Brittany and Rich~Engagement~La Jolla, CA

They traveled the world together, from New Zealand to Australia to Thailand to Laos to Vietnam to Cambodia to Mauritius to South Africa to Greece to Italy to Austria to Hungary to the Czech Republic to Poland to Germany to Switzerland to France to Spain to Portugal to the Netherlands to England and to Scotland.

Now they are ready to embark on their next journey together. And with the help of their handsome, well-behaved, chocolate Labrador Retriever, Jack, it will be the expedition of a lifetime.

For Rich and Brittany's engagement session we met at the noble Windansea Beach, which is famous for its epic reef break, but it also beckons photographers for its unique backdrop. It's tough to deny a perfect A-frame, but we still had a smashing good time.

 

  

 

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

Stronger

Have you ever wanted to jump for joy and cry at the same time? Well today was one of those days for me. I was driving when Brian called. "We had the best offer on the house so it looks like we could be home owners." "Cool," I said with some enthusiasm. It was tough for me to wrap my brain around the idea because I was headed to the doctor's office.

I have been afraid of going to the doctor since I can remember. For most people the fear is being stuck with a needle or stepping on the scale. For me it's what the doctor has to say, and today it was something I was not ready to hear, "With your condition you can expect to have surgery every ten years. It may not be what happens, but you should be aware of it."

Surgery? That seven-letter word made my palms sweaty and my stomach turn upside down. I had surgery five years ago and I am doing just fine. I finished listening to my doctor and I returned to the car feeling defeated by Crohn's Disease.

When I got home I looked at my work space and I picked up a card that I received from a client just yesterday. I began to read it. "Jackie--We just wanted to send a note of thanks for our engagement session on Saturday. We both enjoyed it more than we thought we would. We are SO excited to see the photos! You did such a great job and we are so happy to have you for our photographer. Until May! Erin and Adam"

Tears filled my eyes, and as I blinked I could feel them leave watery trails down my cheeks. Their thank you card meant the world to me and I am incredibly blessed to document their wedding day in May.

Today wasn't easy, and I feel more vulnerable now that I have shared this with you, but I cannot hide how my challenges have made me a better a person, wife and photographer. With my husband's support and my love for photography, I know I can achieve anything. We get one life so we must live it with love, passion and laughter!

Here is the picture of the week from Queenstown, New Zealand.
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On the Way to Arthur's Pass

Before I get to the meat of this post I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! We are all blessed to be here experiencing 2010, so let's live it like nobody is watching!

Also I want to be sure you know the details of our picture of the week. It's pretty simple, but a little explanation goes a long way. Last year Brian and I lived in Singapore and Cambridge, United Kingdom. We put VanHatten Photography on the back burner and Brian's career took the reins. And even though we went abroad for work, we took every travel opportunity we could muster.

Now we are back at home in San Diego and we have gigabytes of pictures to show you, so we came up with VP Tuesday, which is VanHatten Photography's picture of the week. Every Tuesday I will post a picture from our experience abroad. We are open to suggestions and comments so please let us know what you think.

Now onto the meat of this post.

Brian and I had the pleasure of being guests at a wedding this past Saturday and it was such a vibrant reminder of all the great adventures we've had since we got married! It also stimulated conversation about traveling, which is something Brian and I hold dear to our hearts. So in perfect form New Zealand became a topic of many stories that night, mainly because it is so hard for us not to talk about it.

One of the most difficult things to conquer when you travel through New Zealand is the urge to stop driving and look around. Everything is so breathtakingly magnificent that you want to stop every 20 minutes, and at that pace you will never reach your destination. So our advice is plan your trip well! Talk to people who have been there and listen to what they have to say.

This picture was taken at Lake Pearson on our way to Arthur's Pass; it was one of several stops along the 73, also know as The West Coast Road.

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Zach and Jody|Chapter 2

Here is the second chapter from the Pictage shoot workshop in New Orleans. It's been great working with Pictage and I look forward to all the new developments in 2010!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zach and Jody|Chapter 1 ~ Pictage Partner Conference Workshop

This week I am departing from the picture of the week and I will resume after Christmas. But I do want to share some images from a shoot workshop I attended at the the Pictage Partner Conference in New Orleans. Not only was the light stellar, but our models, Zach and Jody Gray, were stunning, and are amazing photographers as well!

This workshop wouldn't have been possible without the talented Jeff and Erin Youngren, so thank you for an unforgettable opportunity! You are rockstars!

❄ ☃ Happy Holidays! ☃ ❄