that blissful feeling of saving so much money on my groceries with those little coupons that I thought to myself “I need to start couponing again”. I started buying multiple copies of the local Sunday paper and began clipping. A good rule of thumb is to buy a newspaper per every member of your family. I began making list of key items that my family used regularly, and we are pretty brand loyal so I looked specifically for those coupons on eBay, or a coupon clipping service. I also learned about stockpiles, coupon stacking, matching coupons with the store circulars, etc.Now, I know what you are thinking my dear brides “Nellie, I am planning a wedding!!! There is no way I can coupon!” and I tell you “Yes, my dear Bride.Yes, you can!”

Remember brides, I too am spending thousands of dollars on equipment to make your day special AND if I can save some money on some 2 ply and toothpaste (sometimes even getting them for free) then I am going to do it.Because then it allows me to spend THAT money on things that there is normally no coupon for……….Like a Canon 1d Mark IV, that will run you like $5,000 for the camera body alone. And this camera doesn’t come with a kit lens, that my dear brides is extra.

I also know you are busy working, and I am busy working too, and running a small business, and I still have to run a home, raise some kids, and be a good wife…So, yes Boo, you can coupon too. Your future husband will thank you. Luckily for you Brides, ALL the work of coupon matching, stacking, and alerts on greatest deals are already searched for you. All you have to do is make a list and check it twice. Some of my favorite couponing websites are:

Fabulessly Frugal

Living Rich With Coupons
The Coupon Divas
The Krazy Coupon Lady (who also appeared on the “Extreme Couponing” show)

And of course if you google “Extreme Couponing” it will give you thousands of more bloggers and couponers that can help you on your way to saving money in the future.

Below are my images of my stockpile, and my coupon binder.

This is my Miller's bag from when I attended WPPI in Las Vegas in 2009. It finally came to good use. Thanks Miller's for a great bag!

Planning ahead my shopping trips are KEY to making sure I get the best possible savings on my grocery bill. I have little pouches for all of my stores that I shop at, and I only shop at 4 stores in my town to reduce my gas consumption and save me some time. My goal is to cut my monthly grocery bill (for a family of four) to $200 a month, and I am almost there. My biggest shopping savings was over 80% of my bill – and I think I spouted a “woohoo” to the cashier.

So there you have it brides, a confession from your wedding photographer. I hope I was of help today, as I like helping all of my brides with anything that they need. I know saving money is something you girls thinkof often, especially when you are planning something so beautiful and meaningful as your wedding. I am still available for photography services this year, email me and we can chat all things wedding……..and coupons.

Love and happiness,

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G Email Me Twitter Facebook Page

PS, don’t forget to send military families overseas your expired coupons. The websites that I mentioned above have more information on where you can send your expired coupons. As a military wife, I am so grateful that couponers took the time to mail those coupons over to us across the pond.THANK YOU COUPONERS!!

Hello 2012!!

2012-01-12T22:28:00.000-08:00

Hello Blog and the world wide webs,

Dear sweet baby J, I am the worst blogger in world. Last time we left off I was 20lbs heavier and working out. Now I am 20lbs lighter and wanting to get back into the workout game - because you know LIFE happened yet again.

2011 was a year of recovery and reflection. It was a year of growth both personally and professionally. I promised myself to write more and tell stories of life, love, and the pursuit of happiness - and here I am, AGAIN, nearly a year later after my last post to write about "love".

I am always inspired during this time of year with "love". Maybe its because Valentine's day is around the corner (and for the record, yes I did decorate) or maybe its because I have been blessed with such great love that I get sappy and happy this time of year.

okay maybe I am sappy and happy all the time...ask my friends.

But anyway, my point is that it is time to book your valentine sessions! I am running my fabulous "Winter Love" special for all of my couples, and families. I also offer complimentary love sessions in all of my wedding collections. And for my newly engaged couples, I am still available for wedding photography during the 2012 wedding season.

I look forward in creating more memories and meeting new people this year. In the meantime, I leave you with some "love".

I introduce you to the Borrego's, who are full of love and just celebrated their one year wedding anniversary in November 2011.

Love and happiness my friends,

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | Email Me | Twitter | Facebook Page

The Thing Called Life...

2011-03-07T21:06:00.001-08:00

I don’t do New Year resolutions. I just don’t. By mid January my New Year resolutions are long forgotten and I get busy with the thing called life.

This year I did not make a New Year resolution, just like in year’s past, but I secretly told myself that I had to make a change. My change didn’t have to start on January 1st, but on a day that felt good and ready. On January 22, it felt like a good day to start my quasi New Year resolution.

Start my monumental task of getting healthy again.

This is why I have been absent from the blog world because since January 22nd I have been working out every night (with 2 day rests in between) to ChaLean Extreme, Zumba, Hip Hop Abs and even Belly dancing. I am on day 45 with ChaLean Extreme, but I got terribly sick for a week so I am back to day 39 to make up for my sick time.

I started slowly, promising myself along with a close group of family and friends to be active for at least 30 minutes for 30 days – and for the first time in my life I finished an exercise challenge. Now we are on to another 30 day challenge and I am on month two of ChaLean Extreme.

So far I have lost 8 pounds and an inch off my waist. I wish I could be those people that say “I lost 15 lbs in a week!” but alas I am not one of them.

I am also getting ready for wedding season! I will be posting some sessions I have done along with some of my last weddings.

Are you a bride that is working out too? What are your wedding goals? You are not alone ladies and gents. Keep on working out and hopefully we can all get to our ideal healthy weight.

Time to get extreme….

Oh and Baseball season started I will be taking lots of photos of my boys teams.

Love and happiness my friends,

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | Email Me | Twitter | Facebook Page

Winter Sessions | Love | Valentine's Day

2011-01-12T21:16:00.001-08:00

The fire is going and the night is winding down. The children are in bed and I am going to drive by posting to announce my “Winter Love” specials in time for Valentine’s Day.

As some of you know I love Valentine’s Day….correction

I EFFING LOVE VALENTINE’S DAY!!

I am a sucker for romance…
I cry during romantic comedies (Love Actually gets me every.time.)
I have a wonderful husband who treats me like a queen
I have wonderful friends and family that love me
I love how my boys love Valentine ’s Day and say “Vaventime’s Day” (ok more like my youngest, my oldest says Valentine’s day)
I love how my mom says Valentime’s Day in her Spanish accent
I love how my girls and I doll up and go to dinner to celebrate love and friendship
I am a sap

I am just blessed with love and I want to share the love with you lovers too therefore, I am adding post cards to my collection. I got the idea while watching yet ANOTHER romantic comedy Julie & Julia. I simply adored how Julia Child would send out Valentine Day cards to her friends with cute images of her and her hubby, and as a photographer I totally appreciated and loved that concept.

"Valentine cards had become a tradition of ours, born of the fact that we could never get ourselves organized in time to send out Christmas cards." – Julia Child

So now I am including postcards of my sessions,because maybe, just maybe you never got around to sending out the holiday cards.

My “Winter Love” special will run all winter until March 19th and it can include up to 5 people in a shoot. But if you want to send out the lovely Valentine's Day cards then you have to book before February 1st to ensure on-time delivery.

And while we are on the topic of “Love” I know some of you recently got engaged and I congratulate you! I am looking for 2011 brides and grooms who are happy and crazy in love. Email me girls (even boys, because I know some of you guys are pro-wedding planning )and we can chat and talk wedding.

I am also going to upload all the the latest sessions I have done in 2010. For now I leave you with a teaser from a lovely couple that will be getting married later this year in San Francisco.

More to come...

Love and happiness my friends,

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | Email Me | Twitter | Facebook Page

Morning Fog...

2011-01-10T21:49:00.000-08:00

There is this new app on my iPhone that I have seen so many of my friends use and display on their facebook pages. It’s called the Instagram app and it is available to download from your iTunes app store. So now, I Instagram my favorite images – not all of them because then that is just silly.

Last week, the San Joaquin Valley was blanketed with a thick layer of fog. Normally, I am not a fan of the fog. It's creepy and I hate driving through it. But, last month my favorite film wedding photographers Jose Villa posted a session he did with a lovely couple and fog. You can check out Jose Villa’s engagement session in the fog by clicking here to see what I mean.

Here is my morning drive.

Here is the shot of the trees in front of my middle school where I work at during the school year.

I have been living in the valley for over 7 years now, and despite the fact that I am a true city girl, I am starting to appreciate the delicate beauty that is the valley. Land of agriculture and the most beautiful droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground - called fog.

Sending you love and happiness…

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | Email Me | Twitter | Facebook Page

Morning Frost

2011-01-10T21:07:00.000-08:00

another iPhone image capture. This time using ShakeItPhoto app....

It was a Monday morning. I woke up to my radio from my old school alarm clock (after the iPhone debacle of 2011 I turned back to my trusty old school alarm clock to get me started in the morning). Janet Jackson’s “love will never do without you” gets my morning going and I head over to the boys room to get them up. I hear sniffles and sneezes coming from my little one and he is begging me to stay in bed and “call in a sick day”
“Sorry boo-boo we all have to go to school” I reply softly and kiss him on the forehead.

My oldest helps me get everyone breakfast while I get ready for work. Everything is going smoothly. That is until I walked outside.

It was 32 degrees; meteorologists say that is freezing temperatures and it froze…all night. There was frost and ice all over my car which is okay, not a problem. Yes, I know my dear Midwest, East Coast friends that this pails in comparison to the snow fall that you have experienced as of late…..but this is California and I am a California girl.

“Mommy, look at all the snow!” my youngest son says with such glee and a cheery disposition. He is happy because he is a California Boy and we don’t get stuff like that around our parts.

“yes son I know but it is not snow it is frost” I say as I start to head over to the car.

This my dear friends is where everything went from good to bad in 3.5 seconds…This is the story about a woman and the garden hose… It sounds a little suggestive but I assure you my friends, its far from it. Also my dear friends let me further add to this story by adding the visuals; I am in my knee high stiletto boots with a bright red winter dress coat because I am heading out for work at the office.

And start scene…. Queue in Benny Hill Theme Song

The little one frolics in the grass as I try to corral him to the car. I start up the car to warm it up and defrost the windows which is covered in frost and ice.

“This is not going to work” I thought

I make my way to the garden hose which has last been used in the summer time and wrapped up so tightly around this do-hicky thing-a-ma-bob that you use so that your garden hose is not snaked around the lawn – and it is frozen and stuck.

It is a bad time to be in stiletto boots – I thought

I yank.
I pull.
And the darn this is not budging.

I put my stiletto boot on the side of the house and yank and pull some more, all the meanwhile I can see my 5 year old patiently waiting for me to give him my next direction. I can see his little head with the camouflage fargo beanie turn right and left as he watches me yank and pull on the garden hose from that do-hicky thing-a-ma-bob.

I yank.
I pull.
Nothing

I try another position, and this time I grab the hose like I am some sort of tug-of-war match.

I yank.
I pull
and finally the hose gives way - but just a little bit.

