Huntington Beach Engagement

So excited to enter another I Heart Faces contest. This weeks theme was beaches. Yay!

I love the idea of shooting at the beach. It is a perfect location to capture all the different emotions, moods and romance.

Huntington Beach, California was were Andy lived. Canby, Oregon is where Carrie lived. Cursed by the usual long distance relationship, Andy and Carrie were destined to be together. Bonded by Goonies the movie, The Simpsons and the love of pop culture, they got engaged.

On one of the visits out to HB, I was able to shoot some "engagement photos" for Andy. Although they were not officially engaged yet, it was really the only chance for them to get some great beachy photos before he moved up to Oregon and they started a new life together.

It is funny because we almost canceled because it was raining on and off all day. I am glad we didn't because the clouds and the sky were so dramatic I was able to capture this fantastic shot on the coast.


I heart Andy and Carrie!

1st place!! (Dance dance Dance)

I am so happy I got first place in the I heart faces contest!! YAY!

Jasmine Star said "From the minute I saw Holly's picture, I was smitten. I adore high-key photos and it looks ethereal...almost like the bride dropped out of Heaven! I usually prefer photos of action and laughter, but this photo made me stop and look...and appreciate the overall fabulousness of it! It's just so darn pretty! :) -Jasmine"

Wow!

Hip hip!

I heart Faces (is a little addicting)

I posted a link yesterday for the fabulous "Wedding Bells" contest listed.

The response was overwhelming and I had to dive back in and post one of my favorite family photos.
It was incredible because the photographers that submitted to the contest weren't in competition with each other, but a fantastic support system. Each one of them with encouraging words, and friendly comments to the other. Some photographers were pros and some were just enthusiast. It was a wonderful mix and I think that it made it all the more special.

It was so sweet and I really love the community spirit that it brought forth. Yay. With that said, I thought how I would happily posted on other blog sites words of "Wow, Super and Awesome." But to my surprise each photographer had expressed a fabulous sense of love for light, composition and divine colors.

So kudos to I heart faces.



here is my little submission:

Vanessa Brooke is a fabulous Children's Photographer based in Orange County. She has an eye for fashion, color and textures, beyond my understanding. Even better she is an amazing Mom.
For Holiday photos we were to Griffith Park, CA to capture some golden moments for her Christmas card. Her son, and husband rocked the shoot and gave me this fabulous shot. She blogged about the shoot too, because she is awesome!



Shout out from V Brooke: "We had so much fun taking photos with my good friend and photographer Holly. As a photographer myself, I sometimes forget to have photos taken of my own family. It creates memories that you don't want to miss out on. So, I knew it was time for me to have photos of the three of us before Jayden turns one year old next month. Time really does fly by! Thanks again Holly for photographing my family, we love ya!"

i Heart Faces (i do)

Yay! So exciting. A contest for everyone to have their photography shine! This is a weekly contest, and this week is judged by the one and only Jasmine Star.

Check out I ♥ Faces blog site.

I entered in my favorite photo. Details below.





I wanted to capture the emotion and transformation that occurs to a bride when she first gets into her dress. Her mother and sister are crouched behind her lacing up the delicate backing of her dress. The bride was looking forward at her bridesmaids and fathers in the room.

The transformation for a woman to be a bride is really quite an emotional moment. She puts on the MAC lipstick, Choo shoes, Tiffany's necklace, and dress etc, that she has been consumed with and thinking since she got engaged.

This is her day and her moment to shine. My creative vision of this was her standing alone, her beauty, and simplistic expression and everything else does not matter, because today she is a bride.

xoxo
Holly

For the Click of it...

The BlogLuxe Awards is a SocialLuxe Lounge contest for Websites.

LA Style Unveiled is part of the Inspiring Blog nominees. Yippee for them.



If you want to vote, Click, and be whisked away to a magical land of voting and scrolling. Go to the middle / bottom of the Inspiring Blogs.
They are titled "The Lounge".

Best of luck LA Style Unveiled!!

Winner of WPD Wedding Photography Contest!!

"Wedding Photo Contest Winners Announced
The WPD 2009 Wedding Photo Contest is officially complete. The contest was open to WPD members and outside professional wedding photographers alike. Photo contest entries were open for public view, and critiqued by voters like you. After receiving over 3,000 contest entries, the top three winners and runner-ups are now revealed." -WPD website

So exciting. This contest has Wedding Photographers from all over the USA submit images. When mine was chosen out of the 3,000, I knew I was lucky. But when it was narrowed down the final 10, I thought WOW that is amazing. And now, third place. That is incredible. I received 3,227 votes!

Yay!
Here is the little blurb I wrote:

"White Wedding"

Photo Equipment: Canon EOS 30D, 24mm 1.4L Series, f/2.8, 1/50sec, ISO-250, 24mm

Notes: "I wanted to capture the emotion and transformation that occurs to a bride when she first gets into her dress. Her mother and sister are crouched behind her lacing up the delicate backing of her dress. The bride was looking forward at her bridesmaids and fathers in the room. I was able to freeze the moment when she looked at me and my camera.

The transformation for a woman to be a bride is really quite an emotional moment. She puts on the lipstick, shoes, necklace, and dress etc, that she has been consumed with and thinking about since she was a little girl. This is her day and her moment to shine.

My creative vision of this was her standing alone, her beauty, and simplistic expression and everything else does not matter, because today she is a bride."

I am beaming like a bride right now. YAY!

Thank you anyone and everyone that voted. I truly appreciate the efforts and the thoughts. It is incredible the things that happen when you keep trying at it.

