Heizer Photography: Northern California Photography with FLAIR

Facebook Fan Page

2009-11-11T23:02:00.000-08:00

Those of you who have been looking for my Facebook Fan Page, you can find that HERE, not to be confused with my personal account. :)

You can also find my work MySpace page HERE.

Can I tell you how incredibly bummed I am that the Peanut Butter Lover's Limited Edition of Reese's is no longer at Walgreens? I didn't get enough to get everyone one for Christmas yet... kept eating them... oops.

ALSO, May, June and September of next year are officially closed to new clients. I am still sticking to my guns that I am only doing a limited number of weddings next year so I can focus on my new field, and keep photography fun for myself! If you want me, step up as soon as you can because I won't always be available. I don't want any sad faces!

All Because Two Clowns Fell in Love...

2009-11-11T04:13:00.001-08:00

Ok, maybe only Katrina is an actual, professional clown, but is this cute or WHAT?

You better crank up your music folks! This is Judy Garland singing! :)

Fresh and Clean:

Or vintage? I couldn't pick. :)

And, YES I have been holding that title in for a long time! lol

Don't forget, there's a whole Facebook Fan Club for Emily Heizer Photography now and don't be shy, sign up to be a follower over on the right! :)

Exquisite Vintage

2009-11-09T20:38:00.000-08:00

Amy & Manning, at the Berkeley City Club, and the Brazilian Room of Berkeley.

Our 200th Post! Let's Party!

2009-11-06T23:57:00.001-08:00

Oh! You need some pictures I hear? Something pretty to start off your weekend? SURRRREEE!

Enjoy! :)

Now go sign up to be a follower over there on the right so I can hit the magical number 30. :)

UPDATED TO SAY: Thank you Annette for being my Lucky #30! lol :)

Secretly Featured?

2009-11-05T15:42:00.001-08:00

I have discovered this new site (which I'll post about later) where you can do certain things to earn points, which you can in turn trade in for Amazon.com gift cards. And you basically don't have to do anything. Anyway, one of the things you do to earn the "bucks", is to use their search engine. So I am poking around, and apparently somebody liked Lourdes & Terrence's Trash the Dress session and featured an image on their blog! Very nice! I LOVE my work being featured on other blogs, or in print, and anytime someone wants to do that, you are totally welcome to, as long as the image is watermarked with 'Heizer Photography', there is a link back to my site, and of course you ask me first.

I didn't actually know about my image being picked up by this person, and I love being featured, so anyone, in the future, PLEASE tell me if you are going to use one of my images somewhere on the web. First of all, you need to be very careful about copyright infringement, because stealing images is illegal, and secondly, it's just good manners. Anyway, this gal gets a pass because she did provide all o my information, I just wish I had known at the time! Then if I know, I can link people back to your blog too!

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/15-beautiful-modern-love

Hey!

2009-11-04T12:52:00.001-08:00

Now I have 28 followers! Yay! I feel popular! Thank you Miss Jennifer Pearce! lol
Seriously, I have become obsessed.

Another thing, couponing? Whoever invented this is brilliant. I just had my first couponing experience yesterday and got boxes of name brand cereal from Target for 24-66 cents a box, and soup from Walmart for 8 cents a can. Thank you to MyLitter!

Work Order; UPDATED as of 11/6

2009-11-02T02:31:00.000-08:00

Here's where we are on the list folks!

*Byard Family
Sidhu Family
Stephanie & Joey's Wedding
Marissa & Matt's Wedding
Anthony & Elizabeth
Barnett Family /Jake's Senior Portraits
Katie's Senior Portraits
Sara & Matt Engagement
*Maria & Rudy's Engagement
Annette & Matt's Wedding
Sara & Matt's Wedding
Amanda & Cody's Wedding
Katrina & Charlie's Wedding
*Sara's Baby Pictures
Joey's Baby Pictures
Olivia & Alex's Wedding
Cathryn & Justin's Wedding
Maria & Rudy's Wedding
The Herlache Family

Christy & Jon's Maternity

Astricks denote sessions near completion.

Also take note that I finally put up the booked dates section on the blog, it's at the bottom of this page. If you see any mistakes or anything left out just let me know!

Alisa and David are MARRIED!

