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Last week, I shot the monthly WEN event at the Boojum Tree. I’d like to thank Curtis Whipple and the following vendors for helping put together a fun evening.

Lois Koenig of Girls Luv Pearls
God’s Garden Treasures
Santa Barbara Catering
Special Events Table Linens
Set-M-Up Bartending
A2Z Photo Booths

Last week, our kitten, Sasha had her big girl surgery. She came home from the vet with an E-collar. She adapted pretty well after the first evening. By the end of the night the collar got turned down and ended up looking like a little blue dress. We took the collar off a couple days ago and she’s back to her rambunctious ways.

Michael and Lucy were married at San Marcos in Chandler. They are an incredibly neat couple. I’ve known Lucy for several years. Before she was even engaged she told me she wanted me to shoot her wedding, which was a huge compliment. Lucy is a DIY bride. I’ve been following her blog for quite a while now and didn’t realize until the week before the wedding how much she created for her special day. All I can say is, “wow!” I know how much work goes into planning a wedding and have great respect for anyone who takes on the regular challenges along with hand making so many unique items.
Before the wedding I’d only met Michael in passing a few times. I quickly realized what Lucy sees in Michael. He’s a real genuine guy that people are drawn to. Michael and Lucy, thank you for making me a part of your special day. You guys are great and I look forward to Arielle and I playing Rock Band with you.

Michael and Lucy were married at San Marcos in Chandler. Here’s a preview. I hope to have the final edit by the time they return from their honeymoon, at Disneyland.

I jumped right back into things when I returned form Vancouver. I’m glad I had most of Monday to relax and wind down from my trip to Vancouver. This also allowed me to prepare for a busy schedule in Phoenix.

I met with Ryan and Niki at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library for their engagement photos. Ryan and Niki are planning a beach wedding this summer in Lake Tahoe. They were a blast to work with and a fun way to get back to real life if Phoenix.

On Day 19, I left. I left good friends and great times. Like all good things, this too came to an end.

I’m glad I had Monday afternoon to relax and reflect. This helped me get my head on straight for being back in Phoenix and jumping into a packed schedule for March. Just over 24 hours gone from Vancouver, it almost seems like a dream. This morning, I asked myself, “did that really happen?” The details are already getting fuzzy and it almost feels like I never left. I’m amazing at how quickly I adapted to my new normal of being in Vancouver and how quickly it went away when I returned home. I’m going to spend the next week journaling as much as possible to try to capture my experience in greater detail. I’ve gained an enormous amount of perspective on my life and I’ve returned with a sense of calm. Looking back, it was an amazing trip on many levels.

Maybe all worked out the way it did because I had Batman protecting me at night. This was were I slept for 19 nights. A Batman comforter and sheets on a a futon in the living room of some truly awesome people.

This morning I left early to get some photos of workers taking down the fences. The fences that have kept me away from the venues since I’ve been here. Fences and lines seemed to be two themes for the games. I took photos of that, but they didn’t feel right. The tone of the city had changed. It wasn’t an Olympic city anymore. It was a city recovering from a huge two and a half week party. Some people went back to the lives they had before the Olympics. Others it was their job to help restore the city to it’s previous state. Tourists were leaving, very few were out on the streets. The mood I wanted to capture was one of loneliness. When the crowds were around, I never felt alone. I felt part of something greater than myself. While wandering the same places I’ve been many times in my time here, they were empty and cold. I felt alone.

My last full day in Vancouver. I’m filled with emotions as I reflect on this trip. I’ve been here long enough that this is my new normal. Phoenix seems like a lifetime ago. When I think about this trip, I feel opposite extremes at the same time. It seems like I just arrived, but I also feel like I’ve been here a very long time. I can’t express how much fun this has been. It’s also been one of the hardest assignments I’ve shot. I’ve questioned myself many times. It seemed kind of crazy to head up with about a month’s notice and no guarantees of work, but it also seemed like a no brainer. How could I not go?

Interacting with people from all walks of life has been a great joy on this trip. I feel like I missed many more photos than I captured. I’m confident in what I did capture. I’m glad I had today to reflect on the trip and gear down from Vancouver. I’m already gearing up for a busy couple months when I return to Phoenix. I’m excited about making prints and going through my work with Arielle and other photographer friends. I feel my work is done in Vancouver and I’m ready to leave. I’ll also miss the city. I’ll miss the amazing time I had hanging out with Seth, Vickie, Margo and Dale. All of them are very special people. I’m excited to return home to my wife, Arielle. I’m excited about the thought of coming back to visit.