Crazy Yoga Desert Adventure...

 After one of my yoga classes, I approached my teacher and said: "This is beautiful! We should capture it while it lasts..." He said, "Okay."

 This is why I do photography: life is way too short and way too precious not to. I'm honored to be given the trust to capture special moment for people, moreover, "to steal their souls' through my work.
I know, sometimes it's brutally honest, and so is life.

 Wanted to share some results with my lovely audience:)


 Here it is: two crazy yogis and one camera in East County....

 I picked East County because I got tired of seeing the same thing over and over again. How many more yoga sunset pictures on the beach can you take. Really... That's why we are called "creatives" because we CREATE....

 Enjoy!

Gorgeous Svetlana: Experiment of Self Exploration

Gorgeous Svetlana: Experiment of Self Exploration

 I don't remember how we became friends on Facebook. She was viewing my photo work and giving me compliments. After checking out her profile, I suggested to take some pictures of her. The answer was very intriguing: "This is an interesting idea. The thing is that I'm absolutely not photogenic and don't have a single picture of me that I like. Let's try this out though!"

 Hmmm...  I love challenges! But there was something else in this answer, which stroke me: despite the fact, that she believed that nothing good may turn out of this, SHE WAS WILLING TO TRY... This Woman wasn't afraid of stepping out of her comfort zone, opening up her heart, being exposed to the lens and learning more about herself. It was also possible that she was terrified by the whole idea but decided take a give it a chance nonetheless. Either way,I absolutely admired it!

 This is when I realized that I'm going not just to do the best I can, but to go above and beyond of what was expected, walk an extra couple hundred miles, if needed, and  create something very unique, special and personal.

 Ups... I think, at this point my viewer expects way too much from what he (or she) is about to see...

 I replied, that I believe that everybody is photogenic in front of my lens and suggested to meet up and brainstorm on ideas about this project.

 We decided to show her in different moods, explore different sides of her personality, and create a portrait work, which would resemble her authenticity on multiple levels.

 What can I say? I LOVE TALKING TO HER! She is extremely intelligent, very well educated, open minded, and sharp. She became a Close Friend. She opened up Her World to me. Also she was very easy to photograph...

 This Woman makes her life interesting and refuses to be bored or unhappy on a daily basis. There was this small moment, when I realized how much I adore her. We were drinking "Pitta Perfect" juice in La Jolla, when she looked at the glass, full of green liquid, and a red straw, which came with it, and admired the beauty of those two colors, mixed together, and matching each other  in a very simple and completely natural way.

The thing is that at this very moment, I was overwhelmed with something else and didn't notice this little thing, which could make my day better, if I only paid attention. Oh, Gosh, do I need to admit how extremely grateful I was, when she brought me to the state of presence by noticing this tiny detail?

As my favorite yoga teacher says: "If you are not happy where you are right now, you are simply not paying attention."

Indeed!

Beauty and Perception

 Today I want to share a story with you, guys. A story of our perception of ourselves.

 I've met this woman about three years ago. She was teaching a workshop at the 200 hours yoga teacher training, which I took in 2010. I found her extremely competent, brilliant and confident. I spent some time, thinking what was it like to be as professional as she was and to know so well what you were doing. I also found her very feminine, warm and beautiful. I was fascinated by her lovely personality and the ability to make hard things simple, and to deliver years of expertise in a concise manner.

About a year ago I had a chance and honor to take pictures of her. She stroke me again with her seriousness and wisdom, but there was also something I will never forget: she didn't believe me, when I started giving her compliments to get a smile out of her. All of a sudden, this glorious woman appeared to be so vulnerable and insecure, that I almost couldn't take it. I refused to believe my eyes and ears. I did not understand that this gorgeous, warm, kind, feminine being didn't find herself cute. How in the world was it possible? Why???

A thought of taking a beautiful portrait of her has never left me. Not a yoga portrait. A portrait, where she would be her authentic, and gorgeous, and glorious Self....  A portrait, where she would put her guard down and allow me to see her. A portrait, where her inner beauty would shine through her eyes and light the world. A portrait, which would make her see herself in a different way and believe that she is truly and undoubtedly beautiful.

She just hired me to do some commercial work for her business. She has no idea what was going through my mind for the last year. It's my freaking empathy: I connect to a human being, start feeling what they feel and can't let it go afterwards. I've been working on getting rid of this gift since I was a kid because it hurts. I got so much better at locking my heart as I practiced for years. I figured: since it's not in my power to help everybody in need, there is no point in my compassion. I figured, I'd do a little bit of something every day to make this world a better place and that should be enough. Let's face it: it's not enough. I should become more skilled, powerful and popular so the message I send will be heard by more people. So we can do a little something together, which would make it something BIG.

Start with yourself, dear, don't change the world, just make yourself happy so you can radiate your positive energy into the world. Sounds good! It's work in progress but, I believe, I do it. What's next?

I think, one day I'll write that "all problems come from the lack of love". I'll also write that happiness and positivity on a daily basis is not granted, but earned with sweat:):):):)

This time, I'll just ask the truly amazing woman, whom I was talking about in the beginning of the post, for the permission to capture her beauty and show it back to her. I'm praying that she'll grant it to me.

A Wedding, Filled with Love, Children and Laughter

 This wedding remains among of my favorites. Love was in the air! It poured freely out of people's eyes and danced it's own lovely dance, lighting everybody's face with sweet smiles.

 The women were absolutely stunning, the men very cordial, and kids seemed to have even more fun than the rest of us (I still wonder how that was possible).

 To Julie and Jordan! To celebration of their love!
 It was a true pleasure and a real honor to share that special day with you!