Heather and Kenneth's Danish-American Wedding Celebration!

March 30th, 2012

Phoenix, Arizona

"Hvor godtfolk er kommer godtfolk til."

"Where good folk are, good folk will come."

I had the recent honor of being in one of my best friend's weddings to a true Danish Gentleman and man-of-the-world, Mr. Kenneth Steiness. It's a dream to see a dear friend embraced with so much love and to be cherished and loved as the goddess I have always known her to be! I was one of three bridesmaids (with Lisa Link Philips and Lizzie Story-Hieronymous) and had an absolute blast being a part of the celebrations throughout the week. I also had the opportunity to play my ukulele during the ceremony which was especially fun. I wasn't able to photograph the whole event b/c of my involvement in the wedding but their super cool photographers--Shauna and Mike--with Visionyard Photography--were able to capture the whole event and will have their photos up in about six weeks.

These are a few of the pics I took throughout the week amongst all of the celebrations that took place over five plus days! I wanted to share the delight of this event with those of you who were there or who know Kenneth and Heather and who appreciate the joy they've brought into all of our lives!

It was my first experience with a Danish wedding and hopefully not my last! Their wedding was the perfect example of how two incredible people can literally bring together so many different groups of friends and family from around the world. They had aunts, uncles and parents flying out from Europe and around the country...and by the end of the week I literally felt that I had been "adopted" into a whole new community of men and women both in and out of the country.

Enjoy the slideshow below!

And to my new friends and "family"~ I'm so looking forward to seeing so many of you again in the coming years whether it's in Santa Barbara, Arizona, Ohio, Denmark or Iceland!

much love and many thanks~

Rachel

Venue and Catering: "The Secret Garden," Phoenix, AZ

Awesome Make-Up: Kelly Wisniewski

Super Cool Photographers:

"The Vision Yard"

Shauna Stansell and Mike Kaal

Live Music:

The Ash String Quartet, Bills Barns and Band, and

The Static Dance Band!

Enjoy the slideshow!!!

If the music doesn't come on when you "play" the slideshow, then please try refreshing your page and clicking on "play" again~

2012 Fifth Annual Santa Barbara Women's Festival

March 9-10, 2012

Honorary Chair & Executive Director; Tracy Beard

Founder and Producer; Patty DeDominic

Co-Founder; Mary Schnack (This 5th Annual Festival was dedicated in her memory)

Master of Ceremonies; Mignonne Profant

*And many, many other men and women who have worked throughout the year to help make this festival happen!

This was my second year photographing the Women's Festival and it was by far my favorite year. Dynamic speakers Kathy Ireland (who graced this month's cover of Forbes Magazine) and Keynote Speaker Lynda Weinman (of Lynda.com) took the stage sharing their life experiences and lessons along the way about being balanced, strong women in touch with living their passions. Local vocal sensation Lois Mahalia sang a tribute during the V.I.P. reception followed by a small but mighty troupe of Girls,Inc. singers who absolutely charmed California Congresswoman Lois Capps who was sitting in the front row for the performance.

Saturday's festival featured dozens of vendors offering health products, consultations, non-profit information, chocolates, glitzy clothing and accessories (b/c what would a women's fest be without things that sparkle and shine?!) as well as a section devoted to local artists (a few of whom donated to the Women's Festival). The afternoon was absolutely gorgeous and the setting was sublime...overlooking Santa Barbara's pride and joy....the Pacific Ocean and outlying Channel Islands. Round table discussions featuring local authors, entrepreneurs, healters, and coaches were held in the afternoon overlooking the whole ocean.

Not that I'm personally biased but....one of the highlights this year, in my opinion, were the dance performances held throughout Saturday afternoon. The Djun Djun Mamas led by Lisa Beck ROCKED THE STAGE...with their thunderous drumming, dancing and singing (yes, I'm a proud member and was seen periodically running around with both my camera and my drumsticks throughout the afternoon). Among several singers and groups were Hip Blessings who drew a crowd with their Middle Eastern choreographies as well as World Dance Workout led by Janet Reineck whose dancers' enthusiasm was infectious! Two Chumash groups performed as well as the frame drumming and dance troupe Gaia led by local goddess Kris Oster. Unfortunately, I missed Jo Williams' early morning "Wake Up!" but know it was fabulous b/c everything she does usually is!

A HUGE thank you to all of you who helped to support the Women's Festival this year either through your donations, your volunteer efforts, involvement as a vendor or performer, or as a guest coming to just enjoy the events. I'm also grateful to Patty DeDominic and everyone on the Board of Directors for including me as their photographer again this year!

I hope that word continues to spread with each year of the festival....and that it only draws in more and more amazing men and women to join in the celebration.