A little quote from my Uncle Tommy: “The difference between the possible and the impossible lies in a person's determination.”

Holy Cow Vote-Man!

Yay!

I can't believe it ... I got in the top 4 of the voting for the 2009 WPD Annual Wedding Photography Contest!!


Yipppeee. Well, don't get too excited, it is accumulative voting, and I know this was the first time that I noticed I made it to the top! The contest is on going, so click the link and make this happen!


What an honor! I am truly a happy girl!

Lots of Love and Kisses,
Holly

Click Happy

Vote!

It would be great if you vote for me. If you are a fan of photography, I know you will love the website. There are tons of great entries and as always I think about the talented circle that the contest brings me too. I am going to step it up next year definitely.

The bride is getting ready at the Montage in Laguna Beach, CA. It is absolutely the most beautiful location ever. I love it. So her mom is on her knees behind her tying up the back of the corset gown, and her maid of honor is to the left just out the shot. Since the bride was standing in front of the window I thought I would take the opportunity to blow out the light and make it all about how beautiful her eyes were and how the veil fell across her eyes.
I think it is a personal favorite of mine because I got a tingle up my back when I heard the camera click. I couldn't believe it. The bride asked "Was it that good?" And then I showed it to her, and she said "Holly you are so amazing, I can't believe that is me."
Those are the moments I live for, as an artist, wedding photographer, and a fan of love.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Click for me

Just a quick click...

WPD Annual Wedding Photography Contest

Vote!

I enter this one every year. The prize isn't much, and if I gave a dollar to everyone who votes for me in order to win I would end up owing money to myself. You can vote everyday, and you don't need an email address.

It would be great if you vote for me. If you are a fan of photography, I know you will love the website. There are tons of great entries and as always I think about the talented circle that the contest brings me too. I am going to step it up next year definitely.

Let me tell you about this photo. So the bride is getting read in the Montage in Laguna Beach, CA. It is absolutely the most beautiful location ever. I love it. So her mom is on her knees behind her tying up the back of the corset gown, and her maid of honor is to the left just out the shot. Since the bride was standing in front of the window I thought I would take the opportunity to blow out the light and make it all about how beautiful her eyes were and how the veil fell across her eyes.
I think it is a personal favorite of mine because I got a tingle up my back when I heard the camera click. I couldn't believe it. The bride asked "Was it that good?" And then I showed it to her, and she said "Holly you are so amazing, I can't believe that is me."
Those are the moments I live for, as an artist, wedding photographer, and a fan of love.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Everyone Loves a Contest.

I have had TWO or THREE contests running the last week. But wait ... there is more!

1) How LOGO can you GO? The winner was Cervidae2008:



2) The People's Choice Contest: Which you can still click and Vote (please do, it takes about 2 minutes & 10 seconds)



3) I am entering a Wedding Chicks Vendor Contest. Go view my wise comments on why brides love my photography.





4) Lastly, I am a member of the Wedding Photography Directory and enter their contest. The voting starts on March 26th. Check back and I will have a link posted.

Vote for my image!

Yay Click to vote

I will give you a twinkie :)

Greetings,

Holly Steen has invited you to participate in the 2009 Faces Photo Contest.

Please vote for my image in the PDN Faces photo contest.

Click here

You will need to register with a valid email address to vote.

You can find out more about the contest here:
www.facesphotocontest.com

Vote vote

"How LOGO can you GO?" contest!

The stakes are high and participation is necessary to win PRIZE!!

(Drumroll:) A 11x14 Gallery Wrap print from Canvas on Demand.

Cakes and Kisses is getting a Logo makeover!

The designer: Naomi Epstein the multifaceted designer, photographer, designologist (Seriously, you need to check out her MONTAGE, it rocks!)
I adore her creativity and supreme talent.

You have to VOTE to win! Please email me your VOTE: steenholly@gmail.com

Tell me what number and why you think it should be the new logo for Cakes and Kisses Wedding Photography



If your answer is the best explanation and gets the most votes from others you will win a FREE 11x14 Gallery Wrap Print! Provided by Canvas on Demand


Good Luck!
I look forward to the massive email frenzy that is about to begin.

Cakes and Kisses!
Holly

Just for the Blog of it...

Entering a blog contest just to be a part of something.
Viewers vote and entries will be voted on from Feb. 8, 2009 at 12 midnight EST, to Feb. 15, 2009, at 12 midnight EST. Professional Photographers Magazine Blog Contest

If you want to vote for Cakes and Kisses, Good times. Go to the bottom of page #4... If not, fine then.

See you later tater...
holly

Vanessa Brooke = Lifestyle Photographer

Upon some blog stalking, I found Shutter Sisters. It is a wonderful little women empowerment photography blog. I was absolutely ecstatic when I realized I could nominate my friend Vanessa for a photography contest. Joy!

I heart Vanessa. She is a silly girl with a fab sense of style and love of boots. She is mastering the art of motherhood with her baby Jayden and hubby Henry. This is from a shoot we did together for her Holiday Cards! YAY!




I am so proud of her and everything she is doing with her photography. Her site rocks too.
She just finished this great shoot which she posted on her blog and it is great! So I submitted this:



It is crazy good I know. I am so glad that Weddings' weren't the way for Vanessa... She would be my best/worse competition.

Top Top Today!

Please with Ice Cream and Wedding Cake on top!!

Vote for me I am at the top!
Vote for me... I am the cute one

Honored

Yay!

I am part of a wonderful Summer Creative Wedding Photography contest. Granted my photography isn't the most creative, I am just excited to be in the running.

Take a peak!