Was playing around on polyvore.com today and whipped-up this little collage of things I like a lot.

Wednesday morning and I’m in my bed with coffee and toast, answering emails, watching it snow outside my window, and catching up on the blogosphere.  This snowfall has me thinking about fireplaces and coffeehouses, boots and frozen lakes, being in college and walking miles and miles with too thin a coat, shooting black & white film — rolls and rolls at a time.

A still winter night is one of my favorite things.

Will get myself out the door and downtown later tonight for trivia at Genna’s, but right now I’m wading through the “slow” season — busier than ever.   Plenty to share on the blog in the future … after wrapping-up print & album orders this week.

For now, here’s a video I love.  It’s for LV luggage and a bit cliche … but it’s beautifully filmed … and also reminds me of shooting film.

I just love how it looks.  And it makes me want to make more things.  I have an art studio downtown that’s feeling pretty abandoned lately.

…the light near Land’s End San Francisco, that is.  Went walking down the coastal trail with Heidi, Chris and Troy on Sunday.  I looked to my left as light was pouring through the trees and I started freaking out, grabbing my camera from my bag.  Nobody understood the fuss until I placed them in the light’s path and clicked the shutter … showed them the back of my camera.

Light like this is unreal.  I never find it in Wisconsin.  I wanted to plop an entire wedding in this light and make photos until it went away.  Instead, I took snapshot-style photos for 10 seconds.  I didn’t care what anyone was doing or how my compositions necessarily looked … I was concentrated on how the outlines of their bodies were glowing … how everyone looked to be traced with a glow-in-the-dark crayon.

Gave my camera to Troy and he snapped this photo of me:

Gave my camera to Heidi and she snapped these photos of Troy and I:

And I switched it up for my SF trip.  I used the 5D mkii + 50 1.2L.

I’m sitting at my desk for the first time in a week.  I’ve got Dan Deacon, Miike Snow, Paramore and The National powering me through the to-do lists before I leave again tomorrow morning for San Francisco.  My suitcase is conveniently still packed from my last trip; I live life with all my liquids in 3 oz bottles housed inside a plastic quart bag.

But this trip is a little different.  I’m bringing Troy with me, for one.  And the most exciting part is that I’m attending this wedding as a guest!  I’m packing 4 inch heels and a silk dress that I hope remains wrinkle-free.  I can’t WAIT to see some of my favorite people on the planet and to see my beautiful friend, Gladys, as a stunning, excited, and crying (of happiness) bride.

I’m not bringing a big camera.  I’m bringing the little one I barely know how to use.  I’m enjoying every minute of not carrying 140 pounds of gear on my right shoulder.

I’ll return next week Tuesday with tales and photos from the past month of plane rides, shooting, and new encounters with new and old friends.  Until then!

Photos of Gladys and Chris from this past May in Laguna Beach.

I met Liz and Bryan for the first time on the afternoon of their wedding day.  I immediately felt in my element photographing their sincere personalities and their awesome and welcoming friends in the wedding party.  Liz and Bryan were married in the scenic hill country of Austin, under a huge sun overlooking Lake Travis.  They opted to see each other before the ceremony to have enough time for photos and I was thrilled by how natural they were behind my lens.  So into each other.  They were both so happy.

Liz and Bryan, your wedding was gorgeous.  Thank you so much for flying me down to Austin to capture it.  It was an honor to work with you both!  Congrats!

Vendor shout-out:  Venue and catering–Vintage Villas, Hair & Make-up–Your Looks n’ Locks and Autumn Swinson Burns (note to my future brides — she is from Madison and seriously talented! Check her out; she drove down to Austin to do Liz’s hair)  , Florist–Bouquets of Austin, Cake–Simon Lee Bakery, Lighting–Ilios Lighting, Band–Top Choice.