Enjoy the slideshow and feel free to share the link to your friends and other men and women who were involved or who would like to be involved in the Women's Festival next year!

*If the music doesn't come on when you click on "play" then refresh your page and start the slideshow again.

**A special thank you to Lisa Beck's father, Jim Beck, who was able to take my camera for our Djun Djun Mamas performance and get some great shots of our group in action! Difficult to clone myself and do both at the same time...maybe next year. ;)

"The Magic of Mermaids"
Photo Shoot with Local Mermaid Goddess Kris Oster

by r.s.thurston photography

“I must be a mermaid, Rango. I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living.”
― Anaïs Nin

Since late last summer I've been dreaming and obsessing on mermaids....spending hours online collecting mermaid photos, paintings, and even creating a Pinterest Board dedicated to these magical, feminine sea creatures...completely transfixed by their long, lustrous hair and gracefulness in the water....tails and tendrils swirling beneath the water.

It's incredible how mysteriously our creative minds work....A few months later my good friend, fellow Djun Djun Mama and past photography client Kris Oster called me. She had purpose and intention in her voice.

"I know this is going to sound strange, Rachel, but I have this really wild idea that I want to manifest with you and I think you're the perfect person for it."

Even before the word slipped out of her mouth I knew what was coming.

"I've been thinking about mermaids. Would you be interested--"

"Of course!!!! Of course!!!" I screamed before she could even complete her sentence.

It would be absolutely perfect to work with Kris on my first mermaid shoot. The last shoot we had done together was one in which we had manifested her connection to a tree goddess. Everything had come together so beautifully when we worked together.

Kris began the search looking for the perfect tail and we met a few times to go over her wardrobe. We even enlisted our good friend Ms. Lisa Beck (leader of the Djun Djun Mamas and also a favorite muse and photography client of mine) to assist me in keeping Kris in perfect mermaid form and in moving her along the sand (as mermaids are quite the aqueous creatures but not so adept at moving around on land until their legs have grown back).

We ended up doing two shoots one in freshwater and another in the ocean. We couldn't have asked for better conditions when we shot along the ocean. The light was sublime as the sun set over the Pacific....she looked like an absolute goddess perched along the rocks as the waves broke over her feet and the receding foam wrapped around her legs like perfectly sculpted clouds of meringue.

I had to keep pinching myself. What a joy to be photographing such a dear friend while being helped by another.

Kris is an absolutely amazing being. She is strong, graceful, nurturing, incredibly bright and creative and has zero trace of any ego so often associated with highly successful people. She is a percussionist, an academic, a leader, a teacher and to top it all, she has an entire background in the field of marketing. She's currently promoting her Elite+Fabulous Marketing Sessions to local entrepreneurs.

Anything Kris Oster touches becomes gold. She is a fabulous creature and epitomizes the idea of a goddess. She looks like a true creature of the water in these photos effortlessly manifesting these water deities.

I hope you enjoy these photos as much I we did doing these shoots together. I have to believe that there's a higher power at work during shoots like this. And I certainly hope that this is just the first of many more shoots to come of mermaids and other magical sea creatures!

If you don't hear the music when you start the slideshow, just refresh your page and click on "play" again.

Dave and Yvonne's Wedding at Yosemite National Park

by r.s.thurston photography

Friday September 16, 2011

A Yosemite Wedding in October. One word, two syllables: STUNNING.

A few of the views in fact were almost TOO PERFECT...many people have commented that some of these photos actually look like they were greenscreened. Nope, just nature's perfection and two very happy people celebrating their marriage together with some of their closest friends and family.

If you haven't visited Yosemite or any of our mountain national parks in the fall, put it on your bucket list now. Shockingly blue skies, sweet mountain air, and aspen and cottonwood trees with leaves the color of brick gold. It's a truly beautiful place to celebrate the union of two amazing people.

I've known Yvonne for almost five years now and have never seen her so "right" with someone. It made me so happy to have the opportunity to sing in Dave and Yvonne's ceremony and to play my ukulele (first official public performance..woohoo!) and then take photos of their rehearsal, wedding, reception and celebration which lasted a couple of days. That's one of the greatest joys about away weddings...you get to milk the time with your friends and family and spread the celebration out into several days.

To all of Yvonne and Dave's friends and family: It was such a joy meeting so many more of you and celebrating this great event together in one of the country's most beautiful canyons~ I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I had editing them. It was a fantastic way to revisit such a fun weekend together!

Please share this link with your friends and family. I don't have all of the emails for the guests and would love to make sure everyone gets a chance to check out the pics.

