Shannon Ott Photography

SO Scenic: Laguna

2012-01-28T19:20:00.000-08:00

I love the beach. The feel of the air, the smell of the ocean, the sand beneath my feet. The warmth of the sun shining down. The sound of laughter and excitement.

Today I worked from home, so I was unable to go to the beach on this summery day in the middle of a SoCal winter. Instead, I thought that posting these photos would be a good alternative to actually being there. I'm three weeks into my eleven week busy season at work, so in order to keep my head up and get through working long days, keeping this blog updated is a priority of mine, even if it's just a little post of a beautiful beach. :)

SO Individual: Christina

2012-01-22T20:18:00.000-08:00

I suppose I could title this post "SO Married" as well, as these photos are from Christina's beautiful wedding. My last post was of the engagement photos I took of Christina and Vinny before their wedding. These photos are of Christina as she got ready on her wedding day. As you can tell, I've been a little behind on my blogging. Her wedding was in November. It's now well into January. With the holidays and entering into my 2nd busy season at work, there just hasn't been enough time to sit down and commit to posting all the photos I have. Little by little I hope to post more over the next few weeks, so stay tuned. :)

I don't know where I'd be without my best friend. She is my rock. And the past couple months she's been words of wisdom and comfort to me. She makes me laugh, knows me better than anyone, and is the greatest friend a girl could ask for. I could probably ramble on about her for a long time... but then this would just turn into my maid of honor speech. And I barely got through that without crying! So I'll let the pictures tell the story of how happy she was as she prepared for her wedding day.

Stunning. Beautiful.

Christina looked absolutely beautiful in her dress. As soon as she put it on she just lit up. She was now a bride, about to go see her groom.

Bestie, can we please relive your wedding again!? That was the most perfect day and the best weekend I've ever had! I love you!

SO Engaged: Christina & Vinny

2011-12-12T23:27:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago my best friend of the past 20+ years married the man of her dreams. It didn't matter that rain was pouring down during their outdoor ceremony, the wedding was perfect. The weekend of the wedding was one of the best weekends of my life. There was so much love and happiness all around that you couldn't help but get caught up in all of it. I smiled the whole weekend and cried when she said "I do."

The weekend before their wedding, Christina and Vinny asked me to take their engagement photos. We started at a park in Vinny's hometown and then headed to downtown LA. Since Christina and Vinny have moved around a lot over the past few years, taking their engagement photos at home, and having their wedding in Christina's hometown was important to them to tell their story. And I'm honored that I got to be a part of it.

Christina and Vinny rocked it for me on the roof of The Standard in LA for my first nighttime engagement shoot!

As we were walking through Grand Central Station, Christina looked at Vinny and said, "Hey. I love you." A statement so simple was filled with such conviction and meaning. I knew in that moment that Christina had never meant those words more.

Christina and Vinny, I love you both more than words can say. I am so blessed to have you in my life. I could not be more happy for you both as you begin this new chapter in your lives as a young hot married couple. :) Thank you for letting me be a part of your engagement and wedding!!!

SO in Love: Jessica and Bobby

2011-12-05T22:59:00.000-08:00

It was a beautifully sunny day in Southern California in September. From the moment I arrived at the hotel Jessica was getting ready at I could feel the excitement in the air. Today was her wedding day. Today she would be marrying the man of her dreams. Today was going to be perfect.

I had the great opportunity to be a second shooter for Jessica and Bobby's wedding. My good friend Nicole of Chin Photography asked me to assist her as she booked her first wedding. I was thrilled to be asked to second shoot another wedding, and even more thrilled when I heard whose wedding it was. Jessica was my photo editor when I was a staff photographer on the university newspaper at APU. When she graduated, she trained me to take over as photo editor. I owe a lot of what I learned about Photoshop and photojournalism to her. And Nicole was the sports and design editor of the newspaper. So the wedding was a fun reunion for us!

Jes looked stunning as she had her makeup done.

Handamde hangers with brooches for each bridesmaid. I loved the detail Jessica put in everything, like having her bridesmaids write notes to her on the bottom of her heels!!

Her amazing garter from Etsy!

The dress. Beautiful.

I loved her reaction when she saw her dress hanging in the window.

Her bridesmaids said a beautiful prayer before they left the hotel room to go to the first look.

The picture of Jes going down the stairs is my favorite from the day. She exudes beauty and grace here.

The ceremony and reception site was the beautiful Villa Del Sol in Fullerton.

Beautiful moment with Jessica her Dad and Mom.

Husband and wife!

I'll end with this gorgeous shot of Jes working it!!

My Best Friend's Bridal Shower

2011-09-28T21:07:00.000-07:00

Since the day my best friend asked me to be one of her maids of honor, I had wanted to throw her an amazing bridal shower. The ideas overflowed in my brain. I scoured over blogs for inspiration and had my theme: a vintage chic affair. After going to stores, vintage fairs, and raiding my apartment, my mom's house and my aunt's house, I had everything I needed to make my ideas come to life.

My best friend deserves the best, so I made sure everything was perfect for her day in the spotlight. In my backyard we showered Christina with love. Silly games were played and gifts were opened. Laughter filled the air. Sangria was poured and sweets were devoured. Most importantly, my best friend was happy and felt so special being celebrated by the women who love her.

My inspiration began here: A sweets table. With vintage milk crates, a fabulous DIY sweets sign made by my mom, and delicious dessert, it was perfect!