2009-11-02T00:23:00.000-08:00

Alisa and David married on the beach at Asilomar in Pacific Grove on the California Coast. the weather was totally perfect for pictures, everybody was excited and cooperative (lol) and well behaved, and although I showed up right on time- Alisa told me, "Oh, I knew I didn't have to worry about YOU!" LOL The DJ and the harpist had some issues. SO GLAD I use Mapquest!

Obviously, there was quite the beachy theme to the wedding, with an underlying sea turtle flair! Alisa told me about how the family had happened to stumble into some hatching sea turtles on the beach awhile back and how it had sort of come to represent the family! Their cake was topped with two little sea turtles, and the cake adorned with shells and coral. The groom's cake was the cutest little underwater Finding Nemo cake, and instead of a guest book, Alisa and David had everyone sign on a surfboard! How awesome is that?

By far the most memorable part about the day was Alisa's dance with her Dad. I swear to you, everyone in that room was teary, INCLUDING ME! They danced to Stevie Nicks' "Landslide," and it was completely awesome. (Which you are listening to now. :) )

Alisa was so kind to get me an AWESOME room at basically a little cottage ( it had a kitchen!) around the corner from the venue for the night. LITERALLY, I could have walked back and forth to the wedding. (I didn't, knowing I'd be coming back in the dark, I didn't want to get kidnapped! lol) I slept like a rock, and did a little siteseeing around town before loading up the car to head to the Bay Area, where I had an appointment with a client.

Alisa and David, you two are definetly owed a very public THANK YOU for all of your support that weekend. I hope you have some idea how much your words meant to me at that very low moment I was feeling professionally.

The day after their wedding I had scheduled a meeting to try and smooth things out with another client. They had booked me over a year ago, but I had never worked with them... yet somehow some slanderous statements written by them about me ended up online in a bridal forum... A fellow vendor, and bride who follows the forum, and knew a couple of my brides were in there, saw it, and alerted me to it. The whole thing was shocking, and based on a HUGE miscommunication on their end. I was really upset over the whole thing, especially since things had been so manipulated online, and obviously, my client wasn't happy, which made me even more upset. Although I don't believe I did anything wrong, there was clearly a misunderstanding between us.

I was really nervous and ended up spilling my guts to Alisa and David, who were equally shocked over what had been said, told me everything sounded ridiculous, and how could anyone ever think ANYTHING negative about me and promptly offered to accompany me to my meeting to testify to the couple what a professional I am! I didn't let them do that, but I'll love them forever for giving me the confidence to go forward and face the issue head on in hopes of straightening things out. This was the first conflict or complaint that I have basically EVER received since I have been shooting so the whole thing was basically traumatic for me. Especially since I had never even worked with this couple before! The whole thing was quite ridiculous, but it had been blown up to a point where things needed to be aired out.

The meeting went well from the client's perspective and things were smoothed over from the outside. They told me they were happy and comfortable with me, and they did apologize for what had happened. But for me, I just could not let go of all of the things that had been said about me. The statements were so extreme and offensive to me- and I am sensitive, I'll admit it- but I just could not get over it. I was so nervous and intimidated by the client that I wasn't at all myself around them. I was more like a withdrawn, stuttering mouse and no doubt submissive. I lost just about all of my take-charge assertive work attitute that I need to do my job. I also started experiencing panic attacks in the days that followed, just thinking about working for them. Ultimately I got so upset knowing how bad it would be for us to work together, that I would likely be a thorn in their side the entire wedding day, and I would be so uncomfortable around them I knew I wouldn't be able to do my job to the level at which I normally operate. We would both get less than what either of us deserved out of the experience. We ended up amicably resolving the contract, they received a full refund, and to my understanding were able to hire a wonderful set of [very expensive] photographers who were able to cater to every single one of their needs- and far better than I would ever be able to... I like to think of myself as the "Target" of wedding photography. Not so cheap or low quality that you'd equate me with WalMart, but not a Macy's either. Target is good, solid, you know what you'll get, sometimes you get a surprise or two, and mostly you're pretty happy. But why go for a Target if you can afford Bloomingdale's? Get the best you can afford, and you'll be much happier for it. You can't get WalMart quality at Macy's, and you can't get Bloomingdale's personal shopper at Target. Get what you need, and that will make you happy. You have to have reasonable expectations.

