Get your Candy going on! The Candy Strand in Laguna, Ca.

Ok girls....girls from ages 10-110, tall & short, bigger & smaller....yep, I'm talking to YOU girl:)

If you don't have a Candy Strand swimsuit, go online right NOW & order one:)! 

So what is The Candy Strand?!  They are darling, reversible, modest (although you can gather the trestle tops up to show/tan a little tummy if you like:) & they have several different bottoms to choose from....high waisted, bottoms that have a cute gather on the backside:) bottoms that are more simple....& guess what EVERYTHING is reversible, so you can create tons of looks w/just ONE top & ONE bottom!  Pretty darn cool & clever, right:)?

 & guess what?! The Candy Strand is offering a special discount! Type in "candy10" (all lower case) for 10% off your entire order!

Click on the address below, & you are in "The Candy Strand" land:)

http://www.thecandystrand.com

I've done several shoots for this RAD company, but this one was pretty cool!  We got to shoot @ a private beach, YES private beach in Socal! It was the perfect location, sooo  beautiful, & very Cali....just like these  girls:)
          

                                                 I could seriously live here.....right here:)

                                            Loving that California sun & warmth!

                                                   
@ the end of our shoot, we had a little bonfire going on,  & of course "smores" was happening (YUMMY:) There's nothing like the smell of a bonfire, @ the beach, @ the end of a beautiful day, roasting marshmellows, making ( & eating:) smores,  chill'in w/old & new friends, listening to the waves crashing, & loving that light ocean breeze.......

SO this suit down below is one of my favorites!  I can't remember for sure, but I think I was told that it's called "bonfire" or something like that:) So of course we had to get a great shot of this print, in front of our bonfire:)

Ok so I told you a little about "The Candy Strand" swimsuits.....I am a visual kinda girl, so I thought I'd introduce you (virtually:) to the Cofounders, Les & Trish:) They snuck in w/some of our models @ the end of the shoot & I was able to catch them in a handful of shots too:)  

These two are such hardworking, talented, creative amazing women! They had a dream & a vision, & they made it happen! ~The Candy Strand ~ fun, modest, original,& very cute swimsuits....& btw made in the USA:)

                                                  PS don't forget to "pin" your fav pic:)
                                               

LAURA SHEPARD at RAW:Riverside En Masse 08/22/2013 (+playlist)

So last late July I was contacted by a RAW scout, asking me if I would like to be one of their artist featured in their Riverside RAW showcase....& I said yes:)  It was a fun experience, RAW was created by an artist, for artist to help showcase their work, & a place to come together.  I'm not too sure how I feel about my interview, I'm not a fan of being in front of cameras, I was really nervous & watching it makes me laugh (I remind myself of my youngest when she is nervous:)
  I MUCH prefer to be the one in the back:)  But I thought I'd post it anyway....so here it is!

p.s. pause the music on the bottom of my blogsite to the left when you hit play on youtube:)  

Seattle!

Last late January the hubs' & I got away to Seattle!  This is something that we had wanted to do for a while!  & I have to say, Seattle was everything I was hoping for & MORE!  I loved it!  We had perfect weather while we were there.....a tiny bit of rain, cool temps, slight breeze & soft cloudy skies w/moments of the sun making a temporary appearance.

So since I have began my photography journey, I KNEW Seattle was a "must" visit, explore, experience & capture.  It wasn't a matter of "if" it was "when"!  I was smitten by this artsy/hippie city~what can I say, if I believed in reincarnation, I FOR sure would be back as a hippie~chick!

The hubs & I explored this awesome city on our own for a couple of days, then my amazing in-laws joined us for a couple of more days.  

I seriously felt like a little kid, seeing new things, checking out all the cool handmade items for sale @ Pikes Market, trying the foods, shopping, checking out the specialty stores, visiting the FIRST & still standing Starbucks! & most of all capturing Seattle through my lens <3 I couldn't get enough, I really couldn't.

This blog post has quite a few photographs....I just couldn't narrow it down to my favorite 6, or 7.....I love them all....that's what photography is all about.  It's personal.  To me, these images tell a story, my story....the story of a few days away w/my husband,  & w/my in-laws......it's a memory for us 4,  for the rest of our lives, & they will continue to tell the story to out children <3

     & we begin:)

Seattle has REALLY great food, & I'm not talking seafood (that's yuck for me:)  I'm talking just good food!