I say to myself “That’s okay, we have a fire hose nozzle and I can shoot the water from where I am at”

I turn on the water, turn my trusty fire hose nozzle and out comes the gushes of ...... squirts. My son is still patiently waiting for me, but he is getting cold – after all it is 32 degrees outside and we have been out there for a good 5-10 minutes.

“Mommy, I am cold” he says softly as to not upset his already upset mother.
“Yes honey, let’s get in the car”

I drop the hose that is still squirting and get my son to the car which is getting warmed up. I strap him in the booster and now, now that I am away from the hose and by the car – the hose decides its going to go – and go it does, after all it is a a fire hose nozzle. I am getting wet in my fancy red dress coat and my stiletto boots. I run to the hose aim it at the car and just like that it started squirting again. I just stood there with my head cocked to the side and said

"really?!"

I texted my boss the following message.

5 mins late.
Battle with the garden hose to defrost car.
Garden hose won.

And end scene.

True Story.

Happy Tuesday my friends.

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | Email Me | Twitter | Facebook Page

When Life Hands You Lemons....

2011-01-08T11:32:00.000-08:00

yes those are Christmas decorations in the background...don't judge me!

Anyways,

Something spectacular happened…Everything went wrong

Well not necessarily everything, but my life has dramatically changed – even though I did not want to.

I changed – even though I did not want to.

August 13th was the day that will do down in infamy as the day the shoe dropped. August 13th was a Friday – as in Friday the 13th. I should have known.

I am not really a person that believes in bad luck per say, but I find it funny that on that particular day, a day sort of famous for crazy superstitions, that my world turn on its head.

But I am recovering.

On New Year’s Eve, I made the conscious decision to let it all go. I was ready. It was time. The weird thing is that I was sad and scared to let it all go because it truly meant that I would have to leave it behind me if I want to be at peace and be happy.

I helped my sister make New Year’s Eve dinner for our family and I was quiet – my sister knows the rain clouds I have been under so she didn’t say much (my goodness I love that woman!). But I was actually quiet because I kept telling myself it was going to be alright and that I was going to be okay to move on.

Today, is the day Nellie
Today, is the day to let it all go
Today, is the day to be happy
2011 is going to be great

During the New Year Toast I mentioned to my family that my resolution wasn’t really a resolution, as I hardly keep those, but more like a realization that good comes out of all of the bad that has happened. And, quite frankly what happened to me did not kill me and yes, it made me stronger. 2011 is a year to be present. 2011 is the year to be happy and doing what I love (photography). I know this post seems a bit odd. But I am real, and what happened to me was real. Maybe what is happening to you is real too and all I can say my dear friends and future brides is that - life is unexpected. It happens and it can happen to you . I am going to say to you what has been helping me through my sadness is from Tony Robbins – again, don’t judge me.

"If you want to succeed in your life, remember this phrase: The Past does not equal The Future. Because you failed yesterday; or all day today; or a moment ago; or for the last six months; the last 16 years; or the last fifty years of life, doesn't mean anything...All that matters is: What are you going to do, RIGHT NOW!!?" - Anthony Robbins

No matter how mad I was, or how much I cursed my fate….in the end I simply have to let go. That is all we can do my friends.

I want to personaly thank my husband for holding my hand and loving me. And to the rest of my family and friends who have been there....you have no idea how much I love and appreciate you all.

Here is to a happy 2011…

Love and Happiness,

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | Email Me | Twitter | Facebook Page

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-07T23:52:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know this image says nothing of new year, but I simply love the freshness of this bouquet and I am counting down the days for the wedding season.

I have said it before and I will say it again. I am a horrible blogger. Somewhere out there the blogger powers that be are shaking their heads and saying "really"

I know I have been quiet in the blog world, but I have been working...and surviving. Life happened my dear readers and I survived. Boy, did I survive. And now it is time to tackle my wedding photography business and in full force. I ended the year with some more weddings under my belt, and some more assists with my photographer friends. I have been to some lovely venues, met some wonderful couples, and learned come valuable lessons. I will post pics soon of my last 2 weddings, love sessions, and an engagement shoot.

It is now 2011, the start of a new year, a new decade, and new beginnings. I hope your celebrations were filled with love and joy. My twitter and facebook feeds were filled with dear friends that got engaged and I hear that 2011 is a good year to get married as it is the year of the Rabbit - a lucky sign.

If you are a newly bride to be (or groom) that happened to stumble upon my blog I welcome you and congratulate you on your upcoming wedding. I know of a pretty good photographer...

I look forward in meeting new couples and telling their love stories. I am available to shoot. Will travel.

Love and Happiness,

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | Email Me | Twitter | Facebook Page

Late Sunday Night Blog Run...

2010-08-15T23:30:00.000-07:00

This week has been the week we get back in our routines. The children started school on Wednesday and my other life of a bilingual clerk at a middle school began in full force.

Things have also been kinda crazy - but I promised myself that I needed to blog.

I am gearing up for a couple of more weddings in the coming weeks as well as family sessions for the beloved christmas cards.

I am also behind on blogging my recent photography sessions. I have been surrounded by pregnant mommies. This is the first time working with baby bumps and I loved it! It reminded me of being pregnant and I loved being pregnant as both my babies were good belly babies. Here is my favorite image of my session with my dear friends the Campos-Bugarin's

gotta love the heart over the belly shot...it never gets old.

Happy Sunday night my friends.

Abrazos y besos...

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | info@photograpbybystudiog.com | Twitter | Facebook Page

Reflections for the day...

2010-07-29T23:10:00.001-07:00

Our summer is ending.

During the school year I am a bilingual clerk for a middle school (I'm fluent in Spanish and English)and come next week I will be back in the front office helping parents register their middle schoolers for the 2010-2011 school year.

I can't believe I just typed those numbers...2010-2011.

My oldest son will be in third grade and my youngest is still in preschool as he will be 5 come Christmas (he was born on Christmas Eve) and has to wait another year for kindergarten. My goodness where is the time going?

Anyways, this was my view today...

The boys pause to smile...

aaannnnd get back to what they are doing...

Today, I tried to be in the moment because my head has been preoccupied with other things like my photography business. I sat there and watched the children play and realized how lucky am I that I get to do this? I grabbed my camera as I always do for other people and took pictures of OUR MOMENTS because these moments are fleeting and before you know it I will be typing things like:

"It is 2020 and my son is a senior in high school", and I will sit back and wonder where the time went.

Sometimes as photographers we focus on other people's moments so much that we forget those simple moments in front of us...our family, our friends, our loved ones. It's not just photographers either you can insert any profession really. The beautiful thing about photography is that it captures those moments and tells the story of our lives. So what was your moment today?

Be in the moment, for life is short.

Abrazos y besos my friends...

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | info@photograpbybystudiog.com | Twitter | Facebook Page

Vintage Inspired Styled Bridal Shoot | Tracy, California

2010-07-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning in a rather melancholy mood…I am trying to so hard to not make it one of “those days” but no matter how I try the rain cloud is over my head.
I have been over thinking things too much and coming up with different scenarios of outcomes and maybe I am exhausted of doing that. I will not bore you with my melodramatic mood.

Arghhh…Moving on…Anyways…

I hope your summers are doing well and you are tackling what it is you are tackling. In photography news, I wanted to finally post the latest styled bridal shoot that Kia Gregory put together a few weeks ago on a blistering Thursday evening.

So what is a styled shoot? A styled shoot is where vendors get together to present a client the possibilities (storyboards if you will) for their projects – or in mine and Kia’s case it’s a way to present brides some fabulous bridal dresses, accessories, and color themes for their big day. As a photographer I love showing my future brides how different elements can be put together to create a unified look. Also as a photographer I appreciate a bride’s details because it shows her personality, her spirit, and makes for some timeless pieces and photographs.

Since it was blistering hot that day we waited to shoot later in the evening – which we call the honey hour because it is sunset and gives some romantic lighting…at least I call it romantic.

Angela Fox of Foxy Face Makeup Artistry was our makeup artist for the shoot and our model is Brittany Fee that Kia met through Model Mayhem. Kia has a lovely home nestled near downtown Tracy so we shot around her home and once the night fell we hit the streets of downtown Tracy for a Hollywood glamour look.

Kia will be blogging her images soon and you can click here for her blog. Kia also shot in film and I must say that it brought back some wonderful memories of my days in the darkroom.

Below are some of the images I captured at the shoot.

If you are a bride who happens to stumble upon my blog I welcome you and shall let you know that I am available the remainder of 2010 and am looking for 2011 brides! Also for more ideas on your big day please visit some of my wedding industry friends’ blogs and websites to really bring out your vision to life!

San Francisco Area – Michelle Barrionuevo-Mazzini: Wedding designer
MB Weddings,

San Jose Area - Liz Guthrie: Wedding Planner
San Jose Wedding Consultants

Wedding Design and Inspiration Blogs
Engaged and Inspired
Style Me Pretty

And of course my dear friends abroad in a little town called London, England
5 Star Wedding Directory

I am becoming in a better mood…time to crank up the ipod and dance with my children. Happy Wednesday!

Abrazos y besos my friends

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | info@photograpbybystudiog.com | Twitter | Facebook Page

Windmill Ridge Winery Bridal Shoot (part II) | Tracy, California

2010-07-20T23:54:00.001-07:00

It is day three of straight blogging.

Today was another lovely day. The hubby came home from his 48 hour shift and put on his dad hat while I went off to a photo shoot in Pleasanton with a dear friend of mine. We decided to shoot early to avoid the blazing heat and by 11:00 we were done, and I was free the rest of the day - not bad for a Tuesday!

It is quiet in the house as the children are asleep and the hubby is entranced in this show called “True Blood”. Which I don’t get by the way… don’t hate

I decided to keep the blog streak going while the gettin' is good and pick up where I left off during spring break. Below are some additional shots of the styled shoot that both Kia (Kia Gregory Photography) and I planned at the Windmill Ridge Winery here in town.

Our model is Brittany and we both worked together at my middle school. Not only is she a beautiful girl but she is so lovely and such a joy to be around. My camera adored here. The light adored her. The dress adored her.

And I’m thinking you will adore her too.

for more details of the location please click here. The headpiece was a custom headpiece created by Kia's friend Kellie Whitecotton who can create custom pieces for brides. If you want more info please email me and I will get that to you.

anyways...

This shoot would be the first styled shoot that Kia and I worked together and we collaborated again last week for another vintage inspired styled shoot with ANOTHER Brittany. I had so much fun trying to find the light AT NIGHT – but we made it work. Here is another teaser

I definately can't wait to show you future brides more!

Have a good night and a wonderful tomorrow!

Abrazos y besos my friends,

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | info@photograpbybystudiog.com | Twitter | Facebook Page

Happy Monday...

2010-07-20T00:44:00.000-07:00

Okay its more like Tuesday because it is 1am. But since it is dark I still consider it a Monday night.

I promised myself I would blog today because I need to get into the habit of writing. I ran into my good friend Kia Gregory while our children attended their dance classes and she mentioned that I need to get the ball rolling on this blogging thing. So here I am on the wee hours on a Tuesday morning to fulfill my promise.

Anyway.