I work on the assumption that all of my clients trust me implicitly to do my job without any direction whatsoever, and that is how the vendor-client relationship SHOULD function. If you don't trust your vendors, then you shouldn't hire them. With your other vendors (djs, hairstylists, etc) you should be communicating and probably meeting several times before the wedding. The communication level is very high, and on the day of, they just do what they are supposed to do. With a photographer, once you're booked, I don't need a single thing from you until the week of the wedding. All I need is my final confirmation, which most importantly tells me where to go and when to show up, and then I do my job. And you trust me to do my job, which is to capture every single important moment as it happens, to keep an eye on the timeline and make sure things run smoothly, to make sure people who aren't supposed to see you before the ceremony don't, and those that do, do; to either help guide you to the best location for photographs or orchestrate it on my own, to keep an eye on the light, and to watch the clock and the guests to make sure you actually have people there at the reception when the time comes to toss the garter or cut the cake and that people haven't drifted away, among many, many other things like fixing bustles and giving directions on cutting cake...

That's what I do, and I do it without having to think about it. I don't need any direction or guidance to do that (although a schedule is very helpful) as it is ingrained in me. If I were to write out directions, or a guide as to what I do and how I operate on wedding day, it would far exceed 40 pages typed. It's alot, but as a vendor, I am the expert on my own job. I don't know a thing about being a dj and would never try to manage that, and I don't expect you to know a thing about photography and don't expect you to manage that either. As the expert on myself and my own role, my place is to guide you to make sure you get the best experience possible. And that is exactly what I strive to do. Even if it means rubbing my entire body ( and wedding work-outfit) on the outside of some dilapidated old pick up truck to make sure you won't get a speck of dust or fleck of paint on your suit. That's just me. I crawl on the floor, climb light poles and use my body as a giant duster. I'm flyin' my freak flag for ya ladies.

:)

Anyway, LOOOOONG post here, 83 pictures from Alisa and David's wedding! And THANK YOU one more time Alisa! I don't know what I would have done without your encouragement that day! www.AlisaAndDavid.Shutterfly.com

The new family!

Uh, oh the waves attacked!!!

Reception Details

Fooooooood

Jon & Christy are PREGNANT! (Preview)

2009-11-01T01:52:00.000-07:00

I shot Jon & Christy's engagement pictures at the Marin Headlands, and Baker Beach in July of 2008. I shot their wedding that August. And today, I shot their maternity session. This is jsut a preview, so more to come.

Oh, and they totttttalllly named the baby after me. (Or maybe they just liked the name. Nahhh, we'll go with the first story! THEYRE NAMING THE BABY AFTER ME!!! lol)

Baby Emily is coming soon! 37 weeks 2 days and counting! (Or was it 38 weeks and 2 days?) Either way we are getting close! Christy is still on bedrest but we're in the safety zone now!

The text on Christy's belly is actually what is painted or stenciled to Emily's nursery room door. I shot an image of it, and then added it into this image. We didn't have blocks or anything to put on Christy's tummy, so I thought this was a good [top-secret] alternative!

PS: YES, this song is from Dumbo. My first choice was "Two Pink Lines" by Eric Church, since I believe it involves the mention of a shot gun, but I couldn't find it, so I went with Dumbo. Since, if it's not a weird choice, it's not mine. :)

Family Portrait Preview: The Herlache's!

2009-10-30T18:05:00.001-07:00

Just so you know, YES, I am aware of the issue with Photobucket. Apparently I am over my banwidth limit on my account, and it won't reset until November 7th. I'm not quite sure what to do about that... I tried "un-publishing" some old posts, but it didn't seem to make a difference. Apparently I have too many links on the internet going back to my account, hence it went over the limit. Hmmm. Anyway, I opened a new account (needed one anyway), so it's not stopping me from posting, although my old posts are unavailable at the moment. :(

Brenton & Samantha married in Elk Grove back in October of 2007. They were Platinum Package clients, and are just cashing in their last bonus session in now. :) Family Portraits, just in time for their second anniversary. This is jsut a preview, so more to come! We shot these at Laguna Town Hall, which is where we took their wedding portraits way back when!

Daughter Ava- so cute!

We took some of their couple's portraits on this very bench!

Ava did so good staying by me with her baby stroller while Mommy and Daddy made out! lol

New England from the Highway

2009-10-30T02:59:00.000-07:00

All shot while driving on country roads and highways...

