Christopher Maddox Photography

Project 52 + Was in a Funk (Week 13)

2012-02-22T16:16:00.002-07:00

Briana Santiago is an Associate Photographer for Christopher Maddox Photography. Check back weekly to keep up with Briana's weekly 'Project 52' posts.

So I'm just gonna put it out there; my 'no-excuses' attitude kind of went out the window for the last couple weeks. Oh I had all sorts of excuses. Everything in the book! Even blaming the camera itself for not listening to me properly! Hmmm. Sound lame? Does to me! I was even beginning to dread wedding season that is finally upon us!

To be honest, I was just in one of those creative 'funks'. If you are the creative type, you know what I mean. Writer's block doesn't just affect those with a pen and paper.

I have recently been on a whirlwind of preparing my home for my best friends arrival on the 5th of March. I have been putting together all the odds and ends that have forever been on my list of to-dos. This beautiful friend of mine hosted me in her place, which she had lived all of about 4 days in, and it was completely decorated! Ceiling to floor and walls included. She had the place looking like she had been there for months already.

I have been in my place for 3 years! I still have picture frames that don't have pictures in them, that I bought well before we even moved into this place!! Its embarrassing! And yes, I have had all the excuses in the world for that as well. First, it was 'I am pregnant', which turned into 'I have a newborn', to 'I am a working mom' and now 'My two year old wont let me stop dancing around the room in a tutu!'

Truth is, I would be much happier in my house if I did have all these little projects put together. It would feel more like a home rather than a temporary living situation. Which I am pretty sure 3 years puts us far past the 'temporary'. My best friend coming was the much needed fire under my behind to get it done. And coincidentally, also the key to opening up my creative floodgates!

I decided to take some pictures of my own to hang on the walls of my guest bathroom. Let me tell you people, the funk is OVER! I had so much fun shooting these flowers and cant wait to show you the final project once its up. In the meantime, here is a little sneak peak. No theme needed right?

I feel the no-excuses itch starting to come back!

Always,

Briana

Project 52 + Reflection (Week 12)

2012-02-02T11:52:00.004-07:00

Briana Santiago is an Associate Photographer for Christopher Maddox Photography. Check back weekly to keep up with Briana's weekly 'Project 52' posts.

I thought this was a perfect little moment of 'reflection' in dramatic form, from my little two year old this week. She is in that lovely phase of life that makes for numerous moments of reflecting on her choices. This was one such moment on Tuesday when we told her we had to go. She was having too much fun playing in the snow at Mogollon Rim here in Arizona.

Always,

Briana

Project 52 + Colors (Week 11)

2012-01-18T23:12:00.000-07:00

Briana Santiago is an Associate Photographer for Christopher Maddox Photography. Check back weekly to keep up with Briana's weekly 'Project 52' posts.

There is a lot going on in this little Santiago family. My mind is overwhelmed! Today I took a 2 1/2 hour nap! What?! I never do such a thing, ever! So, this post will be another wordless one, comparatively speaking!

This was taken up at my mom's house. Her house looks over the entire Phoenix valley. This makes for the most incredible spot to watch our fantastic Arizona sunsets.

Colors at their very very best!

Always,
Briana

Project 52 + Nature (Week 10)

2012-01-11T18:04:00.000-07:00

Briana Santiago is an Associate Photographer for Christopher Maddox Photography. Check back weekly to keep up with Briana's weekly 'Project 52' posts.

Lovely nature, how I love thee! Nature is absolutely fascinating to me. Like this morning for instance. Oh how I wished I had my camera with me on my walk. Did anyone else here in Arizona get to witness that amazing sunrise? It was breathtaking!

In nature everything has its place. Everything has its time. Everything has its reason. Everything has its purpose.

Literally, in the definition of nature is the word phenomena. "A situation that is observed especially one whose cause is in question." I love that! The very definition of nature corresponds with why I am so fascinated with it. The fact that so much of it 'just happens', unexplained.

Granted a lot of nature, with our modern day technology, now can be explained. But so much of it still can't. And so much is still being discovered day after day, even though we have been on the face of this planet for thousands of years. I love the mystery it continues to hold onto and surprise us with.

I think it runs along with my fascination with the Olympics. For thousands of years the same physical human being has run harder, faster and better than the year of athletes before it. When a world record has been hit, it just means there will be one more broken the next year.

As with nature, with each discovery that is made, it opens the door for a thousand more discoveries that have never been even attempted before! Nature has a beginning, but absolutely no end. Nature can be soft and pure like the intricate details of a stargazer lilly. Or it can be devastating and destructive like the force of water in a tsunami. It's to be admired and also respected. So much of it makes sense and so much of it never will.

I remember when I was little and spent hours out in my childhood backyard. Nature became everything and anything that you wanted it to be. A pool was a black lagoon laden with alligators. A tree became a tower too high for any prince to climb. A long grass field became a barren wasteland we traveled desperate to find civilization. I loved nature and the imagination it let me create around it.