This was my view today

After the morning school work the children vegged and listened to music while I made lunch and did some editing of the latest styled bridal shoot I tagged along with Kia a couple of days ago. I am really excited to share those images but for now I leave you with my favorite one thus far...

Isn't Britney stunning?! I will save the rest for another blog post that will contain all the lovely details of this styled shoot. Thank you Kia for letting me tag along to your project! I must go now and dream of sweet things.

Abrazos y besos my friends!

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | info@photograpbybystudiog.com | Twitter | Facebook Page

So we meet again...

2010-07-16T13:15:00.001-07:00

“Can someone put a post on this blog?!”

“Who is running this show?”

Hello readers! And hello Blog! Yes I have neglected you all with my absence, but I swear it was for a good thing - called life.

Last I left you it was during spring break and now we are in the middle of summer. So much has happened that blogging kind of turned to the back seat. For starters I shot my third wedding of my career and have helped a couple of photographer friends shoot weddings. I have also shot a couple of pregnant mommies who are now holding their bundles of joy as I type.

I have attended parties.
I have sat and learned from great photographers.
I have built great relationships and made friends with local photographers.
I took thousands of pictures of my family along with other families.
I went on vacation with my family

The summer is halfway over and I have more projects and weddings to shoot. I am going to try my best to post all my projects thus far because I have been busy shooting and meeting some wonderful people.

Yesterday I partnered up again with my photographer friend Kia Gregory for another styled shoot here in town. I am so excited to share! But for now I leave you with a favorite image from my last maternity session.

I hope you are all well and enjoying summer! Abrazos y besos my friends…

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | info@photograpbybystudiog.com | Twitter | Facebook Page

Windmill Ridge Winery | Styled Bridal Shoot

2010-04-12T22:43:00.000-07:00

I am going to admit something and that is that I used to not be a fan of my town....well not a BIG fan. I am a big time city girl where I like to have my options open on a Friday or a Saturday night. I also love to entertain and there is not much of entertaining in my little town.

As I have mentioned in my previous post Tracy, California is home to me along with my friend and wedding photographer Kia Gregory. (Can you believe we met through twitter and not because we both live in a small town?!) Also as a former corporate PR gal no one is going to know what Tracy, California has to offer unless someone is talking about it.

So I am going to talk about it!

When Kia and I got together for this styled shoot it started as a "lets get together and shoot" and after talking together and sharing our frustrations with the "lack thereof" in our town it evolved into "what can we do for our little city to help it grow?" As small business women we share the value of home grown goodness and support local vendors.

Stephanie and Bill Prioste own the Windmill Ridge Winery here in town. It is nestled south of Tracy off of Linne Road. Stephanie is also a dear friend of mine. When I asked her if we could do a styled shoot in her winery she said "yes" and "your welcome to the grounds". I was beyond elated! Kia and I got together to talk details and meet with our model Brittany to go over expectations and even more details.

We planned to shoot over spring break.

Stepanie welcomed us in a sunny Tuesday afternoon and we surveyed the grounds and immediately fell in love

We began envisioning future weddings and galas to be hosted here. Kia and I took turns talking about "how a tent would look great here" and "this area is perfect for a ceremony" and we weren't even inside of the grounds yet! The winery has a Tuscan feel to it and the large wooden doors accented the area so well.....not to mention the barn! What photographer doesn't love a barn?

"dude this is Tracy?!" I quipped.

Yes readers...this is my town, my home, a place where I hang my hat or my ridiculously expensive purse (and no its not a Coach). You are welcome to visit anytime!

For more information to host a wedding,an event or gala at the Windmill Ridge Winery please contact Stephanie or Bill Prioste at sales@windmillridgewinery.com or on their website

Windmill Ridge Winery

For now I leave you with a few of my favorite images of our styled bridal shoot.

Abrazos y Besos my friends!

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | info@photograpbybystudiog.com | Twitter | Facebook Page

Easter and New Beginings...

2010-04-05T21:16:00.001-07:00

I am not a fan of Easter. I don't think I ever really was a fan. Growing up Catholic and going through 40 days of lent was no fun - but I guess that is the point. I am not going to get into to much of the religion talk because I am not a religious person at all.

and I will leave it at that.

But anyway, I woke up Easter morning already feeling somewhat melancholy as my hubby was not here and working. The holidays always feel incomplete whenever he is not around - but that is the life of a Fire Fighter wife. I got myself out of bed and the children were already making there way into the candy from their Easter baskets and excited for what was to come - that did put a smile on my face.

I called my sister and made plans to meet her in San Francisco and participate in the Fairmont Hotel's Easter Egg Hunt The boys were excited to try something different, and that made me happy. Being in San Francisco made me happy. Being with my sister and my parents made me happy.

But then came the rains. And it poured.

That did not stop us from scouring the rooftop of the Fairmont Hotel to find some eggs and take a picture with the Easter Bunny.

"April showers bring May flowers...I guess"

Now that Lent is finally over and Easter has come and gone it is time for new beginnings. Tomorrow I join my fellow central valley wedding photographer Kia Gregory for a styled bridal shoot at the Windmill Ridge Winery in our town.

"a what and a who now?" you say...

It's time to get our shows on the road folks and for both Kia and I that means to start making things happen for ourselves and our businesses. We are both from Tracy, CA a large town of 81,000 - Land of Coach bags and SUVs. You may have heard of my town through an array of bad press of bad people doing bad things. But for Kia and I its home. Its where we are raising our kids - and our little town has potential - at least we believe it does.

After coming home from WPPI in Las Vegas we came back with new directions and a "will do" attitude for our businesses. We both made plans to get together and shoot, shoot, shoot since we are both fairly new wedding photographers and within minutes of each other. We also wanted to showcase to local central valley brides that you can have a wedding in our town and make it beautiful.

Our pieces for tomorrow are custom pieces handmade from a local girl Kellie Whitecotton and friend of Kia's.

Tomorrow is the big day... and I can't wait.

In other news - it's spring break from me this week and I love being at home with my babies and creating sidewalk art.

Happy Monday ...

Abrazos y Besos my friends!

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | info@photograpbybystudiog.com | Twitter | Facebook Page

Zoila & Gerardo | Hiddenbrooke Golf Course Wedding...Vallejo, Ca

2010-03-30T22:52:00.000-07:00

I am nearing a year since I shot this wedding and I am just about to getting to blog it because it is a quiet Tuesday afternoon and I need I felt the urge to go through some of my past weddings and get them blogged.

My day started incredibly early. That is what happens when you live in the valley - you always have to add an additional hour to your commute times because you never know that the traffic will be like. I was still buzzing from my first wedding that happened a week before this wedding. My rentals from borrowlenses were still in my possession and I was ready to tackle my second wedding of my career.

"it's going to be a good day"

I met Zoila and her family at the Holiday Inn in Vallejo and got in position. I always tell my clients that I am a fly on a wall and to pay no attention to me

'I am just here to capture the moment" I say with a smile.

Zoila was calming her nerves and making sure that all the finishing touches were in place, her mother would smile and looked extremely proud of her daughter. Before you knew it it was time to head out to St. Vincent's Catholic Church and get the show on the road. The ceremony was a traditional Mexican ceremony which featured the traditional catholic mass along with the blessings of the marriage such as the aras (coins for prosperity), el lazo (similar to the unity candle) and the offering of flowers to La Virgen de Guadalupe so that she may bless the marriage.

Once the nuptials were done it was time for family formals and then off to the Hiddenbrooke Golf Course for the reception. This would be the second time shooting at a golf course and I must say I love all the green and it complimented my couple's fall wedding colors so well.

Here are some of my favorite images from getting ready to the ceremony...

I will post more soon for now I must get ready for the start of soccer season with my son.

To my couple Zoila and Gerardo...Thank you for letting me capture your special day and I wish you many blessings and love as you approach your 1st wedding anniversary.

Abrazos y besos my friends...

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | info@photograpbybystudiog.com | Twitter | Facebook Page

A new look...

2010-03-29T23:20:00.000-07:00

I hate to post and run but I have spent the past two nights trying to revamp my blog - and I wanted to share my excitement for my hardwork (I hate you CSS!and I say it with love)

I think I have finally decompressed from WPPI in Las Vegas! And I came home pumped with wanting to change my web presence. There are many things happening for me and I will post soon. For now I am so thankful I am on this journey of photography.

No, seriously you guys...sometimes I have to pinch myself because I can't believe this is really happening to me.

I have also been busy with family portraits and gearing up for wedding season! I will post the plethora of pictures. For now I leave you with my favorite image of my last glam session in San Francisco.

Much love to you all. Happy Easter........time for new beginnings.

Abrazos y besos my friends!

Nellie G.

Photography By Studio G | info@photograpbybystudiog.com | Twitter | Facebook Page

The Quiet After the Storm...WPPI 2010

2010-03-09T21:47:00.000-08:00

We just got back from the much anticipated WPPI Tradeshow and Conference in Las Vegas. Despite the fact that I need to catch up on some sleep I had to come to my somewhat neglected blog since my mind is on information overload. I am excited for what is to come. I made some great friends and met some incredible photographers that I admire and aspire to be.

I will post pictures soon. For now I am happy to be safely home with my babies and in my bed.

Abrazos y besos my friends!
Nellie G.
Photography By Studio G | info@photograpbybystudiog.com | Twitter | Facebook Page

My Life with Boys...

2010-02-05T22:47:00.000-08:00

As some of you know from my previous post about being a mother of boys that I secretly wanted girls during all my pregnancies. It sounds mean but I really wanted girls. I knew girl world because I grew up with a sister. My sister is my partner in crime, my sister is my true best friend, my sister is EVERYTHING to me. We had so many adventures together, she has seen me at my best, she has seen me at my worst. My sister is the best sister in the world!

Joey and I always knew we would have at least two children. In my world it would be daughters - two little girls with kinky curly hair like their mother, and big brown eyes like their father. But I got boys - BOTH TIMES. I got thrust into boy world. I don't know boys, I didn't grow up with a brother. The only man in the house while I was growing up was my dad and while he was the strong asstertive father, he was a softy - most of the time and pretty much had to succumb to girl world. My hubby tells me quite often

"Nellie, they are boys"
to which I would respond "Boys can like crafts you know!"

Also my boys are total......BOYS. Just today my children were deep in their Star Wars play time when I told them I needed to go to Costco for some things. Jonah tells Noah with determination "We will finish our mission at Costco Noah" and Noah obidiently says "yes Captain!". I was to tired to to wait for them to change so off I went with the boys in full Clone War gear. You think I kid.......but no....this is my life with boys.

I somtimes feel like the AT&T mom with the unused minutes. The boys are all looking at her like she has a screw loose because she wants her boys to save their unused minutes.

My world consists of baseball, soccer, football, Star Wars, and all things boy. I feel lonely at times because there will be no girls nights for me, or mommy and daughter anything. But I do have dates with my sons, and if anything they are cuddlers and love to sleep with me when the hubby is on shift. I see how the boys play with one another (much my my sister and I did), and talk with one another (much like my sister and I did) and enjoy each other (much like my sister and I did) it makes me realize that boy world is not that bad.

