InLight Photographers

ME

2009-01-26T22:28:00.000-08:00

Hello Digital World (thanks for listening),
If you live alone then you will probably die alone. I say that because I want to be ready when my time is up here on this earth. I don't want this to be a downer post. I actually want the exact opposite. I want the readers to hold me accountable of the things that I am going to say that I want out of life. I have a bucket list and I have a lot left to do. Here are some reasons I do what I do.

I love... I have been trying to love selflessly because the people that I have chosen to love are safe to love. If you love selflessly or to love at all it is risky. If you do it right and do it without hesitation then the risk can be well worth the reward. I love my kids without any reservation because I can not understand anything but love when I see, hear, hug and even just talk to them. I love my wife because she is amazing. She is all that I have ever wanted out of love.

I fly... I am working on getting my pilots license and not everyone that cares about me likes it. I fly because I want to. I fly because it is amazing. I fly because it will expand my territory a little. I fly because I want to live.

I dance... I dance because I feel the music. I love to dance with or without someone. I prefer with but I can dance alone. I dance because when there is good music on I can't help but shake by groove thang.

I photograph... I photograph because I am good at it and I can document great times in peoples lives. I love to photograph people and share with them a picture of how they look at each other. I love the thought of being a photographer. I am proud to put that on the line of occupation. I love to photograph real life and I love getting paid to do it.

I joke... I joke because I love the sound of laughter (most of the time). It is great to laugh with good friends. I joke not to escape real life but I usually joke about real truth and that to me is funnier than most things.

I KISS... I own KISS Wedding Books with Kevin Swan. I am thrilled to be a part of KISS because we exist to help this wonderful industry. I feel that we can help photographers have a simpler life. We have traveled tons of places to help photographers simplify their business and focus on what they are good at. I KISS because simple is hot.

I am Shaun Austin. Thanks for being a part of my dash.

WPPI Vegas 2009

2009-01-02T15:25:00.000-08:00

We are having another "Get simple" workshop at the WPPI tradeshow in Las Vegas
This is a great opportunity for all of you photogs that want to come to a "Get Simple" if we have not visited your area yet. We are looking forward to a great Vegas trip. We got the KISS house again so there is always good times there.
Shaun Austin

Get Simple Chattanooga

2008-11-22T12:33:00.000-08:00

I will be heading out of town again. In December we are putting on another Get Simple. Check out the details below or you can check it out on the KISS BLOG

Nathan, Mike, Shaun, and Kevin will all be there to knock you out! 5 hours, including a photoshoot and some giveaways.

Nathan: Simplify your editing.
Are you trapped behind the computer for days after a shoot? Are you using Lightroom or are you still stuck in Photoshop? What would you do with the extra time if you could edit a wedding in 3-4 hours instead of 3-4 days?

Mike: Simplify your shooting.
Are you leading your clients or are you waiting for them to move? How can you make your clients more comfortable, more beautiful, and more excited about you and your work? How can you demonstrate confident leadership in the middle of a shoot? How will doing something like that affect your entire business, or even your community?

Shaun: Simplify your client management.
Are you turning your clients into evangelists? Do you surprise them, wow them? Do you know how to under-promise and overdeliver? Do you have it built into your standard workflow? How does something like taking your clients to dinner impact your bottom line?

Kevin: Simplify your album sales.
How much money are you leaving on the table? How can you double your income through album sales? What can you do to make sure every client gets an album? How can you efficiently and quickly get albums designed?

Fierro Wedding.

2008-10-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

Jaime (My HOT wife) and I shot a wedding on Saturday and we had a great time with this small intimate group. If I had to explain them in one word..... I really could not do it. They were fun, they all had accents from all over, good friends with eachother and they were just good people to be around. Here are a few of my favorite pics.
The bad A%# boys.

The HOT girls

Lots of fun Laughs

The beautiful bride

Love the backlight

Two CUTE flower girls

The promises

The feeling we strive to get back to

The support

Sealed with a KISS

And they lived........Happily ever after is my prayer.

CRAZY FUN CREW

WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT

And the crowd goes wild

KIDOS are what it is all about

2008-10-13T14:57:00.000-07:00

I had a great time this past Sunday with my kids. Usually it is my son Noah and I going to rock out at some christian concert but my daughter Hailey is now at the age where she want to do some ROCKIN herself. We went down to Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach. Another dad that was living it up without mom brought his two daughters with us.

Here is our friend Faith (RIGHT) with my daughter Hailey (LEFT) after the face painting.

My daughter rockin out ON STAGE with Jana Alayra . Hailey impressed me so much with how she rocked out. My son went up there as well but he is a little more timid than my daughter. I have said this before but he is going to change the world and my daughter is just that IT girl (She just has that thang).

Here is my son and daughter with Jana.

