freshtalk: the blog of Emily Ivey

Hey everyone! I’m so excited (and slightly shy) to share this post with you, because it’s pictures of me and my husband and our dogs…yep, I have featured myself in a post! What can I say. It’s been almost 7 years since Jason and I had professional photos taken, which in my book is Way. Too. Long.

Which brings me to some great news for everyone who missed the opportunity to get their OWN awesome pictures taken last year! Fresh Ivey is launching our first special of 2012: the “Field of Dreams” shoot at a special promotional price of just $99 for a styled session in the meadows, complete with vintage props and clothing consultation before the shoot. You even get a 8 x 10″ enlargement of your favorite picture from the shoot, and 10% off product purchases.

Got blank walls and it’s been a few years since you moved into your place? Make good on those New Year’s resolutions to make your home “house-beautiful” and avoid scrambling later for holiday photos (yeah, I’m thinking ahead for you!) This is a great session because it’s suitable for all types: kids, newborns, whole families, couples, maternity, seniors, or even friends who want to do something “just for fun”! You can also purchase additional sessions as gifts for someone else. Trust me, they’ll be thrilled and think how creative and thoughtful you are for doing so!

Book your session before February 29, 2012 by calling at 949.228.1647 or emailing emily@freshivey.com.

So just to be fair and to let you know I mean business, here are my OWN photos. See? If I can get my camera-shy husband and two Jack Russell terriers to sit tight, put on ties (or bows, as in the dogs’ case), you can put together your own super cute photo shoot too. And guess what–I’m here to help you so now there are no excuses.

And if you see my husband, tell him how awesome he was to oblige me in this shoot! It may not have been HIS idea of a lovely Sunday afternoon, but I think in the end he had to admit he cleaned up pretty well. He might even tell you that he had fun.

Downtown San Juan Capistrano, with it’s historic neighborhoods and train depot, is always such a fun and colorful place to shoot. I had a great time with the Prims there a few weeks ago. I’ve known Joe for several years, and his family as well, so it was a great pleasure to meet his kids. And what incredible looking eyes those kids have!

Sometimes you don’t realize when was the last time the whole family got together for some nice pictures. Maybe when the kids were just little?? The next thing you know, they’re out of the house and one of them bound for college…on the east coast! It’s never too late to round up the troops and head to your favorite spot with me! The Yardleys were a super fun family to photograph, as you can tell. Check out my favorites from this session!

I loved Phoebe and Aaron’s simple yet sweet wedding. Before the ceremony, we stopped in beautiful Laguna Beach in the afternoon in late December for wedding photos and found the beach practically empty despite it being sunny and warm. You gotta love California! It was a pleasure to have the beach to ourselves!  This couple was fun to photograph with their easy yet romantic dynamic! I also loved Phoebe’s tea-length dress and shoes from BHLDN…so cute. Congratulations, Phoebe and Aaron!

Hullo everyone. S’me again.

Today’s post is particularly special to me, and here’s why: Rich (or Uncle Dick as we like to call him) is my husband’s uncle, which is indeed special enough. But in addition, he is special to Fresh Ivey because several years ago, he was the first (and only) investor in a fledgling photography business held together by nothing but an old Canon Rebel and a girl with a dream. So when Uncle Dick met a lovely lady named Janice and the two decided give love a chance and tie the knot, it was with great pleasure that I accepted their invitation to attend and photograph their wedding this last December in Virginia.

So last month, Jason and I packed up and flew out there for the intimate gathering. It was so nice to be on the “other” side of the wedding festivities for a change; not as the photographer only, but a participant as well. Grandma made us her fried chicken and homemade holiday candies, and we got to sit around the table at night listening to Uncle Bob tell his stories. We slept in, ran errands, stuffed ourselves, and simply spent time with family.

Here is a picture of Dick with his mother (Grandma, to us). And here is Uncle Bob with his wife, Aunt Irene. Don’t they make a lovely couple??

It’s hard for me to show the images of this trip in total chronological order. It was their wedding, of course, but such a fun trip for me in many ways. So I’ll tell the story the way I want to, ’cause guess what–it’s my blog, haha! And I’d like to show my favorite picture first:

At the Jefferson Memorial with the Washington Memorial in the background? Nowhere else, man. Downtown DC rocks. ‘Nuff said. And Janice was awesome for braving the cold!

The ceremony itself was sweet and small, held at the fabulous 2941 Restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia, just outside of DC.

And there's our Aunt Ann. She's hiding and will probably hate me for saying this, but she's a rock star viola player. Yep.

After the ceremony, Dick and Janice stepped outside to 2941's amazing grounds featuring koi ponds and a Dali sculpture. Here's Janice's mother admiring it all.

Ceremony was followed by a private reception at the same venue where we drank fine wines and ate a delectable spread of cheeses, then dined on a seasonal menu featuring steak, butternut squash ravioli, and chicken. Yum.

Here's the bride in a beautiful, relaxed, and candid moment.

And this guy? This one's mine.

One of the highlights of the trip was heading into DC with the newly married couple, and of course we had to stop downtown for some photographs. I am not gushing nor exaggerating when I say that DC at sunset is beyond beautiful, and there were so many photos of this couple basking in the warm glow of the waning light with this city as the backdrop that it was very difficult to select my favorites. But in the end, it’s not just about the scenery–the chemistry between two people is indispensable. It was awesome to see Dick and Janice giddy as kids, kissing and dancing in the street while cars whizzed by, honking their congratulations.