Living in the beautiful state of Arizona we get to enjoy it often. Which is one of the many reasons I love it here so much. Not many get to spend quite as many hours out in sunlight as we do here. I dont take that blessing lightly and try to get out as often as I can.

I encourage you to do the same. Breath in some new sights and more importantly some fresh air, recycled by nature it self, rather than some stuffy ac unit. It's healthy for the body and the soul!

Always,
Briana

Project 52 + Depth of Field (Week 9)

2012-01-04T23:21:00.002-07:00

Briana Santiago is an Associate Photographer for Christopher Maddox Photography. Check back weekly to keep up with Briana's weekly 'Project 52' posts.

Happy New Year everyone! I can hardly believe that 2012 ishere! We see New Year all around us, don’t we? Ads on TV, radio, newspaper etc.Everything geared towards New Year resolutions. “A new year, a new you!” seemsto be the general gist of most of them.

The Biggest Loser is one of our favorite shows in thishouse. And the new season just kicked off. Its so inspiring to watch peoplecompletely transform every aspect of their lives to make their goals come tolife. I think their slogan is the best that I have heard, and the one that Iwant to incorporate into my life at this time. “No excuses!”

So in the midst of the ‘No excuses!’ mindset we decided tohike a mountain. It’s a mountain that I have always wanted to climb but neverhave. There has always been an excuse.

Excuses:

#1 – No trail - There is absolutely no trail. Its not amountain made for casual hiking. Its all rocks straight to the top.

#2 – Snakes – I have been told that snakes like to nest andhibernate on mountains such as this one. I don’t really care to walk into theirenvironment. I’m picturing Indian Jones! Pit of snakes and me!

#3 – Time – In the fight against the sun and making time towalk, it just never seemed to add up. I would never leave enough sunlight timeto make it up and down before the sunset.

#4 – Too hard – Have you ever climbed a mountain that’sentirely rocks? Its like a stair master for 30 minutes straight. There is areason why I avoid that machine in the gym.

And on and on. Well guess what? Finally I did it. I climbedthat mountain. Even not feeling that well. NO excuses! I did it anyways. I madeit up about 1/3 of the way. Then realized I needed to sit down and ‘take in theview’ while my brothers and sister finished the climb to the top.

It was at that little perch on that mountain that my ‘Depthof Field’ post came to me! Little did I know that such a moment would dawn onme right there. So I didn’t have my lovely Canon 7D with me at the time. Thesepictures are out of my little ol’ point-n-shoot!

I was busy looking at the gorgeous slate rock that we hadbeen climbing up. There were tiny algae growing in it.’s crevices. The colorswere amazing. The shapes the rock naturally made were fascinating to me. The sun was setting at the time, so there wasalso a beautiful glow cast upon them as well. The slate rock basically moltsright off of itself. (Which made the idea of climbing up it so reassuring!)Just like a little kid I started breaking the rock away from itself – sointrigued to see the next layer underneath. My depth of field was that rock andthat rock alone!

After throwing a nice piece of slate down the side of themountain, and watching it crumble into a thousand pieces below me, I looked up.I realized I hadn’t noticed the gorgeous sunset that was happening right beforemy eyes at all! And I had a front row seat to an incredible horizon! Talk abouta change of depth perception. I was so fixated on that rock that I was missinga fantastic show of light!

Doesn’t this happen in life sometimes? At times our depth perceptioncan be fixated on the little things going on that we fail to realize that thebigger picture is an amazing production. We worry about the house beingdecorated, the car being fixed, the dinner being prepared, the yard work or thebills getting paid on time. We get lost in the petty details of life that weforget the bigger blessings. Sure the house may not be decorated but there is aroof over our head at night. The dinner may not be a gourmet feast but there isfood to be placed on the table and all our loved ones are around it!

In the same respect our perception can get lost in the ‘bigpicture’ and forget to notice the small details of life that make it souniquely special. We can get so lost in accomplishing our massive ‘lifetimegoals’ – and ourselves up when we haven’t gotten there yet – that we fail torecognize all the accomplishments we have made already. For instance my husbandand I would love to own a home someday soon but have little down payment savedat this point. But we also have zero credit cards and own our car because ofour diligence to paying those things off! Those are big deals!

My goal this year is to gain a little balance of both. Iwant to appreciate all the small blessings of my life. I want to get excitedabout the bigger goals ahead on the horizon. I want the let the small thingsfill my present with life and the big things give me the drive totomorrow. It’s a balance I hope tocreate this year of 2012. No excuses!

Always,

Briana

PS - I am sorry to those of you who were looking for a postlast week. This time of the year is nuts in this house. We kick off thefestivities with Christmas. My daughter then turned 2 on the 28^th (aweek ago today), my husbands birthday on the 1^st, my mother-in-lawson the 3^rd and my dad ties it up on the 7^th! Madness!

Swallow your own medicine Briana! No excuses right!? Fromthis point forward I WONT miss a post! I promise!

Project 52 + Light (Week 8)

2011-12-21T08:59:00.001-07:00

Briana Santiago is an Associate Photographer for Christopher Maddox Photography. Check back weekly to keep up with Briana's weekly 'Project 52' posts.