Jana Alayra is a great kid entertainer. She has an amazing testimony and really leads these kids to a place of worship. Thanks Jana for serving God in this amazing way.

Flying

2008-10-06T15:03:00.000-07:00

Since the last post I have been figuring out a way to get caught up. I don't think that is possible so I will go back to some shoots and blog but my goal is to start today and try to keep you updated about present life as it unfolds.

I have been working on getting my pilots license lately with the world renowned pilot instructor Elisabeth Murillo. I am going to be slowing down due to the focus that the business needs. I am absolutely in love with flying. I never really dreamed about it as a kid but when I recently tried it I fell in love. I have now flown solo two times. Once just in the pattern and the other I flew to Chino and back. It really sinks in when I am flying by myself that I am actually flying. The feeling of freedom is priceless.

When Kevin Swan (my business partner in KISS Wedding Books) was out from Indiana we went flying and he took these pics. Thanks for shooting these Kevin.

Here is the beautiful plane. Oh how I love 9964L (Tail number of the plane)

Preflight

Soaring over Chino

Kevin in the back seat.

Here we are safely on the ground :)

BUSY LIFE

2008-06-16T14:32:00.000-07:00

WOW!!! Where do I start.

I want to apologize for the lack of updates to the blog. We have had a ton of change here at InLight right on top of a very busy shooting season. I am going to take the helm for the most part on updating the blog as much as I can.

Lately I have found great inspiration in so many things that I have recently experienced. I am a blessed man. Yesterday was fathers day and I had a perfect day. As some of you know I have to beautiful kids and a truly amazing wife. I got a BBQ and some backyard furniture for fathers day so we decided to have both (Jaime and my own) families over to our home for fathers day. I cooked these crazy hamburgers and everyone brought side dishes. It was a beautiful day. I was able to relax quite a bit and I even watched golf (not something I usually do). We have been so busy at InLight that days like this are few and far between. So thanks you Noah and Hailey for being such amazing kids. Thank you also for the great cards that you made for me. Thank you Jaime for helping make my day so fun and relaxed. Thanks also for my new BBQ. Thanks to both families for just hangin with us and showing us Dads that we are appreciated.

For the future I am going to try to bring you the photo shoots that I have but I also want to bring a part of my life and my heart to this journal about InLight Photographers and Me.

Shaun Austin Gordon

Brian Tucker - Senior session

2008-04-23T17:07:00.001-07:00

Here's another one as Shaun has been busy with seniors.. Brian goes to our church (Eastside) and is a great guy.

A much needed get away with the family

2008-04-23T15:48:00.000-07:00

I had a chance to get away with my beautiful wife and two kids last weekend and it was amazing. God really did build us where we could decide to work all of the time or not. I do believe even more now that his plan was for us to rest every once in a while and realize what we really work for. I only have a couple pics taken by James. His wife is a photographer from Roseville CA. She had a shoot with a news company that day and you can see it here. So we had the amazing opportunity to do a little fishing at Folsom lake with our kids.

NOAHS FIRST FISH EVER. He is a little spoiled now because that was his FIRST cast. I did not believe him when he said that he had one on. I looked up and his pole was shaking like crazy. He was so excited. On the other hand he did not want to touch it or go near it (that is why he is on the other side of the fish in the photo).

Then I hooked into this monster. I was planning on keeping it and having some fresh bass for lunch but when I was stringing this baby up Noah asked "Daddy, what are you doing". I told him "I am keeping this one so we can eat it". Noah responded "Does that mean that he will die". At this point I realized that we had not talked about this. So I let him go. We don't fish a lot but I understand that I am now a catch and release kind of guy. haha. At least when Noah is with me.

Karissa's senior session!

2008-04-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

Spring is also a busy time for senior photos - I'm pretty jealous; senior photos are way cooler than when I was in high school - redo? Laying on their butcher paper in front of a backdrop really isn't as cool.

Case in point, Karissa looks good. Here's a few from her session with Shaun -

How old do I feel as I post this and think to myself, "I've know her sense she was in jr. high.. She's grown up so much."

Enjoy your beautiful weekend
-Phylicia

Holly & Aaron - 6.20.08

2008-04-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

Summer is coming - which means weddings galore - which means engagements galore right now! And it's a great time for them - flowers are in bloom and Holly and Aaron took advantage of that. I think that was a wise decision - don't they look great?
Here's some from Shaun's journey through Whittier and Fullerton with Holly and Aaron...

Eli & Hollie - Yakima, Washington

2008-04-17T12:28:00.001-07:00

Eli and Hollie were married April 5th, 2008. I was lucky enough to be asked by Shannon Leith to shoot the wedding sense she was trading in her usual photographer role in for Maid of Honor! So, on to Yakima I went! It was beautiful - not too cold and a perfect change of scenery.