Although I could really do without the farting, and the burping.....
"seriously boys no one is interested in your bodily functions!" I quip at them. To which they both respond with an "I'm sorry mom" ...and immediately laugh hysterically......much like my sister and I did.

Abrazos and Besos my friends!
Nellie G.

Valentine's Day | Magic | and Love...

2010-02-02T22:41:00.001-08:00

I am a hopeless romantic. I squeal over love notes. I love getting roses. I cry at romantic comedies, and I get giddy when I get a text message from the hubby with three little words…..”I Love You”. It is no wonder that Valentine’s Day is by far my favorite holiday to celebrate, and it s also no wonder that I would become a wedding photographer – because love is just awesome and I love capturing it. Valentine’s Day really reminds me how incredibly blessed I am to have the people that I have in my life because I am truly loved by some awesome people.

I sound like a sap because I am a sap.

I have been in love twice – the first guy couldn’t love me and broke my heart, the second guy was my best friend and married me. Yes, there were a slue of boyfriends in between, but in my heart of hearts I know they weren’t meant for me - there was no magic. As a hopeless romantic I believe in magic, in the butterflies in the stomach magic, in how your heart aches until you see that person again magic. Joey and I were just friends, he was still harboring a broken heart and I was trying to get over my mistake of a boyfriend. We played hooky one afternoon and headed to the coast to hang out. We drove down highway 17 and talked about everything, laughed, and just enjoyed the scenic drive. We made our way to a secluded beach off of Highway 1, parked and began to walk down the rocky path to the beach. Joey grabbed my hand to help me.

It was this moment, this particular moment that I will never forget – I felt magic. I fell in love with my friend. We walked down this path, still holding hands, and watched the waves crash against the rocks.

It sounds like a sappy romantic comedy, but it really happened – and it happened to me. What is your romantic story? What is your “magic”? In honor of V-Day I am offering a promotion on my portrait sessions for the month of February. If you would like to book your session just email me at info@photographybystudiog.com . If you are engaged and in need of a wedding photographer I can help you there too!

On this Valentine’s Day celebrate your relationships with the people you love!
Maybe it’s your significant other or your friends or your family. Whatever you do celebrate love, because love is pretty effing great!

Happy early Valentine’s Day friends!

Abrazos y Besos!
Nellie G.
Photography By Studio G | info@photograpbybystudiog.com | Twitter | Facebook Page

Christmas | Memories | and a Little Movie called "The Holiday"

2009-12-25T22:28:00.000-08:00

It is Christmas Day and the children are in bed. I am officially on a tamale coma and I decided to write or blog I shall say so that I can update it. As I sit here and type I am watching my favorite romatic comedy of all time “The Holiday” with Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, and the ever funny Jack Black. I love this movie because it involves the two of favorite cities in the world - Los Angeles,California and London, England – okay a little town away from London. Most of you don’t know this but I moved to another country with my husband the day after we married. We moved to England to be exact. My hubby was in the United States Air Force. I remember how eager and happy he was signing up to the Air Force because he “wanted to see the world and become a firefighter” even though he secretly dreamed of being a jet fighter pilot. I was the supportive girlfriend and was happy for him, even when I knew it meant that he was going to go away….and far away.

Joey is a dying breed of good men – he loves and honors his mother, he is incredibly generous almost to a fault, he is a man of his word, he is respectful of others, and most importantly he is the type of guy who holds your hair when you are having your bouts of morning sickness….for four months! I knew when he received his orders to be stationed in England that we were going to be okay because he loved me and I knew that he loved me – he always made me feel loved and beautiful. I was going to miss him but I was supportive of his dreams and wished him well. I know some people aren’t fans of long distance relationships, but for Joey and I it worked. I had my own life, I got to travel and be with my girlfriends, I got to go to school and work, I worked on being me and growing me. Joey was doing his thing too, starting his career, making friends, and gaining valuable experiences. We loved one another and we trusted one another, we knew we wanted to be with one another forever and what is 10,000 miles anyway?!

We planned our wedding via phone calls and emails and couldn’t wait to finally be together forever and not just on the phone or for a couple of days. On September 10, 2000 just a day after we married, we were on a plane bound for England to start our lives in a new country. We were 23 years old. I remember always being excited to move to England. The only home I knew was in San Jose, California and now I was going to see the world! I couldn’t wait…but as I stood in line to board the plane and as I saw my parents in the waiting area, my heart sank. My excitement to see the world was now shadowed with the reality that was I was leaving my only family behind.

I was leaving my friends.
I was leaving school.
I was leaving my job.
I was leaving what I knew and was accustomed to.

And I was leaving my parents…the ones who didn’t say much when I decided that this adventure is what I wanted to pursue…the ones who supported my decision, albeit with a heavy heart, the ones who sacrificed everything for me – and I was leaving them.

My eyes swelled and I remember trying not to blink because I knew the waterworks were coming. I knew if those tears rolled down my eyes I would run back to my parents so fast and tell them I changed my mind. Joey just stood in line waiting to board, he was done with his goodbyes and now just wanted to sleep but as he turned to look at me he saw I was going to break down and he put his arm around me and told me it was going to be okay.

“Just think when we land we will be in London, you always wanted to see London. Imagine all the pictures you are going to take!” - Yes, my life always has revolved around photography.

I popped a smile and fought back the tears but as I nodded my head and nestled it on his chest – one by one the tears rolled down my cheek - heavy tears, the kind that don’t stream down your cheek but drop like a heavy rain. I cried, and now my comfort was going to be Joey and only Joey. I reminded myself of all the plans, of the excitement of our decision to move away, and my love for this man who was making all my dreams possible. I was going to be okay – WE were going to be okay. I turned and looked back at all my familiar faces and whispered “I love you” to all of them.

By the morning we landed in England and we were officially on our own. We were now “The Guerrero’s” or as I so lovingly dubbed us:

“G Unit”

On this Christmas Day, as I sit here watching my favorite movie of all time, from my favorite cities of all time, I can't help but feel blessed and so incredibly lucky to have lived the life I have lived. I joke with my husband that with my photography we may just end up back there again..."it's only for the summer honey!". He just smiles and humors me but the beautiful thing about the internet is that it connects you to the world and already I have met some wonderful wedding vendors abroad that may just make that dream a possibility and I want to thank 5 Star Weddings of the UK for letting me be a part of their community. If you are a wedding vendor or a bride looking to marry abroad then check out their community of vendors in the area who can help you with whatever you need.

For now I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy Holiday! Thank you to all who are and have been supporting me in this adventure in Wedding and Portrait photography! Here are some images from my scrapbook – yes I scrapbook.

Abrazos y Besos my Friends!
Nellie G.
Photography By Studio G | info@photograpbybystudiog.com | Twitter | Facebook Page

Shake It Like A Polaroid Picture!

2009-10-16T22:57:00.001-07:00

I don't know if you readers know this but my wonderful hubby recently has purchased my very much anticipated iPhone.

At first I was a hater and I did not want one. I am a HUGE texter and the touch screen and I just did NOT get along. My hubby was the first one to get one and i would slowly start playing with it. Then when i was around my photog friends (I blame Gustavo Fernandez for my wanting this phone BTW) they all would tell me how great and wonderful this iPhone was and all the others well.....sucked.

One hot morning while at work my Samsung Blackjack II went KAPUT. I was flabbergasted and tried in vain to get my "little phone that could" to work - but alas....it didn't. I sadly called my husband to which he said for me not to worry about it and that he had to call me back. He never called me back, Instead he showed up at my work with an iPhone. At first I thought it was his and said that I didn't need to use his phone that I was okay for now but he insisted that I take this iPhone.

"No honey, I am good. Thank you for letting me use your phone babe but I am good"
"Nellie, open the phone dude"

I slid the bar and see a sunflower (my favorite flower) and immediately knew that this was not Joey's phone by MY iPHONE! I shrieked and jumped! The kids in the office were wondering why Mrs. G was so happy and proudly exclaimed that I had the new iPhone 3GS.

Anyway, I discovered the ShakeitPhoto App where you take a polaroid picture and you shake the phone to develop it. I became HOOKED on that little app. I took this picture of the kids and my hubby walking home from our school's carnival.

A walk with my father..., originally uploaded by belly360.

I want a Polariod camera. I miss film.

Fall | Family Portrait Sessions | and Love…

2009-10-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

Fall is upon us and I am loving the brisk morning breezes and that I finally get to put on my coat. I never thought that I would love fall so much until we experienced the never ending sweltering heat all through September.

With fall upon us it also means that the holidays are around the corner – literally. This time is usually busy for me as I prepare for family photo sessions in time for the holiday cards. I mentioned in another post that I celebrated my 9th wedding anniversary on 9/9/9 and for a limited time I would be running a portrait session promotion of $99.99. The promotion details are:

- Up to an hour of on location shooting anywhere in the San Francisco bay area or San Joaquin Valley.
- Photoshoot can include up to 5 family members (each additional member is $9)
- Free set of wallets
- Online gallery show

$99.99 are you out of your mind?!

As I have said in my previous post I am happy. Happy with life, happy with my hubby, happy to be a mother of two rock and roll boys, happy to be pursuing my photography career, just happy. And I know my discounted portrait session rate would make others happy to have beautiful pictures too! The promotion ends December 6th, 2009. Here are some of my favorite pictures of family sessions of the past.

If you would like to schedule a session please email me at nelliegphoto@gmail.com and we can get this party started!

I am finishing up editing my second wedding and I am so excited to show my bride and groom their wedding pictures! But for now I leave you with some of my favorite photography sessions from last season.

Abrazos and Besos my friends,

Nellie G.
Photography By Studio G | Email Me |

Manteca Park Golf Course Wedding | Serisha & Teddy

2009-09-23T23:35:00.000-07:00

It was a Friday afternoon. It was hot. It was somewhat muggy. I was scheduled to meet the groom and his boys at the Manteca Park Golf Course for some pre-ceremony pictures. On my way to the golf course I listened to my beloved dance jams from Kaskade that gets my creative juices flowing along with a little bit of Goldfrapp. I bumped up the music on the good parts and tapped my fingers on the steering wheel.

“You got this G” I said to myself (and for the record my last name is Guerrero – hence the G and not a misguided Kevin Federline quote)

I digress…

I arrived on location a wee bit early and checked my surroundings. My photog friends always tell me to find the light and at 4pm the light from the sun was still strong so I tried to find my natural reflectors. I met the boys and quickly gathered them for the “boys” shoot. At first we were formal with one another and once the guys warmed up they were great and fun guys to shoot with. I loved how all of them wore the Teddy trademark of “Chuck Taylors” for the wedding – and as a girl who appreciates the details I had to take a picture of it – okay quite a few pictures of it.

It was time for the girls to get together and I met them in a separate room by the reception hall. They were all doing final touch ups and making sure Serisha was on point and beautiful. I took that opportunity to get pictures of the girls getting ready and Serisha putting on her final touches before we headed out for some pre-ceremony pictures.

These are some good looking girls! I think on the girls alone I took about 200 pictures because the colors complemented them so well and they all looked so stunning.

