Engagement Contest Finalists :0)

Ok guys! I'm feeling all better after a touch of the flu and I finally get to post the finalists for the free engagement session!!!

So get ready to vote for your favorite couple simply by posting a comment with the couple's name!

I'm so excited to introduce you to (drum roll?).......


Leesa and Paul!


and...
Sarah and Mikel!


Here are their stories! :0)

Leesa and Paul
Leesa and I first met our freshman year at Central High school in phoenix. Our first class together was 2nd period photography with Mrs. Meiners. I had a high school crush on Leesa, but I was always too shy to ask her out. After high school, we did not keep in touch with each other, so 15 years went by until we were both matched on Eharmony.com. I did not know it was the same Leesa from high school, I just thought she looked familiar. It was shortly after I first e-mailed her that I saw her same picture on classmates.com. Since first re-connecting, we haven't looked back. She is my perfect match and I am hers.

So we were in Oahu on vacation. after a morning of snorkling with the sharks, I drove her to an isolated beach on the north shore where we had a picnic and then I popped the question. I got it on video. you can see it at www.myspace.com/fuzzzie1 (click on the video tab)

Sarah and Mikel

Mikel and I met for the first time in 2004. We were at a performance by the band Traveler. I, being new to belly dancing, was trying my hand at dancing to live music, and he was there taking photographs for the band. Over the course of the next 3 years, our paths crossed at various dance and music shows, where I was performing, and he was shooting photos for the event. I would always wonder if he would be at the shows, and liked it when he was. At the time, I did not recognize this as for what it was, as my life was in a very different place then. I would realize it years later that those feelings were my soul recognizing its future mate.

Then, in December of 2006, my dance troupe leader, Gazelle, hired Mikel to take photographs of our troupe. I remember that day clearly. I remember walking into Gazelle’s home and seeing Mikel. And, once again, I felt glad to see him there. The shoot ended up being a blast. And afterwards I sat and talked with Mikel for quite some time. I found my self talking to him about things I wouldn’t normally talk to anyone about. My brain would scream, “Don’t tell him about how much time you have been spending alone!!!”, but my mouth went on talking. I believe it was the universe making things as they should be because it was this giving of too much information on my part that gave Mikel the opening to invite me to attend a happy hour with his social group MEETin.

Our first get together, (it was not really a date), we met at a MEETin happy hour at Jillians. I remember threading through the crowd of people. I remember it being a bit overwhelming as I am, by nature, a bit on the shy side in big crowds. He introduced me to his friends, who were all very welcoming. Once we settled into our seats, we began to get to know each other. Later that night after Jillians, we went to another MEETin event at Chuy’s for Karaoke night. No we didn’t sing... I remember a girl asking me if I was Mikel’s date. My response was, I don’t know... How funny it seems now, looking back. It would take another week and a half or so for us to go on our official first date...

From that moment on, we were inseparable. We had many wonderful adventures over the next year. Then, in October of 2007, we took a trip to Rocky Point with our friends. It was nearing sunset as we were lounging on the beach. Mikel jumped up and handed his camera to a friend and asked her to take our picture with the sunset. I remember posing with him, for what seemed like a long time. He was fumbling around with something. I said “hurry, the sunset is going away”, all the while holding my pose for the “picture”. (To find out later she was shooting a video the whole time). The next thing I knew, Mikel had a ring in his hand and said, “Will you marry me?” In that moment, time seemed to stop, as I tried to comprehend what had just happened… I looked at Mikel, with his eyes shining and the biggest smile on his face… The only thing I could think to say was, “Are you serious?” It seems silly now, but I was so shocked at that moment. Very shortly after that, it seemed like time became normal again, and I knew, without a doubt, what my answer would be. “Yes!” I said… knowing as I said it, that things were as they should be. As I looked into Mikel’s eyes, a great sense of peace overcame me as I thought about the life we will share together.

http://sarahandmikel.ourweddingday.com/index.aspx

Thank you to everyone!! Now go spread the love and vote your favorite! :0)

--
Laura Siivola- Photographer.
Organic wedding and portrait photography based in the Phoenix Arizona area.
laurasiivolaphotographer.com

Re: Zound photos!

Before I go on about what an awesome shoot we had, I just wanted to give a little shout out for my win a photo session contest! About a week left to go-so if you know anyone who's getting married tell them to check it out! :0)

So last week I had a great time shooting Re:Zound! You have got to check out their music because it's just so good and because... well- I said so! :0P

On to the fabulous pictures! (...am I allowed to say that?) But seriously- look at this yummy color! His eyes just pop out with this cool toned reflection!



We went to the Mesa Arts Center and when we called up they were incredibly nice and even let us shoot in the lobby. Thanks!! (because it was still kinda hot outside) :0P



I think this is my new favorite image!!


So on we headed to the Living Word Bible Church for the rest of the shoot. I had never been there before and can I just say- WOW! Simply incredible!!


Just havin' some fun with these... flip you hair again!!!


Well, let me just ask you- does it look like I'm shooting inside a church???


The group is going on a mission trip to India in January and I just know they'll have an amazing time!


Ok, I admit it, I'm a little jealous! hehe


I can't wait to hear about the trip, you guys rock!!!


--
Laura Siivola- Photographer.
Organic wedding and portrait photography based in the Phoenix Arizona area.
laurasiivolaphotographer.com

Did I mention...

That I went to California... a month ago! I've been keeping so busy I've barely blogged at all!

So without any further ado let me tell you about my fun trip!! :0)

Pictage's Partner Con was great- it really made me think about my business in different terms. The funniest thing happened while I was there thinking and toiling over my love for photography and how to make not just a business but a successful business...

I ran into this guy in the elevator going up and we were joking around and stuff. Well 20 minutes later I came back down and he hopped on the elevator again! Talk about serendipity! We started talking and I asked why he was in town- he said that he was in the music industry and he was here for a photo shoot. I just started laughing and told him I was a photographer and had just started shooting musicians. He had to laugh too now because he was saying how hard it had been to find a photographer and here I tell him I'm at a photography conference and well, he couldn't say much but 'get out!' hehe

So Kyze was totally cool and invited me to this shoot they were doing the next day with Nikki Smith at Chad Hill's studio. It's funny because I didn't really want to buttinski on someone's shoot so I wasn't gonna go but I bumped into Kyze for A THIRD TIME!!! Crazy! So my friends told me I had to go- as Rachel said, 'It's kismet!'

Chad was very cool and we started talking shop as soon as we had a second! We even traded websites we enjoyed for inspiration. Here's one of him shootin'!


So thanks to Kyze and Chad and Nikki too! You've given me some much needed inspiration- I've been shooting more musicians lately and I absolutely love the creativity it affords me!! :0)

So since we had pretty much been all work and no play a group of us decided to go to The Wherehouse for dinner and it was soooo yummy!


Kadie and I ordered this ginormous drink but neither of us could make a dent in it...


So I got a little help from Rachel :0)


AND a little more help from Betsy and Michelle!!! hehe


Then when we got back to the hotel I had possibly the best desert ever! A flourless chocolate volcano cake. I had never heard of it but woah momma I'm glad I ordered it even though I couldn't finish!!! :0P

So the next morning on our way home Rachel let me (or had to, however you wanna look at it!) and Kadie tag along on an engagement shoot of hers on the beach! Well, for us Arizona photographers it's a treat!





And here's one of Kadie- we both decided to get in the water!!


I had an awesome time!!!


--
Laura Siivola- Photographer.
Organic wedding and portrait photography based in the Phoenix Arizona area.
laurasiivolaphotographer.com