Early this morning I was thinking about todays post,wondering how I was going to translate light through my lens. As part of mynormal getting up routine, I walked by my daughter’s room and glanced in tocheck on her. I then realized that the only way I can look in on her from thedoor is from the light coming through her closet.

We turn that closet light on and then crack the door just abit to act as her ‘night light’. In the middle of the night when she wakes upand opens those little eyes, it gives her light to see. For her it’s seeing andknowing that she is still in her room, in her bed, with her stuffed animals.She then can close those little eyes and go back to sleep. For her that bit of light is security.

So I snuck into her room as quietly as I could to try andcapture that security on camera. You should have seen howridiculous I looked crawling into her room trying not to wake my sleeping angel.

So what is light?
Light is good.Think of movies. The good guy is always depicted as light and bright.
Light is theexact opposite of darkness. One literally cannot exist without the other. Whichmeans light can never be completely consumed. It will infinitely exist.
Light is theelement that makes things visible. We wouldn’t even have sight without light.
Light is warmth. Whetherit’s the sun, fire or light bulbs, when there is light, there is warmth.
Light issecurity. The first thing I do when I enter a dark room is turn on the lightsto see where I am and where I am going. People add lights to a home orworkplace to make it feel ‘safer’.
Light isigniting. Fireworks, bond fires, candles.
Light brings thisworld to life. You can’t have photosynthesis without light. Therefore wewouldn’t have plants and life on this planet, as we know it.

And with this Christmas weekend upon us I am looking forwardto celebrating that the Light of theWorld was born in a manager so many years ago. Celebrating the moment thatlight became HOPE for a world that had none.

I hope that you are able to share warmth, security and lifewith your family and friends this weekend. And because of it, that you feel a littlelighter inside!

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Always,
Briana

Project 52 + Texture (Week 7)

2011-12-07T13:42:00.001-07:00

Briana Santiago is an Associate Photographer for Christopher Maddox Photography. Check back weekly to keep up with Briana's weekly 'Project 52' posts.

Tis the season, my most favorite of all the seasons! Christmas is upon us! My house has been decorated since Thanksgiving. Our tradition is we pull all the decoration boxes out and then we decorate while we watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

Only to be watched on channel 12 of course! My husband learned that lesson this year. Channel 5, 10 or 15? No. ONLY channel 12 at 9:00am. I don’t care who else says they are covering the parade. No one else does it quite like channel 12.

It’s been a hard time leading up to this season though. There have been a series of not so fun events that have made this a little more difficult than most. Some I can share, like a car accident that I had on the 15th with my daughter. Thank the Lord that she was perfectly fine. I on the other hand had a lovely ER visit and a nice scar forever with me on my chest. I make a horrible patient so needless to say; the ‘slow road to recovery’ does not sit with me well! But I will be just fine.. This also explains my lack of Wednesday posts!

Others of course I cant share on here… And even further are things I am constantly in prayer about for other friends and the ‘stuff’ they have going on.

Texture is this weeks subject. This is a picture of an embroidered tablecloth that my grandparents brought back for me from one of their cruises. Its hand embroidered with all sorts of different thread. It’s beautiful. And I love looking at it. It’s amazing how a few different threads can create such texture on a piece of cloth when being sewn by the hands of an artist.

It’s funny though because when you look on the back of the tablecloth, it’s not so pretty. It looks like one giant ball of thread mess. The colors mix and mesh almost making the color of brown because of the amount of times that they cross over one another.

I started to think about the not so nice things going on in my life. Right now it looks messy and gross when examining all the ‘stuff’ that’s going on. It’s hard on the heart, hard on the pocketbook and makes enjoying a wonderful season like Christmas a little rough. You start to question, “Why? Why now?”

But maybe, just maybe, all these little hard things are beautifully intertwining so that when I see the tablecloth from the other side it makes a wonderful picture. You know the saying, I am sure you do. ‘All things work together for the good.’ Maybe in retrospect this time in my life will have taught me a wonderful lesson. Or maybe its pushing things in my life out cause they were distractions so I can focus on the new year with a clear mind.

Already I am starting to think that these things bad things are happening right now so the distraction of Christmas can make it a little easier to get through. THAT thought makes all the hard a little more easy.

I am looking forward to seeing the picture – 'the good' – that this is all ultimately going to create! I’m looking forward to seeing my tablecloth from the other side.

Always,
Briana

Erica & Ryan + Gilbert, AZ Wedding

2011-11-30T22:29:00.001-07:00

It was nothing short of a joy shooting this wedding. Erica and Ryan are two amazing people whom everyone was eager to celebrate with.

I wish you both years of love in your marriage. Thank you for the blessing of letting me be a small part of your wedding, it really was a privilege!

Special thanks to Briana Santiago who did a great job second shooting. To see the pictures in a lightbox click any image.

Happy viewing :)

Cavene & Andre (Part II) + Downtown Phoenix Wedding Photography

2011-11-16T16:51:00.001-07:00

If you missed it, check out Part I of their wedding. Now on to the reception!