Serisha looked lovely as ever. If you remember from my previous post about their engagement session in Stockton I mentioned how Serisha and I were high school friends and she was a beauty then and is a beauty now. Just look at that natural smile

Here are some of my favorite shots of the wedding!

Here are the wonderful vendors of the wedding:
Chez Shari | event venue, catering
San Francisco Floral | beautiful flowers

Kat’s Cakes | delish cupcakes!

For the full slideshow of the wedding please click here

I am still taking any last minute brides for the remainder of the 2009 year and have already started booking weddings for 2010! Please email me at info@photographybystudiog.com

Abrazos and besos my friends,

Nellie G.
Photography By Studio G | Email Me |

9/9/9

2009-09-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

I took a sick day. A sick day because for the last 3 weeks I have been on turbo charge with motherhood, wifehood, photographer-hood, all while working my 9-5…hood (sorry couldn’t resist). My body is telling me to take a break with chills and body aches – I hope I don’t get sick sick.

I tried to lie down and rest but my mind is still on “full speed ahead”. Today is a special day and some couples are taking advantage of the unique order of numbers and are getting married today but for me…for us… Today is our wedding anniversary and we have been married for ……wait for it…..9 years. I swear we did not plan on that! September 9th was the only date available from our former church so we took it.

Joey and I have been together for 13 years. Our lives always crossed paths. While growing up we attended the same church - St. Joseph’s Cathedral

in San Jose. When we were babies we were even baptized on the same day by the same priest at that very same church! We ate at the same taqueria on 1st street after mass. Joey and my sister were in the same class in 1st grade……..but we never met. We met in high school, I was the preppy junior and he was the flirty sophomore who once wrote in my yearbook that he wanted to “get to know me better”. He had longer hair, the “cantiflas” mustache and was so sweet and nice – I couldn’t be bothered. My heart at the time belonged to another…the other who could not love me back and broke my heart.

By the time I graduated high school Joey was attending a different high school and we lost touch. But in the winter of 1996 I saw him at the local Savemart where he was working, and he took my breath away. He was taller, he was leaner, his hair was shorter and he helped my mother with the groceries. We chatted about life, about what we were doing, how he was enjoying his last year as a senior at Mount Pleasant High School.

We started as friends.
We became lovers.
We got married.

And now we are celebrating 9 years of a happy marriage. It is rather unique and it makes me feel like I am truly with my soul mate when I think of how special today really is for our family….I mean come on! 9 years on 9/9/9??!!! You can’t make this stuff up!

So for a limited time – I want to kick off the family portrait season with a promotion and offer my portrait rates at……wait for it….$99.99 to honor our 9 years on this day of 9/9/9. This rate covers on location shooting in the bay area and covers up to 5 people. Each additional person is….yeah you guessed it $9. Promotion ends October 9, 2009. So book your date now! You can email me at nelliegphoto@gmail.com or go to my website at Photography By Studio G

$99.99 are you out of your mind??

No. I am just happy.
Happy to have my hubby in my life.
Happy for all of the things we have done.
Happy for the family we created.
Happy that I have a partner who is happy for me and my adventure into wedding photography.
And mostly I am happy that he loves me for me – and that is quite astonishing.

I hope you are all happy too and have a special and happy day today.

Abrazos and Besos my friends,

Nellie G.
Photography By Studio G

"It's Go Time!"

2009-08-26T23:19:00.000-07:00

It is nearing midnight and I am up. I am up because on Friday I will officially be a wedding photographer. On Friday I join the big leagues and get to exchange witty banter with other fellow photogs about wedding photography after months of saying

"I have my first wedding this August”

As a mother of two young boys, it is the only time that I get to work. I am obsessively going over timelines. I am flipping through fashion magazines and bridal magazines for inspiration. I am giving myself pep talks…I am praying – this Friday night, all the talking, all the planning, all the waiting will end and the show is on. I used to be a cheerleader in the good old days and when ever we performed I always pumped myself up with

“it’s go time!”

And it is definitely go time for me as not only do I have my first wedding to shoot this Friday night but I also have ANOTHER wedding to shoot NEXT SATURDAY!! Can we say “hitting the ground running?!”

I have jitters – but they are good jitters. I must go now because I am after all a mother of two young boys and those young boys have school tomorrow and I have to go to work myself. I will leave you with some teasers of some love shoots I have done recently but will blog about later.

I shall dream of lover’s first kiss and bouquet of flowers….wish me luck guys!

Longoria/Trejo Engagement Session - Stockton Waterfront

Campos Love Session - Stockton's University of the Pacific area

Engagement Session Sonoma, California

2009-07-25T00:26:00.000-07:00

My photographer friend referred a last minute bride to me as he was unable to shoot her wedding this coming September. I was beyond excited when she hired me via email to shoot her wedding. Her name is Zoila and his name is Gerardo and a couple of Saturday's ago we got together at Hiddenbrooke Golf Course in Vallejo to take a peek at the wedding venue and bounce off some ideas for the big day.

I am thinking it is going to be nothing short of fabulous! And I can’t wait!

We headed to her lovely home in American Canyon and her mother treated me to jugo de naranja and un panecito. One of Zoila’s nephews gave me a big hug and immediately I felt welcomed and felt as though I was visiting friends. We went over the details of the big day, Zoila made me un taco de frijoles and we made our way out to Sonoma to shoot their love session.

I love Sonoma. Last time I was there it was for business – back when I had an expense account and my mileage was paid for. Little did I know that a few years later I would be there on my OWN business trip for my own company (just call me a Start-Up if you will), although I do wish that I still had a nice expense account.

Anyway, we made it out to the square and I warned my bride and groom before hand to bring some fabulous shoes and comfy shoes because we would be doing a lot of walking! And we all know my slight obsession with shoes; I always have to take pictures of the shoes. We cruised the square stopping each time the inspiration hit me and took some shots. In total I took nearly 500 pictures and the session lasted a few hours because we just couldn’t help but do as the locals do! Gerardo treated us to taste some cheese (sans the wine) and we talked and got to know one another.

Here is what I shot that day and I also provided a link to see their slideshow by Showit Web of their engagement session in Sonoma.

Here are some of my favorite shots at the Sonoma Square.

My Very First Upcoming Wedding

2009-07-15T22:47:00.000-07:00

My very first wedding is coming up next month. I would be lying to you if I told you that I am not nervious, but I totally am! I am prepping myself mentally for the big day as though I were an athlete prepping for the big game. You should hear the chants in my head

"Let's go Guerrero!"
"Let's do this Ayala!"
(Guerrero is my married name and Ayala is my maiden name)

I have shot weddings in the past as a second shooter with my photog friends but this one I am on my own on a Friday night for a few hours...Bring. It. On.

My bride is an old friend. Serisha and I went to high school together. Serisha and my hubby were also really good friends in high school too – so needless to say Serisha and I go waay back. One day she sent me a Facebook message asking me if I would like to shoot her upcoming wedding in August. I was totally floored and said “pshh DO I?!” although my reaction was more professional and subdued and I told her that I was available to shoot that day and that I was honored! This would officially be my first wedding, I mean it still is my first wedding that I will be shooting this coming August.

My initiation into Wedding Photography will soon be complete!

Serisha has always complimented my work and she was my cheerleader when we finally got together to shoot her love session with Teddy out at the Miracle Mile in their town of Stockton. She said “Girl you are fab! I know you can do it!” – did I mention that we are also cheer sisters? We didn’t cheer the same year but we did root for the same high school team, and once you are a cheerleader you are in the sisterhood.

I digress…

So anyway, we met up a cold and rainy Saturday in May – yes I said COLD AND RAINY. I was afraid that I was going to have to cancel but I kept praying that some good weather would come our way – besides overcast days are a photographer’s best friend! I eased Serisha’s worries and told her that if by 1pm the rains didn’t stop then we would definitely cancel, and by a miracle they stopped and we met at Valley Brew located at Stockton’s Miracle Mile.

You don’t even feel like you are in Stockton…I am not going to lie, the first time I went to Miracle Mile I asked if we were still in Stockton because Stockton is ………..Stockton. The streets reminded me of the streets in Father of the Bride – tree lined and the homes don’t look like cookie cutter homes of the Valley. We walked around the lovely streets and I snapped away while Serisha and Teddy posed, kissed, and laughed for me. Serisha has a wonderful laugh and I always thought she was a beautiful girl and now a beautiful woman. I am so happy for my old friend and her upcoming wedding.

Thank you Serisha for being my first bride and for having the faith in me to shoot your wedding…See you next month!

You can see a full slideshow from Showit Web of their session.

Here is are some pictures of the engagement session at Miracle Mile.

Abrazos and Besos my friends!

Nellie G.
Photography By Studio G

A Little History...

2009-07-10T13:21:00.001-07:00

I am told I need to blog more, expose myself as a photographer. Get in the game to BE in the game. This along with trying to start working out, care for the children, keep a hubby happy…………………work………….oh and go to school to finish my degree!

Sheesh!

Okay

Well, I am a wife, mother, college student, photographer and a middle school counselor hopeful. Although right now I will be happy being a professional photographer. My passion for photography came when I was nine years old. My father bought this Minolta SLR because his best friend had a Canon SLR. My dad always had the camera with him whenever we went anywhere. My dad loved photography, but he could never figure out why his pictures came out blurry or why the flash exposed only ONE side of the picture. I was always a curious child, so when my father made mention of this, I took it upon myself to find out as to why.

I started taking pictures and then I saw something through the lens, I can’t really explain it – but it was home to me. I didn’t know about composition, design elements, f-stops, aperture settings………I was NINE! But one night before my 4th grade recital I took a picture of my music sheets and clarinet. I arranged them like I saw on the front of my music book with the music sheets and piano, but I wanted to emulate that with my clarinet.

I became a story teller at that moment.

I loved the click of the camera; it was almost euphoric for me. I loved to advance the camera with the lever; it felt so modern and new at the time. I remember always studying pictures. I loved Marilyn Monroe; I thought she was so beautiful. Most importantly, I loved her pictures, they captured her so well. I loved black and white photography, I loved looking at National Geographic, Life Magazine, Vanity Fair, and Vogue Magazine and look at the pictures. I always felt that this was something I could do.

Did I mention I was nine?

Pandora’s Box opened when I was in high school. I took Photography 101 and FORGET IT! The darkroom, the developing, the red light. That is what REAL photography was to me. I believe this is why I RECENTLY switched to a digital camera – ask my husband, I was not for it in the beginning, but soon I fell in love with its instant gratification and the little LCD screen that would soon be my best friend.

My photography speaks for itself. I love it, and if people want to hire me they will not be disappointed because I make people beautiful, I create a story, I capture a memory………I am that nine year old girl curious to get the right shot.
My boys love to take pictures, but I think it's because mommy takes pictures. The boys will inherit my father’s camera - when I am ready to part with it.

For now she sits in my room in an un-working condition. She rests after years of clicks and flashes.
The stories she has told.
The memories she has created.
The passion she has ignited in me with photography.

Gracias Daddy por tener esa pasión en fotografía y por dejar que yo usara la cámara cuando era niña. Te quiero mucho.

