i would like to let you all know that yes! full time job,
this is what i do,
i peel up the layers of everyday life,
explore it,
photograph it,
and usually on the weekends i'm doing that at a wedding.
i love it because i love people and life,
i love it because even though there's a lot of repetition there's also a lot of surprise
i love it because its exciting to have the challenge of somehow capturing the day in a way that is simple and lovely and fresh and fun.
the photo is by stephen hernandez------------------ my 2nd photographer at beth and todd's wedds!
3 comments so far
i am on the road to adopting a bird.
i think i have about 50 fake ones all around my house,
in addition to this entire blog being bird themed.
i love feathers and wings and nests and birds.
a few months ago i was inspired to adopt a real one-----
did research
found Parrots First in LA,
and fell in love with this little cockatiel that was left abandoned on the side of the road.
i had an appointment to go see him last week,
but he was in a small accident and got a broken wing.
this week he was able to be visited,
and i melted as soon as i saw his little red cast.
sling?
cast?
wrap?
anyway--------
his FOSTER parents have many many many birds,
which fascinated me to the core.
i have never seen so many in one home.
amazing.
definitely couldn't handle anything bigger than a cockatiel.....
but hey.
they were beautiful.
now----- if for some reason it doesn't happen....
i'm just warning you....
(and my heart)
that this is not for sure yet.
only exploring the idea.
:)
lets hope practicality doesnt get the best of me.
13 comments so far
I hope it works out! My boyfriend has one that sings the Imperial March and the Charge sports song. Pretty impressive little birds, those cockatiels.
(01.24.10 @ 07:15 PM)DON'T DO IT. I say, stick with the fake ones. They may be pretty but think about them tweeting ALL THE TIME and pooping and just making a big mess in general. I hadto birdsit for some people once -- worst experience of my life. But that's just my opinion. If you love them, embrace their unlovelinesses.
(01.24.10 @ 08:44 PM)even though i don't like birds (and will be forced into a hotel when i visit), i gotta admit, frank, the one wearing a wool sweater, is cute!!!
(01.24.10 @ 10:11 PM)i, am willing to embrace the loud tweets and the poop and the mess. for multiple reasons, number 1= i feel like this is meant to be.
(01.24.10 @ 10:13 PM)eh, practicality is so over-rated! if you feel like it was meant to be...what can be more compelling that that?? :)
(01.25.10 @ 04:53 AM)so cute!!! i've never thought about having a bird, but your pictures almost make me want one too :)
(01.25.10 @ 10:47 AM)i want to sign that cast.
and then be friends with Cosmo for life.
(Cosmo? or Cosmos?)
I love them all! I think Cosmo is half Cardinal...no? It's kind of like two birds in one! Shannon you will be the best mama ever to Cosmo! I can see him now sitting on your shoulder keeping your heart warm while you tirelessly edit.
(01.26.10 @ 07:26 AM)Wow. An audible aww.. just escaped me. I really really like the matisse one. And that red cast? Too cute. Go for it!
(01.28.10 @ 09:55 AM)shannon..U MUST GET HIM!! NOO IFS ANDS OR BUTTS!!!!
(02.01.10 @ 12:44 PM)
>> true pasadena native right here!
i just did everything possible revolving around the rose parade.
it was three straight days of more flowers and marching bands than i've ever seen in one place.
gosh.... the fact that they block off half the city made me so curious about the inner workings of the parade, and let me tell you--- i now feel like i know all the secrets, in my own weird way.
for christmas, my mom gave my grandma tickets to the bandfest, the pre-parade float viewings (all three of them), and the parade itself. and i magically got in on all of it since i live here, and also was the only one in my fam who was interested in going. (jay, ry, heath, cars, dad.... you all missed out big time....!)
three days of tourist bliss, in my own city.
ahh! my favorite.
absolutely LOVE exploring the place i live.
now, story. that night we were driving to go have dinner and saw the floats being taken down huntington!
and here is my grandma, mom and me!
5 comments so far
don't judge me for being emotional... I don't get it but I just can't help it these days (must be the miracle that I'm growing)... but this post made me cry. It was so perfect - so you. Maybe it was the combination of family time and just enjoying life, and that cute picture of you and Ro -- I don't know, but I love you :)
(01.02.10 @ 03:43 AM)Your home town fits you just right! You can't even imagine what a great time it was to be along on this Pasadena adventure with all of you. The colors, the people, the surprises, beautiful music, the laughs, doing a gal thing together. Thank you Lord that I was so blessed to be a part of it! love ya, gr ma
(01.02.10 @ 08:02 AM)Sounds like you moved from South Pasadena to Pasadena recently. Anywhichways, if this was your 1st time, then I'm glad you had a great experience! I came only for part 1 of the parade on Thurs. Skipped the main part on Fri to stay-up & sleep-in late. Y'all have a blessed, stressfree new year!
(01.02.10 @ 04:10 PM)These photos are beautiful. What a fun adventure. P.S. I LOVE that your grandma reads your blog and comments. My mom can't even grasp the blog concept and is still learning computers. :)
(01.03.10 @ 09:16 PM)I was at the Parade too! It was so exciting, even though we were nmear the end of the route and the poor marching band kids were gettin' tired by that point. I love how you capture the floats being driven down Huntington. Haphazardly delicate looking and beautiful!