I'm Home!

2009-10-30T00:26:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I'm home!

I've been in New England for the last week- trotting across Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and a quick traipse across the New Hampshire border- just so I could say I was there. :)

I am home now, and have answered just about all of your emails. Amnah- I JUST saw your email- I want you to know I got it! You'll be hearing from me soon!

My cousin's wedding was in Hartford at The Society Room. The bride wore Oscar de la Renta, Lindsay Flanagan of Astoria was the photographer- whom I was delighted to discover has matching Shoot Sacs with me :) and I actually got to be present for cocktail hour for the first time in 5 years, AND be seated throughout all of the dinner courses without hyperventilating or rising from the table. SO WEIRD! I was, in all honesty, totally discombobulated by not working. I felt totally out of place and at a loss for a task to complete. I think I might be ruined from being a proper wedding guest ever again! When the dancing really got rolling, I threw in the towel and submitted to my inner shutter-driven urges.

Here's a few shots from the night. First couple were shot by me, and the last few were shot I believe by my cousin Erik. I just liked the fact that he got pictures of me shooting, even if it was in a dress and heels!

I got to calmly work on long exposures for fun...

Do you see me in this one? I'm in the gree dress, with the bad posture. lol To the right of the big flash from Flanagan's camera.

Horrible photographer's posture + slinky form fitting dress and an apparently too tight belt= Emily looks like she's knocked up.

Nope, no baby in there, just dinner. lol

Who wants to teach me how to make my hair pretty? Why is it my hair looks like a disaster all the time? In the above picture it looks ok, but Tuesday I flat-ironed and curled [the ends] my hair, and by the time I got to Boston to have dinner with my lovely bride Elizabeth who eloped to SF City Hall back in August, my hair looked like a rat had died in it. Here's another example of my hair horror. Anybody wanna tell me what I am doing wrong? I don't much care for looking like a homeless person, especially when I am working at your wedding!

WHAT is that? What died on my head? HELP! It looks so gross! Leave a comment with styling instructions, please. LOL

If you haven't already, click that button at right and become a follower! :)

Out of Town

2009-10-25T08:38:00.000-07:00

I am out of town, folks! I am waaaaay out here in New England! I think I am the most behind on email that I have ever been in like 2 years! Each and everyone of you that is waiting on a response from me has my most sincere apologies, I am just WAY behind. I have around 94 unanswered emails that I have not been able to even open from the last two weeks. I'm sure you're all going to strangle me because this by far has been the worst it has ever been! I am so sorry! I am working as fast as I can to get cracking into your messages, and please, if you have an urgent matter, please feel free to simply forward the message back to me again. I literally haven't had time to even open them, so if you have a situation, please bring it to my attention!

I managed to shave OFF my finger nail yesterday by sticking my hand into my bag without looking first- blood EVERYWHERE. Very gross. Thought you needed to know that!

Winner of the contest was NOT announced on Thursday, but will be soon! She is about to receive an email, so stand by ladies and watch your inboxes!

Emily

Eeek!

2009-10-22T13:31:00.001-07:00

I have a link up on The Meanest Mom Blog! Yes, I knew she'd be doing it, and it's only for the next 10 days or whatever of the month but it is still so excited to see my little link button up among the glory of her tales of her children's vegetarian friends tricking her into feeding them meat, paper underpants, knitting porn, and of course her FAMOUS Dirty Cat Litter Box cake.

Oh, Jana, how I love thee. I feel so privileged these 10 glorious days in which your tales, and my link button shall be united on the same webpage. Ahhhhhhhhh <3

Anyone want a link button of mine? It's so pretty! I had to figure out how to make it all by myself (per usual) and it took me like 5 hours, but YAY I did it! Now I know how to make virtual buttons!

Ok, I can't figure out how to show you the code to post the dang thing. (Scratch head.)

DON'T FORGET!

2009-10-21T16:02:00.000-07:00

Contest closes tonight at 11:59pm PACIFIC Standard Time. So you East-Coasters have until almost 3am to get them in! Get rolling ladies, I know I have a few stragglers out there! Winner announced tomorrow before I get on the plane!

CONTEST: FREE Portrait Session Giveaway in New England!

2009-10-19T03:13:00.000-07:00

(I'm top-posting this to make sure everyone sees it!) Announcing EMILY HEIZER PHOTOGRAPHY's first EVER Official Contest!