Here she is….Bella (remember in my previous post I wanted girls, and Isabella was one of the names tha we were going to name our first child – but alas we have boys.)

Tonight we celebrate my little brother in law’s birthday in San Jose. Happy Birthday Robert!

Abrazos and Besos my friends!

Nellie G.
Photography By Studio G

My First Portrait Shoot

2009-07-08T14:25:00.001-07:00

Cruz was my first child portrait model last year. I met his beautiful mother via a very good friend of mine and we have been friends ever since. She asked me that she wanted to have portraits taken of Cruz for his 5th birthday and she didn’t want the “usual stuff”. I suggested meeting in the city for a shoot and she happily agreed – I just wish the weather did too.

It was chilly, it was windy, but Cruz was a trooper. We met in downtown San Francisco and drove out to Baker Beach to do some shots with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

I don’t know if you guys already know this but I LOVE San Francisco…like…a lot! She is my muse. All the time I go to the city I find new and exciting locations to shoot.

Anyways,

We braved the winds to get some sweet shots of Cruz on the beach, sand in his toes, and playing with his “prop”. After what seemed like hundreds of shots we headed out to Alamo Square Park to get some shots with the Painted Ladies and sort of got lost on the way to the park – but we all made an adventure of it.

In other news….

I am also excited to announce that I booked another wedding for this summer! A photographer friend of mine referred the lovely couple to me as he was unavailable to shoot that day. The couple and I will meet this Saturday in Vallejo at the Hiddenbrooke Golf Course where there wedding will be held at. I cannot wait!

I am still taking wedding photography requests for the summer if you are still in need of a wedding photographer in the bay area, central valley, or around the world.

For now, I leave you with some shots of my first portrait shoot with Cruz. Thank you Michelle for letting me capture your baby boy! Looking forward to more shoots in the future! We need to get our boys together for playdates.

Here is his favorite toy...

Here is the storyboard I made for the shoot...

Abrazos and Besos my friends!
Nellie G.
Photography By Studio G

I Left My Heart in......Los Angeles

2009-07-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

I was born in LA in a little hospital called Cedars Sinai. My mother jokes that Elizabeth Taylor was at that same hospital at the same time…..I can probably google that now and she if she was telling me the truth…

I digress…

We lived in East L.A….straight up “Stand & Deliver" East L.A! Or as my family calls it “East Los.” My parents had a studio apartment in a complex that looked like the projects. They talked fondly about how they were able to walk to thrifty’s to get my mother some strawberry ice cream at the wee hours of the morning while she was pregnant with me. My parents were dirt poor, and they were non English speaking immigrants from Mexico only adding a hurdle to their American dream (only for a short time).

My parents talked about Santa Monica Pier, Redondo Beach, Hollywood Blvd, La Placita Olvera and the taquitos (flautas) from Cielito Lindo…how they loved living down there. My father however feared the downfall of the neighborhood would bring his family down as well. After a fatal shooting at the apartment complex where they lived my parents decided it was time to move up north to San Jose with my uncle who had a small house behind his house – my mother was pregnant with my sister at the time.

Growing up we would constantly visit family in LA for weddings, quinceañeras, and baptisms. It was an 8 hour drive on the 101 because I loved looking at the beach when we arrived at Santa Barbara instead of the boring 5 that only took 6 hours - even though we would leave at 9pm to get to LA early in the morning…meaning it is dark so you CAN’T see the beach! My sister and I would fall fast asleep; my parents would talk and listen to the radio to the local Spanish stations - I would always notice how they would hold hands.

I always woke up by Santa Barbara – ALWAYS! It is as though I knew the beach was there and I had to see it…mind you it is DARK! But I would see the oil stations in the distance and I knew we were driving along the coast, it made me happy. I would be up for the remainder of the trip listening to “radio tiro” and anticipating arriving in LA. Once I would see the city in the distance, I would get an extreme sense of joy. I loved the tall buildings, I loved the palm trees, I desired to move down there once I was an adult…I loved LA.

Fast forward to now…I never made it down to LA as an adult, but I still get that sense of joy EVERYTIME we arrive in LA to take the kids to Disneyland or visit my sister in law or friends in San Diego. I get a rush from the Los Angeles skyline. I love walking along the beach in the plethora of beaches in Socal, I love hanging out in the shopping district and driving down pacific coast highway, I love taking our kids to Placita Olvera for some famous flautas with a TON of guacamole sauce from Cielito Lindo. I dreamed of having my own condo or little home by the beach. Maybe when my hubby and I retire?? Who knows…but for now I am happy to visit my birthplace once or twice a year and enjoy these moments with my family.

I love LA….and LA will always be a big part of this NorCal girl.

Here are some pics of last year’s trip to L.A.

Abrazos and Besos my friends,

Mrs. Nellie G.
Photography by Studio G

I Have an XTi and a Dream!

2009-07-02T22:57:00.000-07:00

I Have an XTi and a Dream.
I must of heard a version of this in some movie but it said something like “I got a blank and a dream” and I liked it when I heard it then and it applies to my life right now about where I am in my photography business. Because it is in fact all that I have my Canon Rebel XTi, a Canon 85mm 1.8 lens, (I formally had a Canon 50mm 1.4 but it broke) and a dream of one day becoming a respected and triumphant wedding & portrait photographer.

Yes that is all I have – and I love my little XTi. She is faithful to me (I say she because I have always longed for a girl, but alas I have boys, and her name is Sofia because that is what we were going to name our baby girl if we ever had one). I know her sweet spots and she knows me and what I want in a picture. Sofia took a hard fall this year and I had to send her to the camera doctor to get her fixed but sadly my Canon 50mm1.4 did not make it in that crash.

I decided to pursue this career of a fabulous wedding photographer because first and foremost I am a hopeless romantic and I love “Love”. For me, love is the greatest feeling in the world one can ever imagine. I say this even after being with my husband of nearly 9 years (together for 13 years total!). When two people fall in love and decide to get married there is a great joy and anticipation that comes on their wedding day. All that planning, all the headaches of deciding which vendors to go with come together in this one day for the bride and groom.

And secondly - I love capturing love. It’s that simple. I have always loved weddings and became ever so excited in getting a wedding invitation from friends or family. I would always bring my camera with me and take pictures - maybe in the back of my mind I secretly knew that my destiny would be to become a wedding photographer someday? Who knows…

Once I decided to take that leap into wedding photography, my background in sales and marketing kicked in and I knew I wanted a name that represented me and my vision. I have always wanted my work to represent something, to tell a story, to be hung in a gallery as one of the greatest works of art by photographers past. So the concept of Photography by Studio G was born because I want to hang my pictures in a nice studio space or gallery someday and the letter “G” because my married name is Guerrero.

My first wedding is fast approaching with an old friend who has the faith in me to photograph her wedding and is PAYING me to do it. This past May we got together in a post rainy Saturday afternoon to shoot her love session with her fiancée on the streets of Stockton’s Miracle Mile. I will end this post with a sneak peak of that session and bid you all a good night.

Abrazos and besos my friends!
Mrs. Nellie G

I need a drink...

2009-03-11T21:09:00.000-07:00

I don't normally drink, but today was one of those days. Today was an incredibly hard day in the education world, and since my colleagues read this I am just going to leave it at that.

Arrghh!! Okay that is the end of it…

My children get me out of my funk, and today we cooked dinner, watched Spongebob Squarepants, read books, gave allergy meds and called it a night.

Taking pictures also gets me out of my funk, but right now I am still in a funk so I will let the pictures speak for themselves….because pictures make me happy…..along with my children and hubby

Tomorrow shall be another day...and the 16th is approaching...time to study for my final! See you in a few days :-)

A few pictures of my babies through last year

Abrazos y Besos my friends,

Mrs. Nellie G.

I am a college student..

2009-03-04T21:56:00.000-08:00

I am a college student – the eternal college student. Sometimes I wished I would of just finished earlier but life happens and here I am still in JC just chugging along until I finish up some of my undergrad work for my major. Once I get my BA I will STILL NOT BE DONE! I will be pursuing my masters in counseling

It. Is. Never. Ending.

I am taking a breather for the moment and decided to blog before my final on the 16th. What to blog about?? One of my old friends is getting married and she asked me to shoot her wedding this coming August. I am beyond elated over that and in the words of Frank from “Father of the Bride”

“HALLO! 5 months not much!”

I will be doing a love shoot with the happy couple as soon as this weather gets better! I cannot wait. Serisha thanks so much for this opportunity! We are going to rock it girlfriend!

On another note, baseball season started with my oldest son – I am going to be one busy shooting momma!

Here are some shots from last year…

Abrazos and Besos my friends!

Mrs Nellie G.

My Other Life

2009-02-12T23:24:00.000-08:00

Along with pursuing a career in photogrpahy I also work for a Title I middle school. What does that mean? it means we have a great portion of our kids who are disadvantaged. Sometimes it breaks my heart, and other times I get upset that all I hear are excuses from parents and students. But I love my job, I get to talk to kids and parents and help them see a different way, and it helps that I speak Spanish because I can help even MORE people – which is why I decided to become a school counselor………..how does this even CROSS with being a photographer……..I get breaks…….SUMMER BREAK……….WINTER BREAK……..SPRING BREAK…….all major holidays off. Psshhh it’s like the BEST of both worlds – do something meaningful and worthy ALL THE TIME buy helping our future generations and helping preserve moments in time?! You cannot ask for a better two career marriage.

You can’t blame a girl for having a back up plan. I worked in the radio industry during my formative years to learn the meaning of a back up plan………what ever happened to Little Suzie(a popular High Energy singer during my Hot 97.7 days)?? My parents have always taught me to be ahead of the game because you never know. I learned at a young age to be a sponge and learn as many things as I can so that I may be an asset to a company or anyone for that matter – which is probably why I dabble in a variety of areas in my photography………because I LOOOOVE photography.

But back to my students….

So after I graduate from the Academy in my photography major……..off to graduate school to get my masters in counseling with a pps credential. I never thought I would get along with teenagers……….teenagers annoy me at the mall with the sagging pants and tilted ball caps………dude why are you wearing a shirt that says”cash, money, and hoes” you are 12………”I see no hoes Kenny” (Can’t Hardly Wait reference……..I do that……..quote movies all the time…….just go with me on this one.) But for some reason, I get along with teenagers, they talk to me even though I am just an office clerk….I call their mommas or daddies when they are out of line…..and I still get along with them. These kids confide in me, they cry to me, they cheer me up….because I get it.

Maybe it’s because I still kinda feel like a kid myself…..I mean I still say DUDE and I am 32 years old! But I am a California girl so I can justify it dude! But I get along with them and they are great kids……some just make bad decisions – but don’t we all?? I tell this to my kids all the time

“Hey you made a bad decision, now learn from this and move on okay. It’s not the end of the world”

It is comforting to them to know that I don’t think the worst of them, because society thinks the worst of them because of how they look or talk, and I get it. I don’t see failures I see possibilities and potential……..if you think about it……..don’t these schools need more people like me who holds these kids to a higher standard.