Hollie got ready in the cutest little cabin just down the way from the ceremony site:

The first look! Such anxious excitement!

And the beautiful scenery!

some silliness is always good!

And the moment they've been waiting for!

Some fabulous after photos:

Hollie's only picture request: to run through the field - Perfect

Celebrate!

And they couldn't wait to run away and embark on their ultimate honeymoon including: Iceland, Romania and Spain (I hope I remembered correctly). Either way, wow!

Thanks Eli and Hollie for including me in your wedding celebration!

Nick & Alicia Perez

2008-03-18T17:26:00.000-07:00

Nick and Alicia we're married Sunday, March 16th, 2008.

Everything was beautiful.
I am pretty honored because Nick and Alicia had never kissed so Tim and I we're lucky enough to be able to document the FIRST kiss ever for them. They we're great, looked fabulous and we're so happy! Plus the rain held off and made for great blue/cloudy skies!

Thirsty time!

rainy skies = pretty sunsets

Congratulations Nick and Alicia Perez!

Alicia and Nick Perez

2008-03-12T13:57:00.001-07:00

Alicia and Nick's engagements we're a little while ago but here they are! Their wedding is this Sunday - March 16th, 2008! The countdown is coming to an end!

I'll have more to post on them very soon! ;)

Working is better

2008-03-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

when you work with great people.

Lavender's is one of those places we love. Twice a year they hold a bridal/event fair in the beautiful courtyard along with Brownstone Catering - and they invite us!

It's a Spring/Party theme, so bright colors and fun are a must. Here's the mailer we just designed for the event:

I also stopped by last week to take a few shots of a bouquet Kelley did up for a contest in a magazine. It looked fabulous and she gave it to me, along with another awesome arrangement. Who doesn't love getting flowers? ;)

Good Luck Kelley! We believe in you!

Franzo Wedding

2008-03-06T16:09:00.001-08:00

Maria and Robert's wedding was a two part series: one part local So. Cal and one part Mexico.
The second part in Mexico was January 12th. Looks like a pretty good way to start the new year!

new toys!

2008-03-05T14:52:00.000-08:00

Shaun's pretty excited about his new baby!

Of course, by baby I mean new camera gear! Looks a little something like this:

So he pulled it right out of the box and took these @ 6400 iso.

Pretty good I have to admit (even though my loyalty goes to Canon ;)

Catie & Adam -

2008-02-05T13:49:00.000-08:00

A little behind but good stuff none the less..

This is Shaun and Brian's January 19th wedding. They look fabulous and you can tell they had a great day!

Marissa & Stephen Pate

2008-01-31T13:05:00.000-08:00

Marissa and Stephen are friends of mine and I was lucky to be able to shoot their wedding but also be able to put my camera down and simply attend. They we're so awesome to make it clear I had to dance at the reception, not work ;) I'm all for dancin'!

They we're so calm and ready to start their new life together!

Gettin' ready

Isn't her face priceless?

One final look:

Tears all around

Congratulations again Mr. & Mrs. Pate!

Lana & David View - 12.30.07

2008-01-18T14:37:00.000-08:00

I'm just a tad late on this but here is our last 2007 wedding - shot by Shaun and Brian. Looks like David and Lana had a great time!

Company Dinner!

2008-01-09T17:43:00.001-08:00

Of course Christmas company dinner comes with great food and greater people.
We had a blast at Chomp and we're privileged to have Kevin Swan, Tim and Cheryl Halberg and Mike Larson all in town!

It was a blast and now I am in LOVE with Chomp!

Thanks everyone for joinin' us!

Locklear Wedding: December 29th, 2007

2008-01-07T16:38:00.001-08:00

I know I have said this before, but I am going to catch up on the blogging!

The holidays captured our full attention! Sorry for the lack of updates here!

Our second to last '07 Wedding was with Bethany & Jameson Lockear.
I went to high school with Bethany as well as many of the guest.
The two were fabulous. They were so laid back and so much fun. Plus, you could really see how in love they are! We had a hard time getting Jameson to focus on pictures but it made the day more fun!

Bethany (soon to be) Locklear

Thanks Bethany & Jameson for a great day of celebration of our love!

-Phylicia

The season is here!

2007-11-26T19:15:00.001-08:00

And that means it is time for all those holiday portraits, cards and non stop busyness.

But anyway,

We've got some new Christmas card designs. Check 'em out. Let us know if you would like to insert your photo in any of them (info@inlightphoto.com).

Many more as well.

Don't wait. 2007 will be over before we know it!

Reeves E Session

2007-11-13T10:41:00.000-08:00

I wasn't at this shoot but from editing it looks like Shaun and Brian had a lot of fun with these two. They really made Cal State look good, don't ya think?

We taken quite a few pictures lately, so more to come!