                                                                                           Seriously???  How CUTE ^^

 Ok, so this is a sweet little story.  This is a photograph of my husband w/his father, admiring the portion of this amazing structure that my father-in law helped construct (on computer)  He knew EVERY square inch of this portion of this building, & this was the first time he had ever seen it in person.  This was truly a "Kodak" moment.

& who doesn't love a good Space needle photograph!

 I LOVED this DARLING little store it's called Watson  Kennedy This is their FB link! It's WAY cute!
https://www.facebook.com/WatsonKennedy?fref=ts

A little of Pikes Market!

                                                                                                  GUM wall anyone! 

                                                                                                                YUMMY!

                                                           The FIRST Starbucks!  SO tiny, but w/lots of charm.

One of my favorite shots. & I LOVE the rain drops on my lens!

  

                                                                 A little shopping here & a little browsing there! 

                                                           Seattle living.  This guy Gregory Paul is really good!
                             https://www.facebook.com/GregoryPaulMusic?fref=ts

      

   I loved this clown.  He just sat there pretty much all day long.

          LOVED this Italian deli/specialty shop.............Mmmmmm the  scent inside was Heavenly.

 These hanging paper lanterns has to be one of my favorite photographs I took.  Can't really tell you why, it just is:)

                                                                                                                Skyline

                                                                                                      Life in Seattle.

                                                               Gotta love the fish tossing guys @ Pikes Market!

                                                                        More specialty shops!  ALL sorts of sugars!

             Oooohhhh another one of my favorites.  Perfect  lighting. Perfect getaway. Perfect moments.

We have discovered that getaways are a must.  Even if it's an hour from home.  & now since I do photography, I feel it's an extra MUST:) I love to have time w/my husband, & I love to photograph & document , it's a perfect duo!

Thanks for stopping by & checking out a little bit of "my story"

Please remember that all images are copyright of laura shepard photography~Tuscan Sun In. Inc.

Sacred project

So I am attempting to play "catch~up"!  It has been almost 4 months since my last blog post!  That is BAD!!!  I have sooo many beautiful photographs that deserve their spotlight! I have been blessed to capture & make beautiful images, but life, duties, family, soccer, & my passion (photography) has been quite busy lately.......still that's no excuse!

Well, here goes @ least one new blog post (YAY:)

Last week I was contacted by one of my old friends, we were preggers @ the same time w/our "first" about 100 years ago!  We re-met via FB (I love FB:)! a few years ago, & it's been fun being in each others lives again, even if it's "virtually" most of the time!

Anyway, she was pretty much in charge of this annual dinner (since she was the president!) for  JRCLS & their special guest speaker was Julie B. Beck who was the former General Relief Society President for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter~Day Saints (from 2007-2012) & My girlfriend, Debbie asked me if I could capture the Newport Beach LDS Temple, so they could present it to her as a little "thank you" for speaking @ their event.

SO.....I did!  I shot @ the worse time for "photography" BUT what I was able to get was A-mazing light in almost ALL my shots! So I was VERY happy! 

I loved this special little assignment, it was personal, & sweet to me, & I am happy that I was asked to do this.

The photographs below are available for purchase on canvas.  I will have 6 sizes to choose from ~ investment begins @ $110+ 

I think these can make a nice wedding, anniversary, birthday, Christmas & really "anytime" gift for those who are LDS & especially if they have been married in the NP Beach Temple.

Please email me @ laurashepardphotogrpahy@gmail.com for details.  

***Please remember that these images are copyright of laura shepard photography~Tuscan Sun int. inc.

                                                                    Thank you!

HEAD-SHOTS!

 I want to wish this young lady a lot of luck!  She is venturing off to the modeling & acting world!

                        She has a great look.   

Leslie, you are a strong young woman, & I hope the best, & wish you much success in this new chapter in your life.

 

So this is "Rilla" I have to say that I lover her;) 

Rilla is one of my niece's & she is not only a beautiful girl, but

                   Rilla is a beautiful person, w/a good heart;)

Rilla is a model.......I'm sure it's obvious by these beautiful photos

                                                  of her;)

Rilla is venturing off to the acting world now, and so it was time to update her portfolio, and we had a blast shooting, she is a PRO;)

This last image is one of my favorites......to me it says "movie star"
   Love you girlfriend.......Can't wait to see your    
         beautiful face soon on the big screen;)