Okay I should stop because I will get on my soapbox and I don’t want to bore you guys, so let’s just close with Whitney Houston’s lyrics

“I believe the children are our future teach them well and let them lead the way”

“SEXUAL CHOCOLATE!” stomps feet
(“Coming to America” quote………see I told you…..hang with me ya’ll we are going to have a good time.)

Haha I made myself laugh……..gosh I kill me!

Abrazos and bezos my friends

Nellie G.

I am a mother of boys

2009-02-03T12:23:00.000-08:00

I am a mother of two boys. They make me laugh, they make me be silly, and because of them I can dance to the Jonas Brothers and sit to watch Spongebob Squarepants with eager anticipation.

They are the air I breathe.
They are my hopes for the future.
Because of them I wake up in the morning and keep on keeping on.

Okay and my hubby too…after all without him there would be no THEM. LOL

I am not going to lie to you; I wanted girls – BOTH times. But God knew me better……or maybe he knew I would love boys better….maybe…just maybe…he spared my heart of the girl drama?! When we found out my oldest was a boy, I was disappointed, but I looked over to my hubby and saw how happy and proud he was – I think he almost cried. That made me happy……..that HE was happy….not that he wanted to cry. I fell in love with my hubby a little more that day.

When we were pregnant with our second, I again wanted a girl. When the tech announced it was another boy, my hubby was happy but he gave me an “its okay babe” look. I was okay, albeit a little sad - but okay nonetheless. My boys would have each other to be BOYS, just like I had my sister to have adventures with. Yes I was definitely happy.

There would be no Sofia Elena or Isabella Madeline (the name we planned on waaay before a splurge of Isabelle’s sprouted up years later). I was pregnant before my boys came but unexplained miscarriages left us with two children instead of four….maybe that was them?? Maybe they are in heaven instead watching over us and especially their brothers?

My oldest is a rocker. He loves to sing and dance – no I am not kidding. It all started with a man named Prince and the movie Purple Rain (only the concert parts – as he would say) My parents bought him his very own electric guitar when he turned two years old and his grandma honey bought him an acoustic one, because he would strum on a broom to the song “Purple Rain” – he was only 18 months old at the time. Jonah would recite his favorite movies and acted them out. One of his favorites was Nightmare before Christmas. Today Jonah is all about the Jonas Brothers and David Archuleta. He is happiest singing along to songs on his ipod………..yes he has an ipod….and yes he is six years old.

My baby is also a rocker, and he too loves Prince and “Purple Rain”…..don’t ask….but they belt out to Purple Rain BOTH of them. Their room is filled with musical equipment and it makes me so happy that it is filled with music equipment. Noah marches to the beat of his own drum, he does things on his own time, he is cool like that. Noah has the curly hair and big eyes that totally make you melt.

Both my boys are spirited and outgoing…they just go with the flow, they get that from their father…he is a charmer that way.

They both love photography too – they grab the cameras like their momma! Jonah has my old film Canon SLR that he is excited to take pictures with.

My heart still yearns for a little girl, but my boys have totally stolen my heart. I love cuddling with them, and I love that they love to cuddle with me. I know my time will be short – after all they ARE boys and they will need their father for the “manly” things. But I will always be here, cheering them on, holding them over a broken heart, cooking their favorite meals and seeing them become good honest men.

To my Jonah and my Nono – I love you so much. I am so proud to be your mother.

Boys Rule!

My first event....Presley's Quinceañera

2009-01-31T22:14:00.000-08:00

My very good friend Brigette needed a photographer for her daughter's upcoming quinceañera. Brig (as I call her) has been watching me grow as a photographer and had so much faith in me that I could do a great job – so she asked and I was so nervous and said yes.

This would be my very first big event.

I was hired on previously to photograph a corporate party, but THIS….. This was the big leagues! I was beyond nervous. There were going to be over 300 guests, a large court, and some high expectations on my end. A Quinceañera is a Latino tradition. It is where the family (actually the father) presents their daughter to society and available to court, it is where a little girl finally becomes a young lady. For any Latina girl, becoming 15 is a big deal…it is the equivalent to the American sweet 16. The Quinceañera picks her court of 14 girls, her escort, and little maids. The festivities start with a mass in the Quinceañera’s honor followed by a reception to celebrate her entrance into society.

Presley is such a beautiful girl in and out. She has a contagious laugh, she is always smiling and I loved working with her. The last time I saw her was at my wedding in 2000 and she was all of seven years old. Now it was ONE of her big days and she is all lady.

My day started at 7am to be there in time to photograph Presley getting ready and take pictures of her court and the family. We spent the morning laughing and making sure the final touches were in place. As a photographer the behind the scene details are just as important as the event itself and I sit back and watch the action unfold and shoot away. You will often hear me say “I am not here guys! Keep doing what you are doing.” The guys had a laugh and started repeating it all while posing – the fellas were hilarious and I caught some great shots of the guys.

“Este” guy right here (I talk in spanglish folks – among my circle I talk this way….ask anyone…and if you want to know what I said it is “this” guy) is HILARIOUS!! He was one of my greatest muses for the night because he just kept em’ coming and he is such a ham. My camera totally loved him.

Here are some of my favorite shots. In total I took 900 pictures……900 PICTURES…I edited them down to 300. My night ended at midnight and I still had to drive home one hour…..talk about the longest day ever!! But this experience set the precedent for where I wanted my photography to go and what I need to learn to make the next event even better. I had so much fun and I have to thank my BFF Brig for hooking a sister up! Love you Brig and family!

Getting Ready

Church

Formals

Reception

There is this movie called "El Cantante"

2009-01-29T23:38:00.000-08:00

There is this movie I recently watched called El Cantante – it was a tragic story of the life of the famed salsa singer from Puerto Rico named Hector LaVoe. It was a sad movie, Hector’s life was really a tragic one and Marc Anthony played him so well along with Jennifer Lopez as Puchi, Hector’s wife.

I never really desired to see this movie, but one night while alone and doing homework the movie came on HBO Latino (Spanish Version) and it intrigued me….that and I just LOVE Jennifer Lopez. It reminded me of Scarface – except with salsa music and no drug lord empire……..even though there is heavy drug use in the movie.

I digress…

The music is phenomenal, the wardrobe is fantastic, and J.Lo’s hair and makeup is to die for. There is this one song that absolutely stands out to me as the best love/hurt love song ever. It may be in the sound of the piano, or in the blow of the trumpet – but when you listen to this song you hurt and you yearn for that love that just could not be……luckily for me I have my love and he loves me………but I know how it feels to love someone and that someone not love you back, and I know the yearning, and the wondering why this was not meant to be.

In the song he begs to forget her because he loves her so but at the same time he does not want to lose her……then the trumpets come in and you feel it……the loss……the love……the pain. I translated the song..but if you ever have a chance to listen to it DO IT....it sounds so beautiful in Spanish.

Que Lio By Hector LaVoe
Man, I have a problem
That I find myself in
Says Ramon
When his mother calls

I found a sweetheart that I love
And I want to marry
But they just notified me that I cannot marry
Because she is my friends lover
And that is something to think about

I hate all those who love
And how happy they are
Because I can’t have that someone I love
Someone to understand me
Someone to call me papi
Someone to love me

Lord help me
I want to forget her
Help me
Help me
Help me forget her I ask you
Help me
Because I love her so
And I don’t want to lose her.

I incorporated the below image of my very good friend Maira and Juan during their wedding in October of 2007. I call it the paparazzi shot and I love the grainy-ness I love how it is sort of out of focus, I love how in-love they both seem with one another in their embrace. In this shot it is as though someone was taking it from afar and somehow wishing it was them sharing the dance and not the person actually dancing..........kinda voyeuristic......kinda like the song about a love lost.

Abrazos y besos my friends...

Mrs. Nellie G

Why Hello....Is this thing on?

2009-01-28T22:16:00.000-08:00

Hello readers, I am Nellie Guerrero, and aspiring photographer who loves life and fabulessness (if that s even a word.) So I am trying to put my self out there and doing my research and since I don't have the buku bucks to land me some custom designs I will settle for this at the moment :-)

I used to blog.....random thoughts.......it was the Diary of the Curly Haired woman.........because I have curly hair........and yes, I do have a diary - they are called Journals now. But like my diary *ahem* journal I hardly keep it up. It still remains open.....

okay I am rambling

Is it because it is late night and I have nothing to say?

I have that problem of no follow through. I sit (whether it be on my bed to journal, or at my desk on the computer) ready to write.....and I just sit there and wait for the words to come and they never do - I end up talking about randomness and even I scratch my head. The thing is that IN MY HEAD I am a writer....I entertain myself with these elaborate journal entries of how I sat at work contemplating what I should journal about (or in this case blog) and it would go something like this:

Cold has finally come to town. A nice welcome to the blazing heat that has been aggravating me to no end - school has finally started. The children woke me up in a ferver wanting to eat some breakfast and I mumbled something in my sleep to which the children replied "Mother is is daylight it is time to get up"

(because a three year old and a six year old would DEFINITELY say that right - I digress)

I gathered myself and started our days with eggs and chorizo (I am after all Mexican) with tortillas. I find it a blessing that my children don't scoff at the idea of eating pork products at such a young age - but they love it and I will keep the ingredients to myself and not scare them away.

Duuuude - I just got up.............which is what my journal entry would read instead of all that elaborate Harlequin mess up there - but in my head these thoughts run as though I was some sort of novelist. Aww such is life.

At any rate, here starts my journey of an arleady started journey in becoming a professional event photographer. Sit back and relax, I hope you enjoy my quips and rants about life, love and the pursuit of happiness.

for now I leave you with a picture of my boys....after all this IS my photography blog....

I had a photoshoot with them last November. I had to bribe them with a trip to the park if they let Mommy take their pictures....after 10 minutes of "smile boys!" I got this. Gotta love em'!

Abrazos y Besos my friends

Mrs. Nellie G.

Swim little boy, SWIM!

2007-06-26T12:23:00.001-07:00

Jonah's first day of swimming lessons were today. I sat on the sidelines with my camera in tow gleefully watching Jonah have a HUGE smile on his face for being in the water. Both the boys are water babies, and Noah desperatly wanted to join his brother but the little tike is too young for the course.

oh well little dude, mamma will teach you in Tia Sandy's pool!

Jonah kicked
dunked his head underwater
did ring around the rosy
jumped off the ledge
all without his floaties and swim vest!

We were so proud of him. Unfortunately not all children were so happy to even be there. I felt bad watching another mother trying to get her son in the pool to no avail. I thought in my head how happy I was that my sons aren't clingy in that way..............because dude I would of ran away with the circus! I can only imagine her 30 minutes alone time with no kids were miffed because of her little guy, and when you are a stay at home parent...............thirty minutes of alone time is THIRTY MINUTES!!

sigh

It will be a phase I thought as I clicked away on my camera to my little boy having the time of his life wondering why that other little boy couldn't do the same. Even though I was glad I wasn't in that mom's predicament, I knew that pretty soon these boys will be men, so we should embrace the tight hugs around our legs while they last. LOL

Oh you blasted myspace!