Congrats both of you! May your marriage be a blessing for many years to come!!!

Photoraphy: Christopher Maddox Photoraphy (With Briana Santiago & April Bertelsen)

Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Mrs. Hancock's Wedding Consulting and Planning

Flowers: Crazy Daisies Flowers & Gifts

Venue: Bentley Projects

DJ- Rattle and Roll

Project 52 + Headless (Week 6)

2011-11-09T17:49:00.001-07:00

Briana Santiago is an Associate Photographer for Christopher Maddox Photography. Check back weekly to keep up with Briana's weekly 'Project 52' posts.

The text for this is causing me some grief. So maybe my 'headless' post is also supposed to be a 'wordless' post, as the words are starting to make me want to pull my head off! So for now, here is the picture I took for my theme of headless.

Cavene & Andre (Part I) + Downtown Phoenix Wedding Photography

2011-11-03T13:32:00.001-07:00

This was a wedding that required two posts to cover- so welcome to Part I.

Andre and Cavene, congratulations again. What an awesome calibration it was! From family traveling all over the world, to the beautiful venue, to the amazing work by all the vendors, it all came together in a fantastic way. And as it should. Yours is a marriage to truly rejoice in. Myself as well as my team had a blast covering it and we hope you love each and every photo from the day!

Special thanks to Briana & April who shot with me. Everyone enjoy the pictures and let us know what you think! Part II will be posted soon!

Photography: Christopher Maddox Photography (with Briana Santiago & April Bertelsen)
Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Mrs. Hancock's Wedding Consulting and Planning
Flowers: Crazy Daisies Flowers & Gifts

Venue: Bentley Projects

DJ- Rattle and Roll

Project 52 + Food (Week 5)

2011-11-02T15:58:00.000-07:00

Briana Santiago is an Associate Photographer for Christopher Maddox Photography. Check back weekly to keep up with Briana's weekly 'Project 52' posts

I love food. I am the type of person that loves most foods and I am definitely willing to try anything. Yes, even if it sounds like something we in the US of A would never eat. I will at least try it and make my own decision on whether I like it. I don’t like being told what I like and don’t like. It reminds me of when you were little and your mom would say, “I know you are going to like it”.

But I can’t say that she was entirely on the wrong route either. She knew that if I just gave something a chance, one time, that I might really like it and want more of it. I am sure there were things that she tried once, with no success. Only to try it again a week later, maybe presented a little differently, cooked a little differently or completely unrecognizable because it was mashed up in a stew!

Speaking of stew... Here is my soup from Paradise Bakery this week. Since its finally starting to hint at fall here in Arizona, I have been craving soups, stews and warm mocha drinks!

What did mom know that we at 5, 8, 12 years old didn’t? That you acquire the taste for foods, as you get older. You may not always like your broccoli when you were 1 but then when you turned 2 they looked like trees and you thought ‘Hey! Eating mini trees is cool!’ – Definitely didn’t care for my mom’s peanut butter Thai pasta when I was 5, but by the time I turned 8, I thought it was delicious! And Sushi?! Heck no! At 12, the thought of it alone disgusted me! Yet alone the texture once you got it in your mouth! But now, I am a sushi fanatic! Just last night we went to Sushi Brokers, ordered 6 different roles, seaweed salad and calamari. And I could totally go for a whole different 6 roles tonight!

We acquire taste for things and our taste buds mature. Food becomes more of an area of life to discovery rather than just for fuel and energy, which is what its intended for. It’s a source of energy, nutrients, and antioxidants. Which ultimately keep our bodies running properly and extends our life. And sometimes that food takes some ‘acquiring’ time to appreciate and love.

Which got me thinking. How often does this apply to our life habits too? Just as we physically need fuel, we emotionally need fuel too. And lately the fuel I know that I need has taken a little bit of an ‘acquiring’ time frame. Creating a new habit always takes a little bit of persistence and focused dedication before it becomes a ‘habit’. It’s to be expected.

We sometimes require the creation of new habits to stabilize and benefit our emotional wellbeing. At this time in my life, I really want to start getting into The Word on a regular and consistent basis. Its not something I get up and say “Yes! I am going to go read the Bible. I am so excited!” Right now, Im not excited, to be completely honest. Sometimes its bland and monotonous, and I find my mind wandering. Then I have to apply the persistence and focus to keep going through the chapter.

Its kind of like starting a new workout routine, right? You wake up and go ‘No! Number one, I don’t want to get out of this bed. Number two, I don’t want to get out of this bed only to go sweat and physically exhort myself. Number three…’ and you could go on and on and on. But with a little persistence and focused dedication you get out of bed, workout and voila! Somehow you feel better because you did so! You have a sense of accomplishment; you feel great and know you are extending your life because of it! And the next morning, its just that much easier to get up cause you know what’s ahead is good!