Just can’t seem to get enough of San Juan Capistrano! Here’s another engagement session shot there, this time of Deborah and Phil. They blew into town from Philly for her sister’s wedding (See: Phoebe and Aaron’s wedding here) so we had to squeeze in some photos for this cute couple! I’m totally looking forward to shooting their wedding this coming spring in Raleigh, North Carolina. Happy viewing and wedding planning, guys!

Happy new year, everyone!

I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything, but believe me it’s not for lack of activity! 2011 ended in a flurry of fall and winter weddings, out-of-state weddings, and personal travel, and although I tried to keep up with editing and posting images and blogging, the holidays came colliding with other year-end activities and something happened to me that hasn’t happened in a long time: I got sick. Not crazy bad bedridden sick, but I would definitely say I hit a wall. The energy went from high to zero, and stayed there for a good few weeks, accompanied by all the usual suspects of the common cold. I had very little energy, and whatever I did muster up was quickly spent. Any attempt to push myself back to normal schedule too quickly resulted in relapse. The worst part, however, was my mother’s voice in my head, “Emily, you’re too tired! You’re wearing yourself out! You need to slow down or else you’re gonna get sick!” She’s been saying this for the last six months, and every time I responded, “Ma! Leave me alone!” Oh, how annoying it is when Mom is right!

The nice thing, however, is that I think I’m finally ready to (carefully) get back in the saddle again. 2012 is starting off strong, with several juicy bookings which I can’t wait to share with you over the course of the next year! I also have some exciting photography news to be sharing with you all, but not quite yet…all will be revealed in good time.

In the mean time, however, it is my great joy to share my first engagement post of 2012. The couple is Susanna and Steve. I’ve known Steve for several years, and for most of those years, Steve struck me as a guy who should be happily in love but was not. He has several sisters, is manly yet “in touch with his feminine side,” he’s an engineer who cooks, etc., the kind of guy girls always say they would like to meet. We’ve chatted here and there about life and love, and the difficulties of finding The One, with conversations veering off on tangential metaphors such as, “Girls are like peanut butter at Costco.” (Eh, don’t ask…you had to be there.) In any event, the bottom line is that today, Steve HAS found The One, his life-long peanut butter, and her name is Susanna. Or rather, God brought the two of them together, which makes it all the more delightful.

So without further ado, I present: Steve and Susanna!

Nannette and Albert were married on November 27 of 2011 at the Diamond Bar Center in a lovely outdoor ceremony under a crisp fall sky. Nannette looked simply gorgeous and elegant, like a princess, and I was so glad to be a part of their wedding!

Albert waits here for Nannette under these gold trees for their first-look session. (I love his bow tie and fedora. Not everyone can rock that look, but Albert did!)

No wedding is complete without the antics of some little kids. In this case, it was a story of the have’s and have-not’s! As in life, whoever has the candy has the power!

With a couple as adorable as Janet and Isaac (check out their end-of-summer Laguna Beach engagement photos here), it was no surprise that their wedding this last November in Janet’s hometown of Philadelphia would be just as fun, full of personality, and easy on the eyes. I loved the opportunity to get back east and see how the cities there change color! Love–and a brisk nip–was in the air for their wedding day, but family and friends–all pitching in for this stylish all-hands-on-deck wedding–warmed the heart. Not the least of which was Janet’s vintage-inspired lace wedding dress made by none else than her own mother! What amazing dedication, effort, and love!

A gorgeous and freshly-finished Janet gets her last “besos” from her mother, and we’re off for to meet up with the groom…

Janet and Isaac opted to have a first-look session before their ceremony downtown at Rittenhouse Square. It was so fun to see the anticipation with which Isaac waited for his “Feyonce”, as he liked to call Janet.

No matter how many times you’ve seen the woman you plan to marry, there’s still nothing like seeing her for the first time on the wedding day.

Adorable burlap and lace details accented the wedding and reception. And as for the hand-made twine, lace, and doily lanterns made by Janet’s girlfriends? Simply amazing.

Decoration design and other hand-made goodies: Crafted Details |  Letterpress stationery: Rachel Paley  |  Second shooter: Patrick Chang

Although transplanted many years ago to southern California, I grew up in the Bay Area and love every opportunity I have to visit my family and tread my old stomping grounds. This Thanksgiving, I had the pleasure of spending the holidays up north again as well as do what I love to do–take pictures of happy-in-love couples!

Chris and his beautiful fiancee Andrea–who will be getting married here in just a few short months in Washington DC–met up with me in Chris’ old home town of San Francisco. It was so nice to walk the steep streets of the Nob Hill neighborhood with them, explore the Coit Tower, and just gaze back down on one of my favorite cities in the world while the sun set and the twinkling of the lights came on.

Not close enough to the Golden Gate Bridge to make it over for pictures, we opted for the iconic Transamerica building as an element in the pictures to help them always identify this beautiful location. Makes me think of a certain old song by Journey that starts like this: “When the lights go down in the city, and the sun shines on the bay….”