2007-06-19T23:35:00.000-07:00

I am 30 years old, and I have a Myspace account. I blame the Rickay Rickay Rickay (my compadre whom I dubbed Rickay x3 due to the little Ricky song - just go with me folks). The freaking 20 something non chalantly mentions he has a myspace account and I should get one too so that I can be his friend.

"I am not a Pedophile" I say as I laugh and brush him off to which my husband says and I qoute.............

"I have a myspace account"

screeeeeeeeeeech

hold the phone as Shrek would say

My hubby of 6 almost 7 years has a MYSPACE ACCOUNT, okay you learn something new everyday.

So it started with a boring sign up for nearly a year. My friends would beg me to add pictures for months and on one fine day (a tuesday if I can recall from my journal entry - just go with me folks) I spent literally an entire day (in between schelping the kids to and fro, and being mommy)I spruced up my page complete with pictures and music to boot. My first song choice was Black Eyed Peas, My humps - to which the Rickay thanked me for putting that stupid song in his head.

well you introduced me to the website bro!

(actually dateline how to catch a predator introduced me to Myspace)

So now I am a happy 30 year old myspacer. I have found hecka friends from High School and work. The page contains my latest work in photography - which I am going to go pro in a few years.

It is nearing midnight, and I am still up............WHY??!!! You curiously ask?? Because I was MYSPACING, looking for even more crazy people to add as my friend. So if you are ever in Myspac look me up and say hi because I am cool like that.

Life of a Stay at home mother....

2007-03-28T15:53:00.000-07:00

I never thought I would utter those words in my lifetime. I knew I was always going to work and welcomed the challenge of 2 full time jobs. But alas, life throws you some fawking curve balls doesn't it?!

I actually was beginning a career in Public Relations and I loved it. I felt I was helping people, and I got to work from home. Finally a real job with an expense account - no more executive assistant, I was a Hispanic Community Events Director (and I capitalize the title because I feel important doing so. LOL).
I traveled for work and at times took Joey with me or the girls and we would have such great times. Needless to say, when I the call that my services were no longer cost effective and they needed to "consolidate" I cried as I tried to sound professional on the phone - I don't think they knew tears were rolling down my face, but they were.

You know what is EVEN wierder, was that at that time Joey JUST got promoted to Fire Captain. So its like the chips were falling as they may and something was telling me to slow down, it would be alright, and to "let go, let flow".
So fast forward to 18 months later and here I am, STILL at home, and actually loving it. As an exec at heart I even made business cards to reference my title of "mommy" to my two boys so pass at PTA meetings and my kids extra-cirricular activities - because if you think about it there is never a pen or a piece of paper when you need one.........am I right or what??!

Today as I type, I am trying to put my little one for a nap, and my older one is playing baseball outside so he can "practice" as he says, for his game this Saturday. And as always I take a thousand of pictures from every angle possible. LOL.

I would be lying if things were ALL bliss around here, I needed to feel like I was doing "something" so I went back to school to finally finish and graduate, and got a part time job in retail. A total change from my office days, but at least I still have my planner and the business cards to boot.

Brad Pitt Falls in love with Average Girl

2007-03-27T20:42:00.000-07:00

Is what the headlines read, while Brad Pitt and I sat on our marble granite counter tops reading the morning paper in our Manhattan brownstone.

Yes folks, in my dream I was engaged to BRAD PITT.It was surreal because I can distinctly SEE his face and his mannerisms as he tried to console me from the post on the New York Times.

"Baby seriously it is better off that you don't read that stuff" said Brad Pitt as he brushed the hair out of my face and took the paper from me.

"average, honey I am average!"

"you are not average to me, to me you are everything" as he kisses my forehead

Meanwhile Brad gets ready, I get ready - as I am putting on my lipstick he comes from behind and kisses the back of my neck and we are off in the limo, I have my camera because this is the first time I am in the city so I am taking pictures, and of course I would dream about having that camera with me! LOL I come across the New York times again and I read the rest of the piece about me and my average life.-

Brad is famous for courting beautiful ladies and can pretty much have a pick of the litter , but what possesed him to pick Nellie Ayala from San Jose?! A girl who is far away from the industry as you can possibly manage, she is a scrapbook teacher, still lives at home with her parents, and is your average American girl............why her? When close friends are asked about this strange courtship, they all reply the same thing "Nellie is wonderful and she grounds Brad the way no other woman could, she is real and not jaded by Hollywood in the least"But can the relationship last? We all thought it would for Jennifer Anniston and Brad - but then Angelina came in the picture and that was over. Now that Angelina is out of the picture in comes average girl from San Jose, maybe I am a pesimist but I give it a couple of months.

that is all I can read in the brief moment brad went in to get coffees from Dean & Deluca. We get to the hotel, and meet Terry they escort us away from the paparazzi and I can hear in the distance "hey average girl, how about a smile for People magazine?!" Brad grabs my hand and we head into the press junkit room that is still being set up. George Clooney and Matt Damon who are like old friends to me by now and call me "Hey Beautiful, don't let those morons get to you"easy for you to say GEORGE CLOONEY! I thought to myself.

So Terry comes in and I am sitting on Brad's lap laughing with the "boys" and we head out as Brad gives me a kiss and tells me he loves me. I can hear a dog barking in the distance, and I know what it is, it is my neighbor's dog "noooooooo" I thought to myself in my dream "I don't want to wake up, I am going to marry Brad Pitt! Please just let me sleep a little longer!"but that damn dog kept barking and Brad started fading.

Then Jonah woke up "mooooommmmmmyyyy" he calls out."noooooooo" I kept saying in my dream "I am going to marry Brad Pitt! Go back to sleep Jonah!"But of course all good things must come to an end and I woke up right next to Joey who said "didn't you hear Jonah calling you""yes" I mumbled. I went to his room and the little guy sparked a huge smile while I sarcastically said "why did you wake up, didn't you know I was going to marry Brad Pitt??"

"who is Brad Pitt Momma?!"

"He would of been your dad if you let me sleep a little longer"

Dr. Laura, you bitch!

2007-03-08T20:53:00.000-08:00

So it has been like almost a year since I posted. Which goes to show you that I am a horrible journaler! But I really need to get on here more just to unwind since chasing after two little children isn't hard work enough.

2007 is the year I focus on positive energy, positive outlook in life, marraige, child rearing, etc. So it will be surprising to some that I purchased the very controversial book on "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands" because lets face it, its not about "us" ladies anymore - we have to consider his feelings and the such. And I am rolling my eyes over some of her assessments on what is wrong with the world today, but then she makes sense all at the same time and I find myself "agreeing" with her.............oh the horror! That bitch actually makes sense?!

So I am sitting here reading the book and I am having an epiphany...........you mean "I" am in charge of my own hapiness?? You mean "I" have to put my big girl panties and deal with it?? It sounds so "cold" so "unrescuable" (if that is even a word) but I guess it makes sense because we ladies have been spoon fed all this crap about prince charming saving our souls and living happily ever after and when it doesn't happen we are saddly disillusioned and yearning for something.............better. Meanwhile our guys are doing all that they could to make us happy and nothing is doing it because it is not in our picture of what "happiness" is or it is not done the way "we" wanted it.

Dude, you end up feeling sorry for the guys. Needless to say I have become enlightened so to speak and try my best to make sure that my hubby knows how I still love him after all these years.

Damn you Dr Laura! I actually learned something from you.............who would of thunk it?! LOL

On other news, my oldest started baseball and continues in his theater school at the San Jose Chilren's Musical Theater. My youngest is now 14 months old with curly hair and just the cutest thing ever.

Dude I am so tired.

2006-06-07T23:08:00.000-07:00

So why the hell am I still up when I KNOW that my youngest who is STILL not sleeping through the night will wake up soon.

Because I am glutton for punishment.

I did have another celebirty dream where another Hollywood hottie was inlove with me.

que in the song "dreamweaver" It was none other then Freddie Prinze Jr. one of my top five guys I get to hook up with without losing my marriage.

The dream was more of a freak nightmare as two hot celebs were all vying for my attention, the other was none other than Ethan Hawke who then morphed into the Hanson kid complete with the long hair to boot. But Ethan Hawk was pyscho jealous of Freddie and I constantly being together during class (we were in a college setting). Mind you in my dream I am STILL married to my beau, but that didn't deter Freddie or Ethan to come at me ( mind you Freddie was still married to Sarah - and she can whoop my ass ala Buffy style).

So there Freddie and I are chatting, he confesses he is interested in me and we get sparks flying. Ethan is noticing that I am no longer paying much attention to him and just hanging out with Freddie. One night after class, Freddie and I head out to my car (a1970 cadillac..........d0n't ask, even I don't know the signficance) Fred grabs me hand and we walk holding hands like we were a bunch of lovebirds, mind you we are both MARRIED. By this time Ethan is no longer Ethan - but that morphed kid from Hanson (the young boy with long hair) and he was taking care of business in his car while he was watching me..........how do I know this, because when Freddie grabbed my hand and we walked to my car, another old car (this time a Datsun.............dude what is the deal SERIOUSLY!) starts barreling towards us. Ethan/Morphed Hanson kid walks up to me - sans trousers - yelling at me that Freddie can't have me, that I belong to him.

Man that look on his eye...............euwww that look in his eye. If you have seen scary psycho movies where there is a stalker involved, you know that look is the look of "I am going to sleep with one eye open for the rest of my life". I am going to sidetrack for a minute and discuss the severity of why this dream turned into a nightmare.........Do ya'll remember a made for TV movie about this coach who falls in love or lust I shall say with his 13 year old soccer star (was it soccer?? I don't remember) and he was crazy obsessed over her, like sneaking into her garage just so he could "hold" her. Now this stalking/obsession lasted for YEARS without the law doing something about it.

okay if you remember that movie, that is EXACTLY how Ethan/morphed Hanson kid looked like.

It freaked me out to no end. I apologized to Ethan for giving him the impression that I wanted to have something with him when clearly I could not since I was MARRIED (although romping hand in hand with Freddie Prinze Jr was okay. LOL) He raises his hand as though to bitch slap me and even muttered the cliche words:

"well I oughtta!"

At that point I told Ethan/Hanson guy that our friendship was over. Freddie and I drive away, I drop him off home and I notice a car following me. It was none other than psycho Ethan/Hanson kid all sweaty as though he had some major blue balls action going on. I am now in my old neighborhood and I drop the cadi in a different location as though to steer him away from where I really lived. He kept looking for me, beating anyone up to find me. This one girl, I have no idea who she was, blows my cover and he comes chasing after me. He catches up to me and throws me on the floor and starts beating me telling me how much he hates me for loving me.

I kept screaming to myself to wake up and I finally did - in my own room with my little one right next to me and my hubby to the next. Man was I glad to be up, even though it was not even 6AM. As I was still in a sleepy state I said out loud, man I am not going to talk to anyone while I am at school!

I re-started college this past Tuesday and so far no Ethan/Morphed Hanson kid is in class. Thank you Jesus!

Oh and my hubby now hums the "oooh bop" song just to freak me out. Thanks babe! I love you too.

I am still hooking up with Freddie though - he fine.