last weekend we finally took a little trip to the drive-in! our first attempt to the drive-in a few weeks ago ended up with us turning right around since the freeway exit was so backed up because of how busy it was (!!!) this time we made sure to arrive extra early to grab ourselves a good spot. we went with some friends of ours. i must say, the getting there early part really helped out! we got a great view of the screen, second row back. and you know what movie we watched? despicable me 2! kevin isn't a huge fan of animated movies, he'd rather not pay to see one in theaters. me on the other hand? i love animated movies! our friends next to us could hear me laughing the whole time from inside their car... :)  

lately i've been doing some styled photo shoots on the side to really to expand my portfolio and not have the stress of a paid shoot. getting creative and making a photo a piece of art is what photography is all about! when i do styled shoots, i keep in mind the details and i plan ahead the style and mood i am going for.

here's some tips from the top of my head to help you out --

1. find a model that fits the style you are going for. this is crucial! get out there and ask friends of friends if you have to. for the most part, people are flattered to be asked to model and are more than willing to help.
2. network with others (ex: florists, hair stylists, photographers, etc.) remember to credit their work when you feature your images. doing a styled shoot together through networking is also a great way to get yourself out there, as always.
3. plan ahead + define the style. i brainstorm some ideas of photos i want based on the location, model and style. you have to know what kind of style you are going for... it's a styled photo shoot! inform your model of the style so they are prepared. ask if they have any clothes that match that style as well. if not, usually i have something in my wardrobe that fits and i'll use that if needed.

happy friday!

-- if you have any more questions about doing a styled photo shoot, i will gladly respond in the comments below!

we celebrated the 4th of july swimming in the 100+ degree heat, stuffing our faces with delicious food and spending time with all our friends. simply put-- it was a very fun holiday spent! the photos say it all. i hope everyone enjoyed time with their family and friends and their day off.

p.s. it's the last week to enter the mid-summer giveaway!!

and i couldn't resist snapping a few photos of us on the instax! note to self: buy more film.
 
since kevin is incredibly busy every day leading his sales team and out knocking doors until 9pm every night, we rarely get time for us during the week. so finally, a date night happened on saturday! we went out to dinner at chili's (honestly, not my favorite and don't think i'll be going there again). we talked about our future and what's in store. we reminisced about our very first date almost 2 years ago and shared our first impressions we had about each other. (our first date was at a haunted house and our second date he took me out to red robin for my birthday!)
our date night was quick since he got off work late, so after dinner we decided to go home, sit in bed and eat ice cream. :) i shared with him my new favorite ben&jerry's ice cream called the Americone Dream. you gotta try it!