Luminaire Images Blog • by Molly Ann

Judy and Aric had the enormous honor of getting married on my birthday this year (March 7)!  It was an über-long day, but I had Matt there to lend a hand, a gorgeous couple, and some sweet locations…who could ask for more when shooting a wedding, really?

Matt took the gents to a playground and took this awesome photo of Aric there.  It’s one of my favorites of the day, I think.

My shot of Aric.

Judy meanwhile orchestrating everything while getting her hair did.  Shot this through a mirror.

Judy got ready at her parents’ enormous house in the Turtle Ridge neighborhood in Irvine…so natch there were lots of pictures of baby Judy around!

Another favorite, of Judy’s dad bringing her veil and shoes upstairs to her.

Those jammies!!  LOL

Two of Judy’s bridesmaids and Judy’s sister fluttering about the dressing room

Shot by Matt, w/ added texture

Judy’s earrings screamed class

Don’t you wish your parents’ bedroom looked like this?  Or your own bedroom for that matter?

I also wish I had a staircase like this

Taken by Matt.  Judy has a ten-trillion megawatt smile.

WHY 2 PHOTOGRAPHERS AT ONE EVENT = OPTIMUM SITUATION: This is my angle of the wind suddenly catching Judy’s veil while setting up a shot…

…this is Matt’s angle of the same moment.  Two different yet really beautiful images from a single fraction of a second.
Sometimes when I have to explain to someone why they should consider paying extra for a second shooter, I can’t decide which of the myriad reasons I should begin with; illustrations like this are always so much more effective in explaining how sometimes two pairs of eyes are better than one.

Beautimous ceremony florals

While editing, when I saw this shot of one of the bridesmaids during the ceremony my first thought was, “I wonder what she’s thinking?”

First Dance

Changing into what I dubbed “The Queen of the Night,” dress (a lá the character from Mozart’s ‘Magic Flute’). Seriously, the dress looks like it was designed in the starry Milky Way!

The happiest I’d seen Judy’s father all day was during the Father-Daughter dance. SO CUTE.

I love love love the look of this video, it reminds me of the vintage dreamy look in the movie The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. The ending is so thrilling yet so unsatisfying, it just makes it brilliant:

Hauschka - Morgenrot.

Among Matt’s presents today are a batch of special chocolate-chip cookies. I’m really a terrible cook, but I don’t mind baking, and these cookies are totally worth it. As the person who always cheers me up and keeps me sane, Matt deserves the best homemade cookies ever! Happy Birthday to my right-hand man!

Want to make some yourself? Here’s the recipe, which I originally found on the lifesaving allrecipes.com.

Matt’s Birthday Cookies (SO GOOD):

* 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cups butter, softened
* 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/4 cup white sugar
* 1 (3.4oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
* 2 eggs
* 1.5 tablespoons vanilla extract
* 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
* 1 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 10-15 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown. Yields app. 3 dozen cookies.

Matt brought home a VERY belated ice cream birthday cake for me yesterday (belated as in, my birthday was almost three weeks ago), and I had to laugh.

I haven’t had a cake that looked like that since I was in the 2nd grade. LoL!!

This week documentary photographer extraordinaire and self-proclaimed lightstalker Jenn Emerling drove down from Fresno and at one point during her trip was kind enough to join me in in a little photo safari to the mission in San Juan Capistrano. We had so much fun! Here are some of my favorites:

Something has caught Jenn’s eye

Jenn

Once again, the Bambi-eyed fur-babies from the OC Humane Society. Lots of really adorable faces in this batch and über affectionate personalities–these little guys should be snatched up fast, I’d hurry over if you’re looking for a new dog or cat!

Darling little Springsteen

Cody knows how to shake!

Saw lots of winning grins, but Ramsey had the best smile of the lot! And his stumpy little tail wouldn’t stop wagging

The shelter named this pooch “Tootsie,” but I called her “Quasimodo” because she just had this squinty, pinched look. SO CUTE.

Gia was SO curious about my camera!

Zena with her pretty Zena faaaaace

Cleo, why so serious?

I SO WANTED TO TAKE TOMMY HOME!! He wanted hugs, hugs, and more hugs!

This photo of Sinatra makes me laugh every time I look at it. What a sillyface!

“Nameless” the boxer puts on his best “adopt me” face.

Vegan sporting the latest spring line

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CATS?? Well…

Interested Zinnia is interested.

Hannah is also interested. Cats. They are always so interested in everything.

Sammy is interested in looking gooooooood.

Like I said, there is a really great selection of pets at the shelter right now…no time to waste if you’re thinking about a new member of the family!