I feel the same after I finish my quiet time in the Word. It may start off with me not wanting to do, questioning why I should even bother, and diligently trying to stay focused. But in the end, I am better because of it. A verse stands out that I definitely needed to hear, or a story relates to a friend and now I know how I can help them. My soul feels refreshed and ready to take on the world. In the end, I know I made the right decision and I’m thankful I got up.

It feels really good when something that you used to not have a taste for at all becomes something you out right CRAVE! I know eventually this will become something I crave. It will be food that I need in order to start my day.

Look at what new habits you need to create. And be patient with yourself. Whether its reading, working out, new eating habits or mending a relationship. It takes a certain amount of time to acquire a taste for what you are creating. It doesn’t happen overnight. Acquiring taste could take a week, a month or even a year. It’s a process of letting that new food become fuel for you. Rather than something you just put in your mouth; becoming something you crave rather than despise!

Always,
Briana

The New Foundation (TNF) + 2011 Annual Golf Classic

2011-10-27T16:18:00.002-07:00

Their website describes The New Foundation as, "a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for youth and families by providing therapeutic behavioral health and education programs." And their mission is to, "help children and families attain healing through recovery and growth by identifying strengths and building new foundations."

I've had several good friends work for this organization othe past few years so when I heard they were looking for a photographer to cover their Annual Golf Classic I was more than happy to donate my time. They had a great group of supporters out on the course, as well as a fun silent auction which included a "leg lamp" identical to the one in "A Christmas Story"!

After the golfers completed their round at the beautiful Whirlwind Golf Club they enjoyed a great lunch and threw out their best bids. They also had a chance to pose with Tessa and Vanessa, two of the Cardinals cheerleaders who came out to support the cause and cheer on the golfers. They were great sports, even when it started to get a bit windy.

All and all it was a great event! I'd encourage you to check out the website for TNF and see if their mission is one you'd like to support: http://www.thenewfoundation.org/

Drew & Marla + Scottsdale Engagement Photography

2011-10-26T17:48:00.000-07:00

Congrats Drew & Marla!

Had a blast with the two of you and excited for your upcoming marriage.

Project 52 + Faces (Week 4)

2011-10-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

Briana Santiago is an Associate Photographer for Christopher Maddox Photography. Check back weekly to keep up with Briana's weekly 'Project 52' posts.

This week’s topic is faces! As a photographer I love faces. My whole job is faces! Your face speaks volumes about who you are. And my goal is to capture that in a still image.

Personally, I wear exactly how I am feeling on my face. I’m easy to read. And so is my precious baby girl, Shayla. Here is her face this morning when she saw a bunny! Can you mistake at all how she feels about that bunny?

I then started to think about how important non-verbal communication is. As I have mentioned in my first post, Shayla doesn’t have a whole lot of vocabulary yet, as she is only 22 months. So non-verbal communication is everything to us. Its faces, its hugs, tears and kisses, hand pulling and leg-tugging. We communicate through everything that has nothing to do with words coming out of her mouth.

I love people. I love communication. I love getting to know people through communication! And guess what? Even as adults to adults it’s not any different. The majority of our communication is non-verbal. A lesson we have all learned in this day of digital technology! Have you ever had that text, email, IM, Twitter/Facebook post, etc etc – whatever message – completely misunderstood? All because the receiving end did not read your written word correctly?

I have… I tend to be sarcastic at times. Word to the wise… Unless the person really knows you, don’t use it! It never comes across the right way. Ever! Or have you received a message all in caps swearing that they were screaming at you? Or have you answered a text with a quick, “OK”, only to have the receiving party think you were being short and something’s wrong? When it really was the fact you have a purse, laptop, 22 month old, camera bag and groceries in your arms and just wanted to acknowledge their attempt to contact you! I’ve been there!

Don’t get me wrong. I love modern technology! Its easy, convenient and I can have 6 different conversations going on at one time. What multi-tasking, working, mother of a toddler doesn’t love that?! Plus when thousands of miles away from one another, you can still feel close enough to touch. We LOVE Skype in this house cause our family is spread across the continent!

But nothing, in my book, beats getting face to face with the people you love. Or even those that you don’t particularly love at the time.

I remember arguing with someone over email. It was horrible. Everything I typed was taken the wrong way. All I wanted to do was meet face to face, hug them, look into their eyes, so they could see how I cared!! But they refused to meet with me. And to this day, sits a destroyed friendship over a misunderstood email between her and another friend that I wasn’t even originally part of.

I believe that some people now use this modern technology to hide. Maybe they don’t like confrontation. Maybe they are a shy person in general. I get that, I understand. I have been on the receiving end of a confrontational email and a confrontational face to face conversation. Honestly the face to face one went much better because I respected the fact that they didn’t hide behind words. Where as the email just felt cowardly and a slight hit below the belt. And what makes it different? That non-verbal communication - of their hug, their eyes, their smile or just their physical presence.

We are group of people that were made to be in communion with one another. And that means sharing and exchanging of thoughts and feelings - by definition. I treasure my face to face time with those that I love. I look forward to it, thrive in it and I am better because of it. Even if that means some hard words to exchange. I know that they cared enough to meet me.