That's right! I am giving away a FREE portrait session to a lucky couple in New England! If you are in the area, and would like to book a session, I would be happy to try and squeeze you in!

Details

I am giving away one FREE Engagement, Fashion Bridal, Bridal/Groomal or Trash the Dress session in the Connecticut, Massachusetts or Southern Vermont areas. The session is completely free and all of the images will be uploaded to your own website, where you can order prints inexpensively, or download the images in full resolution for free. Editing will be included as well. There is no cap on the number of images.

This contest is open to engaged or newlywed couples in the New England area, willing to travel to the session location, which will be determined by all of us together.

You must actually engaged or newly married.

You must be willing to HAVE FUN with this!

You must either wear the cutest, most to die-for adorable engagement clothing attire, OR your wedding dress/suit. Be funky, be fun! Get into it with fabulous accessories, or items which are meaningful to you.

You must tell me how you met, fell in love, got engaged or SOMETHING which helps me get to know you and what you are all about.

I will need a picture of you (and your sweetie)!

Tell me why you want this, why you think you deserve it, and what your vision would be for the session. Be as detailed as you like!

You MUST be available for the session on Sunday 10/25, Monday 10/26 or Tuesday 10/27.Please submit your entries to: heizer_ea@yahoo.com

CONTEST DEADLINE IS: Wednesday, October 21st at 11:59pm. Winner will be announced on Thursday, October 22nd.

The earlier you get them in, the better, so get rolling ladies! :) Exactly why are you doing this, dear Emily?Well, as I make this slow transition from full-time photography as a job, into dabblings of photography here and there for fun, I want to start doing the things that are really FUN for me and enjoy it! The opportunity to shoot in New England is going to be amazing and I want to make the absolute most of it. Any opportunity to photograph a new landscape really excites me to no end- not to mention we are talking about New England in AUTUMN people! :) Oh, and no, people those that have asked if I found a legal position yet, that would be a "negative." Let me know if any opening just SCREAMS "Emily"! :)

Teaser: Maria & Rudy are Married!

2009-10-18T13:21:00.000-07:00

Hey, look at me! I'm a bloggin' fool this week! :)

#1

#2

or #3?

The world of photographs is made of many, many choices.

Vintage Style: Kristen & Dave

2009-10-18T03:04:00.000-07:00

Post processing can completely change the look of an event. Most of my clients hire me for my editing style, which is of course, based on my composition style.

Composition is actually what really got me into photography. I would look at an image a friend or family member had shot and think, "Well no, that's just wrong. He should have done it like THIS." I would look at the shot and just flat out think the image had to be shot a particular way, and no other. If the shot hadn't been composed correctly, then it was just crap. It seriously annoyed me. I also hated the fact that all of the wedding pictures I'd really ever seen were so cold and disconnected. Not just between the viewer and the people in the image, but between the individuals IN the image. A marriage is a sacred event. One of the true rituals left in modern society. It should be taken seriously, respected, and truly celebrated. A couple should be able to look back on their wedding and think, "We really were in love, weren't we?" :) I hated that looking at random wedding pictures did not evoke that feeling in me. I wanted to change the way it was done. Photographs should evoke emotion. Happiness, sadness, love… that is what I believe the true purpose of a photograph is.

Granted, I'm not the best composer, I screw up plenty of shots, and I certainly didn't invent true romanticism in wedding portraits (or familial love between parents and children), and there are PLENTY of photographers FAR better than me, but, this is what lead me on this path. Irritation. LOL

So, I started out focusing solely on composition, and once I began to gain some confidence, began to branch out into experimenting with editing. I've really only been editing my images to this level for about a year, but it truly advanced me to a completely different level. It's not everyone's cup of tea, and plenty of people hate any image that doesn't look SOOC (straight out of camera). This is one of the reasons I give all of my clients their untouched images- every image I shot, good or bad, out of focus and trash-worthy, because you never know what someone is going to like, or find a use for, and I think all of my clients have the right to see everything I shot. And it also allows them more freedom in how they want their wedding albums to look. And prove that no, I wasn’t the drunk woman dancing on top of her parents table. Since I instead, memorialized the event with an array of blackmail worthy photos. Just in case you ever need them…

I've been getting into quite the retro-mod-indie-vintage look lately in terms of processing. When I edit, I usually do a clean, lightly touched up version first, then maybe I'll make a funky mod-rock version, then retro, and then settle into black and white or an antique version. Each client can really tailor their wedding album to their own personal taste, and what style suits the portraits as a collection.

