April Rocha's Blog

I Will Always Miss My Zoe

2008-06-26T08:51:00.000-07:00

My beautiful cat Zoe passed away last weekend. She was 14 1/2 years old.

My friends have been incredible with their condolences. I am so grateful that I gave her her own blog entry in April of this year, when she was still well. My friends have written such sweet comments on Zoe's blog entry since her passing. Click here to view them.

I am starting a book project this summer called Why I Love You and part of the project involves writing a note to your pet. I wrote mine a couple of months ago and I've included it in this blog entry, along with a photo of Zoe that I took about 10 years ago.

If you want to be kept up to date on this project, just join our mailing list (the sign up box is on the right hand side of my blog), add your name and then check off the box Why I Love You the Book.

Camryn Olivia

2008-06-04T07:22:00.000-07:00

I've had the privilege of shooting the Caul Family three times. Twice in 2006 when Amber was pregnant and then when little Ethan Joshua was born.

This year they welcomed Camryn Olivia into the world and was thrilled to shoot their new addition. Check out the slideshow below or click here to view.

I just returned from North Carolina and I had so much fun

2008-05-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

Jennifer and I at the BBQ Rehearsal Dinner in Creedmor, NC

My favorite spot at the Arrowhead Inn to hang out and read a book

Guest Book from Collages

2008-05-13T14:13:00.000-07:00

Collages.net makes these fantastic guest books for wedding guests to sign on the day of their wedding. I made one for Jennifer and Woody with images from their engagement shoot in San Francisco. Coincidentally Collages had a color leather almost identical to Jennifer's invitation. I can't wait for Jennifer and Woody's wedding guests to sign it this coming weekend.

Jennifer & Woody's Engagement Session in San Francisco

2008-05-11T14:23:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of shooting Jennifer and Woody's engagement photos in San Francisco last fall and totally forgot to blog about it. I've known Jennifer for over 20 years and am thrilled she found Woody.

Click the slideshow below or here.

Langham Hotel Pasadena - Sanjeet's 30th Birthday Party

2008-05-07T08:38:00.000-07:00

I have had the pleasure of working for Sanjeet Nijjar on numerous occassions including their incredibly fun Halloween Party in 2006. Well Sanjeet decided decided to thrown himself a very grand 30th birthday party at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena and it was a spectacular event. Every detail was thought out so well and he hired such incredible designers to work with him including Alex and Dimash of Square Root Designs, Richard Taylor of Dazian and Sheryal Rozzelle of Unique Elegance. Click on the slideshow below or here to view the birthday slideshow.

How I Love the dr5 Process

2008-05-06T08:03:00.000-07:00

My neighbor at my studio, Jimi of JD Restoration, has some incredible cacti including one that blooms annually. For the last two years he has told me I better shoot the flowers quickly because they bloom and die within one day and I never believe him.

Well this year I took him at his word and shot the incredibly beautiful blooms one morning. I shot the flowers both digitally and with film that was then processed using dr5. I absolutely love this process and even though dr5 doesn't show the beautiful pink hues of the blooms they are still beautiful images. Click here to view the digital images I shot.

My Special Friend, Scarlett

2008-04-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

Meredith and Scarlett
Scarlett

Me and Scarlett

Scarlett and her mom, Hilary

Scarlett's thank you note

Actress Meredith Salenger and I had the great honor today to be Scarlett Turner's special friends at her school, The Country School. This was my first year attending this event and it was so much fun and such a pleasure. I adore Scarlett. She is so creative, fun and beautiful. We went to lunch after school with her mom Hilary Shepard.

She wrote me the sweetest note to thank me for coming. I will treasure it forever.

Quote of the Week

2008-04-25T13:31:00.000-07:00

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.

--Lao Tzu, philosopher

My Love Bug, Zoe

2008-04-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

Word of the Week

2008-04-21T16:02:00.001-07:00

Santa Clara Mission and Coyote Point Museum

2008-04-20T07:39:00.000-07:00

Santa Clara Mission

Coyote Point Museum

Quote of the Week

2008-04-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

"The best mirror is an old friend."

--George Herbert, poet

Wedding at Las Rocas Resort, Rosarito Beach Baja Mexico

2008-04-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

I just loved shooting Kristofer McNeeley and Ali Spuck’s engagement photos and their wedding day was beyond incredible. It took place at the Las Rocas Resort & Spa in Rosarito Beach, Baja Mexico. The resort was fantastic, their wedding guests were so happy to be there and the weather was just perfect. We got really lucky with a beautiful sunset right at the end of their ceremony.

Check out the slideshow of their wedding below or click here.

Cactus Flowers

2008-04-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

Word of the Week

2008-04-14T06:57:00.000-07:00

Sarah and Mia

2008-04-12T07:03:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Week

2008-04-11T06:59:00.000-07:00

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."

--Mother Teresa

Word of the Week

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

Quote of the Week

2008-04-04T15:22:00.000-07:00

"We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us something is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit."

--e.e. cummings

Word of the Week

2008-03-31T07:35:00.001-07:00

Grateful

2008-03-26T12:37:00.000-07:00

Word of the Week

2008-03-24T17:42:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter!!!!

2008-03-23T17:56:00.000-07:00

Easter is one of my favorite holidays and I have always enjoyed decorating Easter eggs. Williams-Sonoma has an incredible Egg Decorating Kit that I used last night at our little party. Special thanks to my friends Hilary Shepard, Cassidy and Scarlett Turner and Lindsey Emerson to contributing to a really fun evening. I even made a slideshow because I am so proud of all of our creations. Click the box below or click here.

Margaret Jean Pariseau Rocha

2008-03-21T18:24:00.000-07:00

This photo makes me miss my grandmother, Margaret Jean Pariseau Rocha. She grew up in the small town of Bladensburg, Ohio.

I try to visit my grandmother's hometown every couple of years during the summer. My friends never understand why I go to such a small town in the middle America and I always have to explain to them that I want to sit on a porch in the country, watch the corn grow and witness the Amish driving by in their bugees.

This photo makes me miss my childhood and it also makes me miss the strawberry patch my family grew every summer in our front yard in Santa Monica.

My Grandma Jean (as we called her) was an amazing artist. Over the years she spent her time painting, sculpting, sewing, creating stained glass, decoupaging eggs, making dolls and quilts. Obviously she was multi-talented as an artist. I actually have two of her paintings hanging in my home along with one of her sculptures.

My aunt Maria recently wrote to me in an email "Grandma would be so proud of how you paint with your camera." I can't tell you how much that meant to me.