This week call up that friend, family member or acquaintance that you know you just need some good face to face time with. I’m sure they will want to see your face as much as you want to see theirs, and you’ll both feel better because of it.

Always,
Briana

Project 52 + Black & White (Week 3)

2011-10-19T19:36:00.009-07:00

Briana Santiago is an Associate Photographer for Christopher Maddox Photography. Check back weekly to keep up with Briana's weekly 'Project 52' posts.

Unfortunately this week was kind of insane, as my husband has been out of town for 10 days and counting. Hence the reason I am posting my “Wednesday” post in the eleventh hour! But hey, its still Wednesday right?? I like to call myself a ‘part-time single mom’ as he travels for work.

For that reason, I wasn’t able to really play with my camera, as the week’s to-dos really caught up to me. So the image that I chose for today’s theme is actually a past bride and her father during their dance at her wedding.

I can’t say I have ever really taken a photo with the direct intentions of it being a photo that was going to be black and white. Back in the day you used to buy black and white film. Now in the digital age its just a simple swing of the ‘saturation’ bar and ‘voila!’ – its black and white.

Some photographers are accused of turning photos black and white to cover their ‘multitude of sins’. Do I use it that way? Yes, it’s true. Personally, I can use black and white for several different reasons.

#1 – Lighting: A picture was either too bright, too dark and turning it black and white is the only want to bring out the details.

#2 – Color: Sometimes blue doesn’t read blue, or too much yellow is in those dang florescent lights! I have seriously spent 15 minutes on one photo before, trying to get orange out of a bridesmaids self tanner only to leave the bride and the other bridesmaids looking sick. So I gave up and went black and white!

#3 – Clarity: Or lack thereof really… Yes we all hope that every picture out of our camera is as crisp as an early fall morning. BUT we are human and yes, there are photos that are a little on the blurry side. Though blurry some moments can be really touching and I’m not willing to toss them in the ‘trash can’ just yet. One final attempt is good ol’ black and white… it looks ‘artistic’! ;)

But also…

#4 – Mood: It really is true that some photos come alive in black and white! It just fits the mood of the moment.

But this got me thinking in how this relates in life.

In life, sometimes we turn moments to black and white for the same reasons.

As the saying goes… “I wish it were as easy as black and white”. Don’t you wish sometimes you could turn life black and white, just to make a little more sense of it? Or maybe just to make it ‘look a little better?” The lighting may be off, the color a little bland or maybe things are just a little blurry and hard to understand.

I learned through experience that its ok, and at time necessary, to “turn down the saturation” to gain a little more perspective. Maybe that’s a journal session, a talk with a good friend over coffee or maybe just a run with some time to think.

As a mom I have to purposely make time to do this. When life gets a little overwhelming I make moments to break life down, to help me see black to white.

Go buy a new journal and write it out. Remember the days of ‘Dear Journal’? The act of putting it down on paper – white paper, black ink – may be the trick. Call that friend that knows the core of who you are. Another perspective – and someone to remind you what is really important – may be the answer and reminder that you need. Grab those white tennis shoes, go hit the black tarmac and do some good ol’ sweat it out therapy.

I’m thankful for the people in my life who have helped me do such things. They help me see the black… to the gray… to the white… in order to breathe beautiful color back into the life I know I was meant to live.

I hope you find the same.

Always,
Briana

The Plesher Famly + Scottsdale, AZ Family Portraits

2011-10-19T17:09:00.002-07:00

Had a fun time with the Plesher family snapping some portraits in North Scottsdale. Good looking group, right! Enjoy :)

The LeBouton Family + Gilbert, AZ Family Portraits

2011-10-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

The LeBouton Family is made up of some of my closest friends. As such it's pretty fun celebrating with them as Ellie turned one!

Below are some family portraits as well as a few images from Ellie's birthday party a few days later. Enjoy!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Project 52 + Shades of Red (Week 2)

2011-10-12T16:35:00.008-07:00

Briana Santiago is an Associate Photographer for Christopher Maddox Photography. Check back weekly to keep up with Briana's weekly 'Project 52' posts.

I was really stuck on this one this week. I couldn't quite wrap my head around where I should go with 'Shades of Red'. I knew it was going to be something dramatic, cause thats just what red evokes. Red is always something intense and deep.

Red represents the heart, love, passion, and yes, as morbid as it is, even blood. Red speaks speed on a car and screams emergency on hospitals, police car lights and fire engines. Women wear red lips for a come hither look or red high heels to say “This night, Im going OUT”. In nature it’s the sweetest of fruits and a warning of danger on a black widow. No matter where it is or how it is implied, red is an intense color.

With that said… Here is my image of ‘Shades of Red’.

And when I looked at this image the only words that came to mind, was intense hope.

I have always considered getting a tattoo. Sometimes I just don’t know if I’d ever have the guts to actually go through with it, cause the thought of committing to something for the rest of my life, quite honestly, scares me. But, if you were to ask me to get one tomorrow this is what it would say – “As long as I draw breath, Hope is alive.”