Bethany & Jameson

2007-10-30T16:18:00.000-07:00

Tim came out for his first shoot with us! We had a great shoot with these two! Bethany and I went to school together all growing up. Anyway, they we're so fun and entertaining and such good sports. It was raining when we got to the beach but that didn't damper their moods at all and it turned out to be a great day!

Thanks Bethany & Jameson! We had a blast.

-Phylicia

Holiday Extravaganza - 2007

2007-10-19T11:53:00.000-07:00

Annually Lavenders Flowers and Gifts and Brownstone Catering hold an open house to get people exciting about the holidays and promote their services. We're lucky enough to be invited to come along as the photography service offered at the event! Plus, we love Lavenders!

They both do amazing work! Here's some from the event:

Doesn't it make you excited for decorating, festivities and traditions? It does for me!

Amber and Paul - E session

2007-10-15T12:22:00.000-07:00

Brian And I headed to Laguna last week with Amber and Paul. The beach was under construction (weird, I know) but that didn't stop us. Amber was a trooper for changing in the temporary port-a-potty (noting it was the nicest one she had ever used)!

Thanks Amber and Paul! We had a great time with you two!

English Ink Shoot

2007-10-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

Brian and Shaun had a rock star photo shoot in Costa Mesa at ENGLISH INK!!!
Here are the goods.

THE MAN. ENGLISH.

The BEAUTIFUL 60' Cady.

I am planning on getting a call from Rolling Stone for this shot. haha

I love this shot.

Just chillin

Phils sweet back piece.

Some ink.

More of the crew.

Azucena & Daniel

2007-10-08T13:13:00.000-07:00

Shaun and I had a great shoot with these two.

We ended up in Palos Verdes which was beautiful and we had some with with Daniel's bike.

i risk my life for this stuff:

Thanks Azucena and Daniel,
we look forward to your special day next month!

Matt and Jessica - E session

2007-10-05T17:48:00.001-07:00

Brian and I shot a sweet engagement session last saturday.

Matt and Jessica were great. How about a little background info:
Matt is a tattoo artist (and has tattooed Brian and his wife) and Jessica is a student in a nursing program. Jessica (like me), hasn't seen very many "classic" movies (as people call them), including the goonies and many more.

We had a great time with them.

Thanks Matt and Jessica for spending most of your saturday with us!

DeHaan Wedding 9.22.07

2007-10-03T16:50:00.000-07:00

In our move from Yorba Linda to Fullerton it's been a hassle getting internet back up (you know how companies are with the "sometime between 8:00am and 3:00 pm window), but we're finally back in business!

Scott and Bree's wedding was on a beautiful day (it poured the night before so they we're lucky).

They we're so fun, easygoing and excited about each other which makes our job so easy!

Scott and his guys started at Dromo One for some racin'

Bree enjoyed getting ready with a view of the ocean

paparazzi

Flowers by the fabulous Lavender's

feet attire:

Scott:

Bree:

Congratulations Scott & Bree! Thanks for letting us share in such a great day!

Playing catch up.

2007-09-29T10:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, I am officially ridiculously behind on bloggin'.
I'm gonna get caught up!

But anyway, Partnercon LA was a few weeks ago and we (KISS wedding books) And David Jay threw a party for everyone to hang out at.

I'm so behind on this but here's a few anyway:

Shaun, Kevin and I

Me, Shannon and Maggie

From the Foto Cabina (which I love)

Heather Cotter

And Dave Tosti

From above

DJ and dancin'

And the bill:

Kissy faces all around

Much more to come in the near future, promise.

Football season is here.

2007-09-10T20:53:00.000-07:00

We've got a deal with Troy High School and so we shoot all their games which is fun since so many people we enjoy are there. Tim Swaney shot with me which was great. It's nice because there's still light in the beginning but it is also exciting because football means fall is on the way which is pretty fabulous as well!

-phylicia

Marissa & Stephen

2007-08-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing e-session with two of my good friends on tuesday nite! They we're so great with the camera, excited and fun to work with! Plus, they look awesome! It's great to be able to share in this special time with them!

Amy & Lance

2007-08-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

Last Monday Shaun and I shot Lance and Amy's E-session. They are both biologist and work at the Aquarium of Long Beach which is where they met so we had an all access pass to a place that holds high significance for them. Pretty cool, I think.

Amy & Lance:

I'm pretty excited for tonight's E session as well!

-Phylicia

We're finally bloggin'

2007-08-18T13:08:00.000-07:00

It's been a crazy year of changes but it's time we got this going!

We had a great E-shoot Sunday with Bree & Scott. We hit up a few different locations in Sunset and Huntington beach.

Neptune's was a special place for them & also where he purposed! Then we did some beach cruiser ridin' followed by diner & some finishin' stuff..

Thanks for stoppin' by.