Here is one take on Kristen & Dave's wedding and the Presido Chapel in San Francisco. You'll get a full post later on. And to K & D, your suspense will soon be relieved! :)

PS: Yes it is 4am again and yes I was up all night working again, and yes, it was after shooting a full wedding a couple hours away and yes I have more shoots tomorrow.

EAST COAST BRIDES! Don't forget to enter the contest! The sooner you get your entries in, the more time I have review and marvel over them! Details are all RIGHT HERE. Only 3 days left to get your entries in!

Maria & Rudy

2009-10-16T21:56:00.001-07:00

Maria & Rudy are getting married tomorrow! I'll be gone all day! And beware, I am VERY VERY VERY behind on email right now. Anything non-urgent will be answered as soon as I can. If you are waiting on pictures to be posted, here is the current order of posting.

Kristen & Dave's Wedding
Alisa & David's Wedding
*Cunningham Family
*Cathryn & Justin's Engagement
*Byard Family
Sidhu Family
Stephanie & Joey's Wedding
Marissa & Matt's Wedding
Anthony & Elizabeth
Barnett Family /Jake's Senior Portraits
Katie's Senior Portraits
Sara & Matt Engagement
*Maria & Rudy's Engagement
Annette & Matt's Wedding
Sara & Matt's Wedding
Amanda & Cody's Wedding
Katrina & Charlie's Wedding
*Sara's Baby Pictures
Joey's Baby Pictures
Olivia & Alex's Wedding
Cathryn & Justin's Wedding

Hope I didn't make you cry in despair..... On the bright side, the astricked sessions are 99% done, so once I get to them on the list, posting will be quick and easy!

Preview: Kristen & Dave

2009-10-15T02:01:00.001-07:00

Kristen and Dave were married at the Presido Chapel in July... they'll be up soon!

Laura's Bridals and Jacob's Groomals: Salt Lake City

2009-10-14T17:02:00.000-07:00

Some of you may be reading the total of this post and going, "Whaaa?" Bridals are increasing in popularity on the West Coast, but this is a practice much more common in the Midwest, and definetly specificaly within the LDS membership. Bridals are standard and just about everyone who can afford them, does them. "Groomals" is a newer phrase, but is essentially representative of an additional photo session between the bride and groom prior to, and occasionally after the wedding, in their wedding clothes. It is primarily a formal session, either to gain portraits not able to be done on the wedding day, or done in advance so the images can be displayed at the reception.

I put a listing out on Craig's List a few weeks back seeking a bride in the Salt Lake City area who would be getting married in the SLC LDS Temple. I think the building is just gorgeous architecturally, and had always wished to photograph it for a wedding. Laura answered my posting (along with alot of other young ladies that I wish I had been able to photograph as well!), and she was just the perfect fit. Laura had not been able to fit Bridal Portraits into her budget (it isn't necessary, after all) and is actually a very deserving individual for a nice, surprise gift for her wedding. My friend accompanied me to the session and chatted with Laura's mom while Laura and I pranced around the Temple grounds. After the session my friend told me all of the wonderful things Laura has been able to accomplish, she had already gone off and completed a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and earned (or is earning?) her Master's degree. It spoke volumes o her accomplishments and I was so delighted to discover that such a hardworking woman was on the receiving end of my "just for fun" photo shoot. :)

Enjoy!

www.LauraAndJacob.Shutterfly.com

I really, really love this one. It is just really dear to my heart... at first it looked like something that should be scraped, and the more I looked at it... the more I fell for it.

I ADORE these next two, too.

The First Day

2009-10-09T22:13:00.000-07:00

She'd found me on Craig's List. A simple little ad, with no pictures, and nearly no information, other than "I have no idea what I am doing..."

And she hired me.

Michele and Daniel were my first clients. They had adopted a little girl together, and had already borne their own biological child as well. They had been together a long time, and loved each other very much. They were both calm, laid back and very happy people.

The wedding was set for the first weekend of June at Frasinetti's Winery in Sacramento. The ceremony outdoors, and the reception in a ballroom. I was delighted to find that as a youngster I had attended a second cousin's wedding at the same venue. What a comfort.