Hope in a worldly view is sometimes considered a wishy washy uncertain optimism. Sometimes hope is looked at as an unrealistic desire in hopeless situations. I’ve had friends state in really tough times, “Should I even put energy into having hope?” But isn’t that the essence of what hope is? Isn’t hope the desire of change even when the outlook doesn’t warrant it?

The definition of hope: The feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best; to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence; to feel that something desired may happen.

At very intense and emotionally draining times of my life, hope that change is always inevitable, that nothing ever stays exactly as it is, is was what brought me through. My hope laid in the fact that Christ never gives us more than which He knows we can handle. I was experiencing this time in my life to grow in character as a woman of faith. My hope that tomorrow would be better was the breath of life that pulled me through the darkest of emotions and physical experiences.

You can’t know me without knowing that my faith is my everything. And my hope is found in Christ Jesus. In my opinion hope is life giving. As food and water are essential to our bodies, hope is essential to our emotional well-being. Hope is a strong confidence of expectation.

My simple moment this week is hope. In all that is going on in your life, may you find and have hope!

Always,

Briana

Project 52 + Briana Santiago - Associate Photographer (Week 1)

2011-10-05T19:25:00.015-07:00

Hi, I am Briana Santiago, and an Associate Photographer for Christopher Maddox. He has given me Wednesdays to give you guys a little insight to who I am as a photographer through posting some blogs.

Where, oh where to start? I guess the typical question that is asked is, “Who are you?” Since I was very young this question has always been overwhelming to me. I don’t know why, but I have always hated answering that question. Because, I feel that no matter how I answer it, there is always more left to say? And I never quite get the words right on describing me!

I’m a mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend and Christian. I love food, travel and reading. I love romantic comedies and any thriller with a great twist! Hiking, biking, swimming, fishing, camping, horseback riding… any outdoor activities! You name it; I have either done it or very willing to try it. My summers growing up were spent all over the country, but have always called Arizona home. I love it here, cause family is where the heart is, but hate that it hits 115 and that there aren’t seasons!

But rather than continue to spout a bunch of random sentences about what I love and hate, I want to do something a little different…

Starting today, I am going to be participating in my own ‘Project 52’. Each week is a different subject that I get to be inspired by. You get to see how I translate this subject through my lens and into one simple photograph. My hope is that through these 52 weekly photos, you will learn a whole lot more about me, and how I see life.

This week’s subject: Self-Portrait (of course!)

This is almost as horrible as answering “Who am I?” But here it is, my self-portrait.

This picture is my hand being led by my precious baby girl, Shayla. She’s almost 2 years old and she’s at that phase where she definitely knows what she wants, but most of the time, doesn’t have enough vocabulary to tell you what that is. So, I simply say, “Show me.” And she takes my hand – or more accurately, my finger, wraps her sweet little fingers around it and pulls me to her next destination. And seeing life through her little inquisitive eyes has been so refreshing. It’s pure and simple.

I started my photography adventure because of this sweet little girl. I was pregnant when I was given the opportunity to do my first wedding. So Shayla has been with me from the very beginning of this chapter in my life. And I continue to do it because of her. It comes from a desire for more time with her and to provide for her. But even more so, to leave her a gallery of pictures that document our life with her.

As a photographer, I want to do the same for you and your family. I want to give you a gallery of portraits that will remind you of your sweet moments in life. Everything from the amazing excitement and love of a wedding to the anticipation of a new life being brought into the world - Whether you are a new mom wanting to remember that sweet little quirky smile your toddler gives you or a great-grandma wanting to document 4 generations of legacy you began. I am here for you and your moments.

Simply stated, I choose to see beauty in life. I want to see simple moments and capture them in a still image that will bring to life a thousand words.

This week, this was my simple moment. Please revisit again next week to see the next!

Always,
Briana

Stephanie + Jesse | Scottsdale Wedding

2011-10-04T16:30:00.000-07:00

Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Venue: Black Mountain United Church of Christ
2nd Photographer: Briana Santiago
Wedding Planner: Visions in Ivory Weddings

Brian + Juliette : Trash The Dress

2011-09-21T13:04:00.002-07:00

Brian is one of my closest friends, he was a best man in my wedding, and is just an awesome guy. His wife Juliette carries my same praise. Put them together and it's just a lot of genuine fun! I've been going to the lake with these two for almost a decade and so it was only fitting that they decided to have some fun 'trashing the dress' on the back of there boat. Here are a few pics. Enjoy!

Did You Notice...

2011-09-07T15:30:00.002-07:00

Since setting up this new blog I decided to repost a few recent weddings. If you haven't had a chance to look at them yet they may be worth a glance. They are some beautiful weddings, amazing people...and if I do say so myself I think the photography is pretty good ;)

Happy viewing!