(01.04.10 @ 08:03 PM)
in high school i remember having disdain for the color.
and hate.
i hated, gold.
only silver, please.
(if anything).
no shimmers or sparkles or flare.
simple did it.
but now i love gold,
love sparkles,
and will even wear a piece of gold jewelry now and then,
like on my birthday.
or to my yellow desk while i edit by myself.
you know.
... i'm into gaudy.
8 comments so far
obsess over gaudy. it's good for you.
p.s. my chinese grandma was reminding us at christmas of all the gold necklaces my mom had to wear at her wedding. it's a tradition for the bride's mother to pass down jewelry to her. i guess my dad called her "mrs. t" all night. spectacular.
(12.30.09 @ 10:05 PM)I only wear gold. Are you saying I'm gaudy? ; ) I was a silver girl for a while but in college it was all gold and it has continued that way. Gold looks much better with my complexion and hair color than silver. Strange that it's so, but it's true.
(12.30.09 @ 10:09 PM)Ooooh the same thing happened to me. I only wore silver in high school, but now I'm all about gold and bronze. :)
(12.31.09 @ 07:25 AM)I'm all silver. But I'm still in college. Maybe I'll like gold later.
(12.31.09 @ 08:37 AM)One of my color poems from AW was about GOLD. Maybe you should read it. ;)
(12.31.09 @ 08:58 AM)Marie would be so proud of your taking on the GOLD. You've got to be the leading lady of your own life no more silver go for the GOLD>>>>
(12.31.09 @ 09:39 AM)LOVE gold. Used to hate hate hate it with a burning passion also. Gold was for ugly old lady jewelry. But now, all I buy is gold. bling bling
(01.01.10 @ 12:40 PM)
you?
2 comments so far
yes & amen!!
DAD
I totally agree. But I'm a little sad about taking my tree down.
(12.30.09 @ 07:23 AM)
she lives below me, and we go down there often.
that is roxana, holding val's cat----------
sometimes photos are too literal for me.
yes, this is a tree and a girl and a cat.
but i like it. and i felt like you need to see it.
5 comments so far
It's a way cute picture of a tree, girl and cat! I love it - that tree is awesome!
(12.18.09 @ 09:00 PM)yep.. that is BJ and VALS AHHMAZING PINK TREE... LOVE IT!
(12.23.09 @ 08:15 AM)Just saw this! adorable.
give us the new pictures!!!!
(12.27.09 @ 11:14 PM)
its a simple idea that went a long way--------
take photos of people for free and give them the prints.
people all over the world volunteered their time,
people all over the world received professional photos for free.
i was on the check-in team, so on their way out i'd ask them "so how did it go??" this one girl gave me a BIG smile and said "I FELT LIKE I WAS IN HOLLYWOOD!" she said she had never felt this glamorous before. this was her first Christmas photo. in fact, this was the first professional photo ever.
i talked to another guy for 20 or 30 minutes after he was done, and i left feeling so encouraged by HIM. amazing how moving out of your comfort zone and helping people does that. he talked to me about faith and life and God and loving people. he reminded me of what matters.
it was super rainy that day---- which for california means the world stops, but we were able to give about 40 people Christmas photos. (true confession.... driving there i took surface streets for an hour instead of the highway for 20 minutes. FEAR.)
here's a video of our day that was made by Paul Huynh. it honestly blew me away. incredible. enjoy :)
Help-Portrait L.A. 12.12.09 from Paul Huynh on Vimeo.
>>>>>>>>> if you'd like to be involved next time, join our group!
7 comments so far
Some photographer involved with this project came and did family portraits for all of our families here in the shelter and some of our aftercare families too it was awesome! Thanks for being involved with it too!
(12.17.09 @ 07:04 PM)This is awesome! A group of volunteers with this project took family portraits for residents at the shelter I work for. Thanks for being involved with this!
(12.18.09 @ 12:14 AM)This is awesome! A group of volunteers with this project took family portraits for residents at the shelter I work for. Thanks for being involved with this!
(12.18.09 @ 12:15 AM)John Mark Reynolds, the Torrey Honors Program founder, told me yesterday that the best thing we can sometimes do is to stop THINKING about DOING something and get out and actually DO something to help the world. Thinking about why something is or is not will not solve a thing. Shannon, thanks for being a DOER instead of just a THINKER...you put a positive dent in a world that does not care enough about each other.
DAD
I feel kind of emotional about this. SHAN! I love it that you did that!
(12.26.09 @ 07:31 AM)
too cute. :) when i was a wedding coordinator i loved the repetition/surprise aspect, too. it was like it was all pretty routine, but the random idiosyncrasies were what made the night fun and a challenge. yay!
(01.26.10 @ 06:44 PM)heck yes this is your full time job!
so proud of you.
(01.26.10 @ 07:14 PM)FIRST THOUGHT: 'Engaged?! She doesn't even have a boyfriend!'
hi :)
(01.26.10 @ 10:55 PM)