As I began my first on-set of hyperventilation the moment I opened my eyes that morning- a tradition I have now practiced before each wedding or session I shoot- I frantically tried to figure out what the hell I was doing. I started making calls. To strangers. A late night hysterical posting on IVillage had yielded the contact information of a wedding photographer in Chicago, who promised to soothe me out of my dillusional state within minutes. After a period of frantic note taking with Jane, I hurled myself into the car and started flying down the road to the venue.

I got lost. I started to sweat. The directions indicated I was supposed to drive down some deserted train tracks covered in dirt and gravel into what looked like a dump site. Thank the Lord this was a day wedding!

I absolutley could not convince myself I was in the right place. I started driving back and forth the length of the main road desperately looking for some other road which was not made of ground up rocks.

I had no idea what I was doing.

As the clock on the dash ticked on, I realized at some point I needed to swallow my Orange County snobbery and drive down the freaky gravel alley. Gripping the steering wheel and wiping the sweat off my face with a McDonald's napkin I found on the floor of my "house on wheels, " I rolled on. I drove and drove, squeaking by at a mere 5mph whipping my head right and left scanning for The Hole in the Wall Gang to come riding up to blow the lock off my trunk like poor Mr. Woodcock of the Union Pacific Railroad.

And then it was upon me. An oasis in the urban landfill. A winery. VOILIA! I was SAVED! (Why'd they hide this pretty place way back HERE? I wondered.) I found the venue. After throwing myself across the front seat in exhaultation at my brillance over instinctivly knowing to trust the MapQuest directions and turn on this pile of dirt called a road the first time (sixth) I suddenly realized my position.

Now I actually had to take the freaking pictures. S*%#!

I started to hyperventilate again. Where was that flipping McDonald's bag to breathe in when you needed one? This is why we DO NOT CLEAN OUT OUR CARS PEOPLE! Sometimes you need to breathe in a cheeseburger-scented bag to calm your nerves!

Unable to find the iconic bag, I reached for the phone instead.

"CECILIA! I NEED YOU!" I screeched.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming I'm coming. Where the hell are you anyway?" she grumbled.

I managed to ungrip my hands from the steering wheel and go in to see the bride and start pretending to know what I was doing.

A full 45 minutes of brilliant acting later, Cecilia, my savior in a pair of black slacks, pulled up in her beater car.

She patted my hand, and forward we marched, hummed, smiled, and snapped away through the rest of the morning and afternoon. I cut my lasgana serving in half and placed her piece on a bread plate during the reception. We guzzled water like two camels in the desert.

Then the calm kicked in. I don't know when it happened, but it did. My auto-pilot kicked in, and there I was, running around the dance floor, squatting on the floor, and bending at un-natural angles to get that "perfect shot" of Michele & Daniel's first dance. The persona that would become my professional exterior appeared and began it's first performance. The shots were gotten, the couple was happy, and I hadn't screwed too much up at all. (Took bridesmaids pictures in the full sun- baaaaad idea. I'm still sorry about that girls!)

I left with a pat on my back and a little more swing in my step.

A couple weeks later, my editing done, the DVD slideshow set to their own music compeleted, I met the new Mr. & Mrs. Northam at McDonald's to deliver the goods to the new official family of four. Michele's balance on the big day for my compete services totaled a full $50.00. As I handed the couple their discs, Michele told me with a somber face that she was just not at all comfortable with paying me $50.00. It wasn't right.

The sweat began to return...

Instead of my anticipated horror of the bride's hatred of my work, Michele broke into a smile, gave me a hug, and handed me a check for $150.00. Because I deserved it. We hugged, we parted, and it's been several years now, but I won't ever forget The First Day.

Even then, my style really was "mine."

Dina & Israel are MARRIED!

2009-10-05T22:06:00.000-07:00

Ok, folks! I am trying to get caught up on blogging for this summer, and MAN I am even farther behind on that than I am on editing! I want all of you to enjoy Dina & Israel's Wedding post. They were married at the end of May at the Dunsmuir Estate in Oakland. This awesoe venue is hidden right off the freeway in the middle of quiet office buildings, but the grounds are EXTENSIVE and beautifully landscaped. The Mansion is beautiful and historic, but expensive to take pictures in front of (it's an extra charge just to take pictures in front of it!).