Ashley + Ryan | Seattle, WA Wedding (With Red Thread Images)

Nicole + Jason | Scottsdale, AZ Wedding

Elaine + Isaiah | Phoenix, AZ Wedding

Taylor + Nathan | Scottsdale, AZ Wedding

Macon + Collin | Scottsdale, AZ Wedding

Once Upon A Trip | Paris

2011-09-06T14:46:00.000-07:00

Continuing my mini series, "Once Upon A Trip" I share with you a few images from Paris. In 2005 I did a six week study abroad in Ireland. Immediately after I traveled to Paris and got my first taste of Europe.

While in Ireland I had begun to learn how to use my camera on manual ("M") mode. I was shocked how much I was picking up. Throughout my time in Paris I continued to try and learn more about my camera and teach myself to see things in a new way.

The trip itself was amazing. Visiting the Louvre, Picasso Museum, Notre Dame and a handful of other places all in a few days was both eye opening and somewhat overwhelming.

I came home from that trip knowing three things-
That wouldn't be my last time in Europe.
I had a newfound passion for photography.
Crepes in Paris may be the most delicious desert on the planet!

Hope you enjoy a few of the images!

above- self portrait my first day in Paris

above- this is the first image I ever created that I looked at and said wow! (it may have taken a few times to get there...okay maybe a lot of trial and error)

above- self portrait at the Louvre- honestly I liked the Picasso museum better.

above- Notre Dame. I would love to go back there now and have a full day to just photography this beautiful church. Amazing.

Once Upon A Trip Mini Series

Previous Post: Ireland

Next Post: London

music playing while posting this- You've Got to Hide Your Love Away (The Beatles)

Apryl + Cody | Scottsdale, AZ Wedding

2011-09-05T10:28:00.000-07:00

Congrats Cody & Apryl. May God bless your marriage in incredible ways!

John 4:19

Location: Scottsdale, AZ

Venue: Backyard

2nd Photographer: April Bertelsen

Officiant: Kevin Yule

Guitarist: Aaron Beckman

Videographers: Everly Films

Finley is One! | Gilbert Birthday Party

2011-09-03T18:54:00.000-07:00

Our good friends Sean and Jenny are celebrating the 1 year birthday of their little girl Finley! The party was a blast as people came from all over to share in the celebration.

Happy Birthday Finley!

Once Upon a Trip | Ireland 2005

2011-09-03T14:14:00.002-07:00

So I had this idea that I would do a mini-series on this blog of posts from past travels. I got excited about showcasing some of the places I've been and people I've met. I began to sort through old photos looking back well before my professional days.

Then I almost scratched the whole thing.

I'm going to be honest. Sometimes it's hard as a photographer to look back at early work and want to put it out there. It just doesn't measure up to current expectations.

But, I'm proud to say I overcame the hesitancy. The truth of the matter is this trip was the turning point for me when it came to wanting more out of photography. It had always been a hobby up until then, but for Ireland I bought a new camera. A Canon Powershot. We may look back at it's specs and laugh compared to the camera's available on today's market but there was an important feature it had.

Manual mode.

This was the first time in my life I began playing with the manual setting on a camera, and once I did I became hooked!

So, without further ado here are pictures from my two months in Ireland in 2005. Hope you enjoy!

If anyone is curious about the locations, they were taken across much of central and southern Ireland including Dublin, Cliffs of Moher, The Cork & Kerry region, and the ancient monastery of Clonmacnoise.

Next post in the series: Scotland 2005

Ashley + Ryan | Seattle, WA Wedding

2011-09-02T14:20:00.001-07:00

Photographer: Red Thread Images
2nd Photographer: Christopher Maddox Photography
Venue: The Arctic Club
Church: Blessed Sacrament Parish

Ashley + Ryan | Seattle, Wa

2011-08-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peak of a few images from the wedding this past weekend in Seattle. I second shot for Red Thread Images, and had a great time shooting with Tara. If you are in the Seattle/Tacoma area and need a photographer then look her up!

New Blog

2011-08-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first post on the new blog. In an effort to streamline things a bit I've moved. If you'd like to look at previous work you can do so by visiting www.chrismaddoxblog.com

Thanks for stopping in!

Elaine + Isaiah | Phoenix, AZ Wedding

2011-07-24T17:59:00.006-07:00

Venue: First Christian Church (Phoenix, AZ)
Assistant Photographer: April Bertelsen

Taylor + Nathan | Scottsdale, AZ Wedding

2011-07-20T13:44:00.001-07:00

Venue: Chaparral Christian Church
Assistant Photographer: Briana Santiago
Videographer: Nobox Films

Nicole + Jason | Scottsdale, AZ Wedding

2011-05-10T17:00:00.000-07:00

Venue: Highlands Church (Scottsdale, AZ)
2nd Photographer: Briana Santiago

Elaine + Isaiah | Engagement Session

2011-05-01T11:13:00.002-07:00

Cavene + Andre | Engagement Session

2011-02-01T10:28:00.005-07:00

Macon + Collin | Scottsdale, AZ Wedding

2010-12-03T18:32:00.001-07:00

Venue: Highlands Church (Scottsdale, AZ)
Assistant Photographer: Briana Santiago

Ashley | Senior Portraits

2010-10-28T10:20:00.007-07:00