*If you are interested in ordering any prints or canvas prints, Zenfolio (where the galleries are based) only uses professional, archival-quality paper and inks. Their printers are calibrated to match the colors that professional photographers like myself use.

Happy Holidays to you all and enjoy the slideshows!

Ceremony:

Rehearsal:

Reception and Weekend Celebration:

*Please feel free to leave comments at the end of this entry

Friday October 7th, 2011

Cory and Chris's Magical "Wedding on the Beach"

by r.s.thurston photography

Words cannot describe what an absolute blessing it was to photograph this wedding. From the very beginning of the morning, Chris and Cory were so relaxed, gracious, and fun. And the weather was absolutely divine....reminding me of a summer day on the Big Island of Hawaii. The magic continued throughout the day from their private time in a secluded cove along the beach to the ceremony under a crystal blue sky beneath a driftwood canopy to dancing at the reception and body surfing in the afternoon....and who doesn't love body surfing?!

Any wedding where half the bridal party ends up shedding their clothes for wetsuits and getting joyfully slammed in the surf is my kind of a party!

Chris and Cory are truly blessed with a beautiful group of friends and family. Editing these pics has only made me feel closer to so many of the guests I had the opportunity to photograph. I was sad to leave at the end of the afternoon and gave several friends and family hugs at the end on my way out.

Cory and Chris have been an inspiration to me that weddings--like love--can be relaxed, fun events and that during the best times in life--as one of their signs advertised--"If you're not barefoot, then you're overdressed!"

I'm looking forward to continuing my connection with Chris and Cory in the coming years and watching their relationship continue to flourish. I would love to approach every day of my life with the same joy that I saw Chris and Cory basking in on their wedding day!

I've put together the Five Following Fabulous! Slideshows from Chris and Cory's Wedding: ♥

1) Getting Ready/Chris and Cory's Love Pics

2) Group Pictures

3) Ceremony

4) Reception and Dinner

5) Bouquet, Garter Toss and Money Dance Reception

Please be patient and wait a few minutes for the slideshows to load. Also make sure when you click on "play" that the music is comes on (carefully and obsessively chosen by moi!). If it doesn't, then refresh your web page and click "play" again. Enjoy!

If you'd like to purchase prints or any other items from the following pictures then follow these steps:

1) Click on "gallery" in upper left hand corner of slideshow

2) Once in gallery, select photo you'd like to purchase

3) Roll cursor over upper lefthand corner of picture and select "buy." Choose prints or other products from there.

Voila!

Getting Ready/Cory and Chris's Photo Shoot Slideshow/Gallery:

Group Pictures Slideshow/Gallery:

Ceremony Slideshow/Gallery:

Reception and Body Surfing Slideshow/Gallery:

Money Dance, Bouquet and Garter Toss Slideshow/Gallery:

Thanks again~

Cheers,

r.s.thurston

A huge thank you to Cory and Chris's Vendors:

Catering and Rentals: DJ's California Catering, Contact: Doug. Website: http://www.djscatering.com/
Music: Coastal Events, Contact: James. Website: http://www.coastalevents.net/
Desserts: Gift of Kate Dunbar, owner of Petite Rêve Cafe and Chocolates. Website: http://petiterevecafe.com
Coordination, Day-Of: Debbie Echevarria. Email: debbieehey@gmail.com
Cory's sister Lauren made her bouquet and dress. Her website for her art is here: http://www.laurentannehillart.com/

*Feel free to leave your comments below~

"Mountain Climbing, Micro-Brews, and Mandolins"

Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival 2011~

by r.s.thurston

My year is joyfully punctuated by a few choice events around the country: an international adventure with Mama Chihuahua, dressing up in feathers and sequins for Santa Barbara's raucous, pagan Carnival-like Summer Solstice Celebration in June, venturing back to Southern Indiana in the late summer to commune with friends and family, and a return to Arizona for the Flagstaff Film Festival in the delicious month of Aspen-turning October.

There are quite a few good reasons to go to the Film Festival (like the fact that it's one of the few places you can drink wine and watch a documentary on base jumping in the Arctic and then hob nob with some of the country's best photographers and documentary filmmakers over fajitas and a local micro-brew).

Mostly I go because the Flag Mountain Film Festival simply ROCKS.

As a few of my close friends know, it's been a challenging year in a few respects (and very fortunate in many ways as well) and this recent trip to Arizona was a tonic for my heart and spirit.

Over the years (and by virtue of the sheer number of hours we've spent in the theatre eagerly absorbing every adventure documentary we can) Mom and I have become friends with three of the festival directors--Ron Tuckman, John Tveten, and Kristi Frazier--all of whom are accomplished peeps and travelers in their own right. I only get to see my Flagstaff friends once a year but it feels like a community I slip right into effortlessly and with great affection!