Pink and green were the colors of the day, and each table at the reception was named after the bride's favorite designer's- I sat at the "Dior" table I believe. I felt quite fancy! And I must say, the caterers were excellent, and I was just dying to dive into the mashed potatos serving platter!

I also shared my table with Renee Rivera of Events by Renee Rivera, who was a fabulous coordinator, and really ran everything to a T, and yet was still friendly, amiable, welcome and helpful to everyone there (myself included). After having quite the unpleasant experience this weekend with a less lovely vendor, I appreciate Renee's professionality even MORE! :)

www.DinaAndIsrael.Shutterfly.com BTW, the music for this post is not their first dance song (something I strive to do so it's more sentimental when the bride sees the post for the first time :) ) but they DID do their entrance to the reception to this- "Life would Suck without You!" Hilarious! Dina told me with such glee, too! Their first dance song was something really beautiful, classic and traditional, but this was too fun not to do. :)

Dina got a tattoo on her wrist of her wedding date. :)

Dina is REALLY pretty, isn't she? I think we were all talking about how she looked like a much prettier, non-druggy Amy Winehouse. :) lol

Baby Jaxon's footsies right there. :)

Ok, so I misintrpreted Dina's editing requests for something MORE outside of the funky, crazy box, when she ACTUALLY meant she liked the vintage look. LOL I really was not made to make images look funkier than I already make them, but it was too... SOMETHING for me not to share, and I did save them for Dina, although they may be delete-worthy. It gives her the opportunity to say, "My photographer was a complete lunatic, look what she did to my dress!" :-O

And here's the non-scary version:

Running off to the reception!

Favorite shot of the night. :)

Joseph Harrison Peterson Newborn Portaits

2009-10-02T14:39:00.000-07:00

Awwwwwwww Baby Joey. :)

I just started a group on Facebook for you ladies who've been trying to figure out how to be my friend on FB! I think you can just search for Emily Heizer Photography and my group should be right there! (Just remember to click on the GROUP, not the person.) Feel free to tag yourself in pictures or add your own- especially if you have pictures of me!

Laura & Jacob: Salt Lake City LDS Temple

2009-09-26T23:45:00.000-07:00

Laura & Jacob will be sealed for time and all eternity on October 10th, in the Salt Lake City LDS Temple. (LDS= Mormon for those of you not hip to the lingo. ;) ) I have always, ALWAYS wanted to do a session, or a wedding at the SLC Temple simply because I find it to be a beautiful piece of architecture and being the non-member odd ball that I am, hold an incredible amount of awe and respect for both the Mormon Religon, but also for the sacred ceremonies which take place within it's beautifully and lovingly constructed walls.

So, in order to cross this dream off my photography to-do list, I spread the word and got the email from Laura leading to her Bridal session at the Temple, with a brief appearance by Jacob at the end for some Groomals!

If you are not familiar with LDS "sealing" ceremonies, please hop on over to the wonderful blog-article I recently found. It explains things perfectly. :)

This is just a teaser, as you all know I am currently (my MySpace followers anyway) pounding away at Wally & Jill's wedding, and the York's family session. More images to come on this session!

We've got 4 days left until my subscription on my website runs out. I've been tallyng the votes and most of you are saying it's ok with you to let my website go bye-bye. I'm VERY nervous, but I haven't re-newed it! If anyone has some encouragement for me, go ahead and share it! And if anyone wants to make a $200 donation to pay for the website to renew, you go right on ahead, LOL. (Kidding!) I put up a new slide on the front of the site, to begin warning clients/potential clients/viewers that the website will be moving over here; since I won't be able to forward the traffic from there to here, but I know it is short notice.. I am VERY nervous! Did I say that already?! Even though I will continue to operate out of this blog, shutting down the website is still the closing of a chapter in my life, and although I know I want my life to head in a different direction, it's still a little sad for me to say goodbye to it. Scary too, because I have to depend on myself and have faith in the job market that I will be employed in a traditional 9-5 sometime soon...

Don't forget to sign up to be a follower ove here on the right side of your screen! ------> I am loving seeing the new faces! :)

Isn't Laura BEAUTIFUL? These are just random shots I pulled, except for the first, which I flagged as being the awesomest picture ever and HAD to post. :)