Here they are….the entries for the Annual Amateur Photo Contest. You be the judge! Vote for your favorite image by leaving a comment using the image letter. Only 1 vote per day. No names are on this so that your absolute favorite is voted for. The top images will make it to the poll voting finals. You have one week to vote, share on your facebook and get votes! The first and second place winners get a Giant Wall portrait! Good Luck!

VOTES PLEASE ON THIS BLOG ONLY under the pics in the comment section, Facebook votes DO NOT count! Please only vote for one image per comment!

Another great party with Heidi and Frank at Bowlmor in Tustin, last Thursday night! Heidi, Frank, and Erik put on a bowling show for us, then they picked names and formed their own bowling teams. They really know how to throw a party and how to make their fans feel part of the HF family. If you have no idea who Heidi and Frank are, you have to check them out on their website at www.heidiandfrank.com. Heidi and Frank are radio personalities in LA and now they do a daily podcast from 10-12pm on the internet. Their show is hilarious…..but if you are easily offended it may not be the show for you. Everyday is a party on the Heidi and Frank show, it is radio worth watching! I have been listening for over a decade, and listen daily as I edit my pictures all week at my computer. They keep me company while I am working and updated on the news while they talk to listeners and reveal most everything about their own lives, along with Erik (Shmeez) they keep me laughing. VIP for life!!! Check them out!

I am finally blogging about this article that I wrote for Orange County Bride Magazine. The article is on Wedding Photography Pricing in Southern California. There is a broad spectrum on wedding photography pricing, but also a standard in the business of what the going-rates are according to experience and expertise. I have to educate most of my clients on what is most important within a given budget. I really wanted brides to be able to read the article and know what to look for and expect for their given budget.  I also don’t see many articles on pricing and wedding photographers generally do not quote wedding pricing on their websites. I wanted to put out a realistic pricing guide of Southern California so brides know what to look for according to their budgets. I talked to several experienced colleagues in Southern California while writing this article to insure they were on the same page as me as far as the standard. 

Here is your chance to order your Wedding Album that you did not include in your wedding package at the best price ever!!! These flushmount wedding albums are simply amazing! We do all custom design of your favorite wedding photos, so your album is unique to your wedding. The albums come in 10×10 and 12×12 and start at (15) page or (30) sides. My album studio is having a sale, and I am extending the offer of 25% off any album ordered by December 1st, including any upgrades. If you want to have the album in time for Christmas to surprise your spouse the images must be received by November 11th, which is only a week away. All I need is your approximately 100 images, or 150 for a (20) page. The album does not have to be paid in full, you can put down a deposit of your choice and the albums usually take 4-8 weeks depending on how many changes you want in the design and how diligent you are in getting back to us to send it to print. So you can save up or make payments if you don’t have extra right now. These albums sell upwards towards $1,200 to $2,500 in studios…..but I am starting these gorgeous flush mount albums at less then half of most studios. Again, all I need to get your Wedding Album design started is your top 100 images and a deposit as low as $100. Below is a sample of a recent design. They can be simple or intricate. The album below happens to be intricate, as there were a lot of details to this particular wedding, and this album was one of the biggest.  Also, anyone can order as long as you own your images. Please inquire on how to place your order and pricing for the album of your dreams at: capturingmoments@hotmail.com or call 714-985-9954.

Here it is…..the 2nd Annual Amateur Photo Contest by Capturing Moments!!! You are the contestants and the judges! Last year this turned out to be so popular with over 130 images entered, they were narrowed down to a top 30, then a top 10, and the the winner and runner up which are below. I have had so many people over the years talk to me about an amazing image they have captured. I can see the excitement on their faces and they want to share what they have produced, but where? Once people see my camera, I get question after question about my equipment, images they want to show me , what and how I shoot, how to use their camera, etc. I am amazed at the interest in photography, and since the digital age has taken over, more and more people are interested in owning a great camera, learning how to really use it, and then actually shooting images that are exciting. Amateurs can now afford great user friendly cameras that produce decent images, sometimes amateurs even capture an amazing image that looks like a PRO shot. So here is your chance! If you have an image that you have shot and love then submit it!

This Photo contest is free! All you have to do is make sure you are a blog follower of mine to keep up with the contest updates, and send your image or images to capturingmoments@hotmail.com by Saturday, November 26th. The top images will then be blogged about and voted on by blog readers. There are no categories, just awesome images of whatever. So go shoot!

The rules are you cannot be making consistent money from a photography business or have an active website which promotes your business. If you have made money here or there that is okay, but if you have a legitimate photography business that makes you money even part time then you are not a candidate. Anyone else can enter, even if you know me, the readers pick the winner, so I am out of it! Maybe you caught a really funny moment that you could never capture again, the perfect rainbow on a vacation, or an artsy image that you are proud of. Any picture that you have taken that you HAD to show off or that really brought a smile to your face. The winning image will be posted on a blog for acknowledgment as well as runner-ups, the photo contests results in thousands of hits and viewers. The first and Second place winner this year get a 16×20 wall portrait of their choice. (A piece of my artwork or their own image)  All photographs will not be blogged, and the most interesting or impressive will make it to the votes. Don’t hesitate, go and find your image or images and submit them now, what do you have to loose? Attach images in an email and send to: capturingmoments@hotmail.com – (please no images via facebook) and don’t forget to join my blog on the right hand side of my blog page on my website!
capturingmoments@hotmail.com – Email Link for Outlook users!