This past year I had the great privilege of singing and playing my ukulele (pushing my comfort zone a little with my new instrument!) with John's band "Spontaneous Combustion." You know there are few film festivals which offer both the quality of documentaries you would expect to see at Telluride and Banff Film Festivals... as well as feature musical events where you can see the festival directors doing their music thang on stage in the after-hours. Late Friday night at one of the festival events, director John Tveten's band "Spontaneous Combustion" (Tom O'Hara on guitar/vocals and James Frazier on bass) took the stage...with exec director Ron Tuckman playing harmonica and visiting filmmaker Peter McBride (see his film below) on mandolin. The band lived up to its name that night. :)

That's truly the thing that I love about music. Wherever I go in the world, I seem to find a community of brothers and sister among fellow musicians. We're the underdog artists who have been infected with a total love for playing and celebrating music in as many ways possible during our short time here on earth. And music is a bit like dancing, it's a heck of a lot more fun to do with other people.

In short, it was a pretty good dang week. I had the blessed opportunity to play music, hang out with some truly cool folks, watch a few very powerful films about happiness, adventure, and our responsibilities as world citizens.

Mostly, it was a good reminder that I'm on the right path...that this life I've chosen as a writer, photographer, musician and adventurer is the right one. And that as long as I continue to follow the pursuits which bring me joy, I can't go too wrong. :)

After many hours spent in the theatre during the festival, Mom and I both agreed there were four top films for us this year. I recommend checking them all out when they come out in DVD, if they come to a town near you, or if they're available in the near future online:

"Family Of The Wa'a"

USA, 2011, 81 min.

Director: Alyssa Fedele

Producer: David Cumming

This one was an "11" for me. A truly beautiful tribute to the cultural and spiritual legacy of outrigger canoeing in Hawai'i. Hawaiian mover and shaker Kimokeo Kapahulehua sets out to fulfill his uncle's lifelong dream: to paddle the length of the Hawaiian islands via outrigger canoe. Beautifully shot and powerful cultural story for anyone who has felt a connection to the water or to the Pacific Island Culture.

"Chasing Water"

USA, 2011, 19 min.

Director/Producer: Peter McBride

Photojournalist and Colorado Native goes on a personal journey documenting the flow of the Colorado River from source to where it should run into the Sea of Cortez, but sadly no longer reaches. Beautifully edited and paced, the movie combines McBride's still photography along with video clips in a seamless tribute to one of the West's greatest arteries.

Watch the Trailer for "Cold" at Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/23336972

"Cold"

USA, 2011, 20 min.

Director: Anson Fogel

Producers: Julie Kennedy and David Burden

Okay, so I've seen A LOT of climbing and mountaineering docs over the years but this is the first one I've seen to truly address the morbid inner monologue of a climber attempting an 8,000 meter peak (from the point of view of American Climber Cory Richards in a bid with two others to be the first to summit one of Pakistan's giants mid-winter). So often climbing movies glorify and sugarcoat the experiences of climbers merely touching on the sheer misery of cold temperatures, hypoxia, and numbness that dogs climbers minute by minute.

"Happy"

USA, 2011, 80 min.

Director: Roko Belic

Producers: Eiji Han Shimizu and Frances Reid

Feature-length documentary that leads views on a journey across five continents in search of the keys to happiness. Definitely makes you think about what you're doing in your life to cultivate more of that much sought after Vitamin-H! ;)

Luke and Kelly's Wedding

Dos Pueblos Ranch, Gaviota Coast

pics by rsthurston photography

So I recently had the pleasure of playing for a wedding of some long-time King Bee fans...Kelly and Luke. It was probably one of the most gorgeous wedding venues I've seen in the many years of playing with King Bee. Both Kelly and Luke lended a sweetness to the celebration that was definitely unforgettable.

Even though I was "off the clock" as a photographer I couldn't help myself (for more details read below). As the sun goes down, the place turns into a wonderland like something from "Sleepy Hollow." The only lighting comes from hundreds of votive candles, giant chandeliers made from driftwood, and sparkling white lights....it's truly a magical place at night.

The whole event was a true team effort. Tricia Fountaine Design was in charge of decorating for the event.

The bride and groom (Kelly and Luke) contributed hand-made gorgeous centerpieces made of manzanita branches and wire-wrapped glass lanterns. By candlelight, we all dined on a divine filet mignon and salmon dinner served by Country Catering based in Goleta. Their official photographer was Emily Hart-Roberts (who will be posting official pics in the near future) and their event planning was spearheaded by Danielle Laudon.

The reception was an absolute blast and I wish I could have had someone photograph "King Bee" as well but I can only do one thing at a time. Just try to sing, play cowbell, and photograph at the same time and you'll see what I mean. ;)

I'm grateful to Luke and Kelly for having included us in on such a fantastic celebration

and show of love, creativity, and magic!

*Oh yes, and they had a vintage cupcake trailer....I mean, come on! Who doesn't LOVE CUPCAKES?! Cupcakes by "Enjoy Cupcakes" which is based in Los Olivos.

Enjoy the slideshow and feel free to leave your comments below~

Goddess Pregnancy Photos

by rsthurston photography

*Feel free to leave comments below the slideshow~

September 20th, 2011

"To be pregnant is to be vitally alive, thoroughly woman, and undoubtedly inhabited."

Anne Buchanan & Debra Klingsporn

It's crazy to think that not only are some of my oldest and dearest Santa Barbara girlfriends now married and with kids but a few of them are on their second and third little ones. It's a beautiful thing to watch a fellow woman grow from who she was as a single entity to growing into a wife and mother. My dear friend (who wishes to remain unnamed but is pleased to share these artful images with others) has been in my life since the first year I moved to Santa Barbara. I was fresh off the river from years of living in a tent...my Chevy Blazer packed to the gills with most of my living possessions.

She had just moved here from Oregon and was beginning an equally exciting adventure and chapter in her life.Those were the days when we didn't know the difference from the Eastside and the Westside or the Riviera from the Mesa. We were just happy to have a roof over our heads and a little piece of green out our backdoors. I lived off of plastic plates and ate on a coffee table stitched together from plywood and bricks for the first year. My girlfriend "G" and I paddled outrigger together, partied with sailors, went to music festivals, and lived the free-spirited lifestyle of 20-something women unfettered by commitment, mortgages, or a biological clock.

In short, them were some fun days...

I look now at how much our lives have changed. I definitely couldn't fit all that I own into an SUV anymore and I'm a lot pickier about the plates I eat off of and the neighborhood I live in. She's married now to a sweet engineer with a Midwestern raising and taste for travel and good art. They're on their third child now but seem to maintain a closeness with each other as if they were just entering their first year of marriage together.

While we both acknowledge the incredible times we had here during the "good ole days," I doubt either one of us would trade where we're at now. I've discovered a serenity and blissfulness here in Santa Barbara that I never knew when I was moving every three months and living out of tupperware.

And my girlfriend has grown into this amazing, radiant, calm, and collected wise, sexy wife and mother. To see the woman who I once danced on bartops with and lost at a music festival in the High Sierras becoming this pregnant goddess is truly an unimaginable transition yet it just feels right. Girlfriends like her are blazing the way for me in the next chapter of my life...

We're blessed to be the women that we are. And as the old saying goes...."You can never step in the same river twice." But why should we? It's a magnificent, heart-wrenching, and beautiful journey this life of ours....and I wouldn't trade any of it.

The adventure of motherhood awaits....

We had fantastic timing, by the way, with this shoot. "G" gave birth only a week after these photos were taken....her precious little one was born on a Sunday morning...hence the title of the soundtrack I chose by Maroon 5 which I thought fit the mood purrfectly....Enjoy!

August 12, 2011

Photo Shoot with Cynthia Ziemer

Friend, Superstar, and Fellow Djun Djun Mama~

by r.s.thurston photography

"There is just one life for each of us: our own." ~Euripides

*Feel free to leave your sweet comments at the end of this entry~

It's a dream to have the chance to photograph more girlfriends and among those a very special group of women: the Djun Djun Mamas. I've photographed both Lisa Beck, our leader, as well as Kris Oster another phenomenal woman in her own right.

Each of the women in this group are extraordinary. Accomplished. Creative. Kind. Generous. Wise beyond this life. And radiant.

Cynthia is all of these and more. I continue to learn more about her through moments together like this shoot. How she is capable of giggling and smiling most any day of the week. How she loves bringing coconut water to our Djun Djun Mama potlucks. How she adores driving her '64 Red Corvette (which has a story of its own). How she loves music concerts and volunteering locally. And how gorgeous she looks in jewel tones like purple, green, and turquoise!

We had originally planned this shoot b/c she'll be featured on the back of an upcoming issue of Casa Magazine with her company Prospect Mortgage.....but it gave us the opportunity to have way more fun with it and get a little more artsy.

And not surprisingly through the process of working with her, I learned that Cynthia is truly a beautiful woman inside and out.

And now for the slideshow...

If the music doesn't come on when you play the slideshow. Refresh your webpage and restart the slideshow.

Enjoy!