All the beautiful bridesmaids in attendance. I <3 you all!

This vintage scale from my aunt was ah-mazing!

Three beautiful blondes!

Gift bag and game table filled with vintage finds from my brother!

Each goodie bag was filled with delicious Hershey's Kisses.

The little details were important for me to have around the backyard... like the wedding date: 11.20.

I love mason jars and paper straws. They are just so fab.

Using burlap and buttons I made an "L" for Christina's new last name, "Love" and a picture frame holding the bridal shower invitation.

Thank you maid of honor Katie for these wonderful cupcakes!! Everybody loved them!

All of Christina's friends that came to celebrate her upcoming wedding!

Christina, thank you for being my best friend. I can't wait to stand with you next month and watch you marry the man who loves you so much and is perfect for you. I love you BFF!

A special thank you to Katie, for being a great maid of honor and helping me with the shower! To my mom for all her help with the decorating, food, and providing the location! To my Auntie K for letting me raid her house for amazing pieces! To my dad for the tables and chairs! And to Christina and all the lovely girls there... you all made it perfect. Much love to all. <3

Remembering 9/11.

2011-09-05T15:28:00.000-07:00

10 years ago today the world changed.

I remember that day like it was yesterday. As do most Americans. September 11, 2001.

I was 15 and my mom was driving me to school when we heard on the radio that the World Trade Center had been attacked. Normally my dad watched the news before leaving for work each morning, but for some reason decided not to turn on the television that morning. As a native Southern Californian who had never been to New York, I wasn't aware of the magnitude of what the attacks meant at that point.

I had just started at a new high school as a sophomore and didn't really know anybody yet. Everybody was talking about the planes hitting the towers, but no one really knew what was going on. Every time a plane flew overhead, we wondered if Los Angeles would be next. It wasn't until I reached my Chemistry class that my teacher finally turned on the tv to let us watch the news. We watched the aftermath at the Pentagon for about 10 minutes, then turned it off. Still unaware that the World Trade Center had collapsed. That a fourth plane had crashed in Pennsylvania.

I didn't get home until 8pm that night. After school I had a volleyball game that lasted through the evening. When I finally got home I sat in front of the tv in disbelief of what I was seeing. The planes crashing, the towers falling. Devastation. My dad had colleagues on the 104th floor of the South Tower. Some didn't make it out.

We were all affected by that day. And we will always remember.

I've been to New York City twice since that day. And I visited Ground Zero both times. You could feel the silence and disbelief among the visitors there still, yet you could feel the hope. As we reflect on how life has changed over the past 10 years, as we honor the fallen and those still fighting, we must maintain our hope.

Napa Valley, California

2011-08-03T21:30:00.000-07:00

I'm a self-proclaimed wino. So it only seemed fitting that I used some of my vacation days to make the journey up to Napa Valley to visit the wineries, see the beautiful landscape of vineyards, and of course go to some tastings. Napa is such a beautiful little town and the wine was heavenly.

I loved the restaurant at the hotel. It was so cozy and inviting and the natural light just flowed into the room.

We visited Castello di Amorosa and took the tour and tasting and it was fabulous! I left the castle with 3 bottles of wine!

Chateau Montelena has been on my list of places I want to visit ever since I watched the movie "Bottle Shock" with one of my fave actors Alan Rickman. I fell in love with the movie and then fell in love with the wine.

Jana's Bridal Shower

2011-06-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

Her smile is infectious, as you will see from these photos. And a couple weeks ago I got to celebrate her upcoming wedding with her at a wonderfully summery bridal shower. From the tea party theme to the summer dresses the beautiful girls wore to the laughter during the opening of gifts, it was a such a happy day.

I met Jana in college and we became fast friends. I have such fond memories of trips to Lake Arrowhead, movie and game nights, black&white party nights and Halloween parties. And some of my favorite memories with Jana are when we worked together on our university newspaper, her as the copy editor and me as the photo editor. Those late nights and early mornings working to meet deadlines were crazy, but we had so much fun together singing and dancing while we worked away in a tiny little room. Jana can brighten up any room and make you smile even in the most hectic situations. Her bridal shower was filled with so much happiness and laughter that I find myself smiling as I write this. :)

Jana and her bridesmaids make one gorgeous bridal party!

Jana has such beautiful friends!

Jana, I cannot wait to celebrate you and Shawn on your wedding day!! Thanks for being such an amazing friend! Love you lots!

Seattle 2011

2011-06-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

It was beautiful. Blue skies. Green trees. Seattle.

It only rained for a few hours during our four day trip to visit my brother. Which made the weekend even better. I always love visiting Seattle. It is so picturesque and serene up there. And getting to hang out with my brother make me love the city even more.

Amazing how many staples are on this light post.

My boots got me through the few hours of rain. :)

And the reason for the trip: my awesome brother!

Easter Flowers

2011-06-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

I love being creative. I yearn for opportunities to use my creativity and think outside the box. And while I currently don't have the ability to do that all day everyday, I find joy in the moments that my imagination can run wild and I can use my hands creating something beautiful.

We celebrated Easter at my parents house, and my mom had bought me some flowers and fruit and handed me all her vases to make centerpieces for the table. I love that she helps me find new things to create. So, left with vases, fruit and flowers, these are the centerpieces I created:

OC Wedding Photography: Lacey and Chase

2011-03-14T22:10:00.000-07:00

If there were more hours in a day I would have posted these a week ago! Last week I had the great opportunity to be a second shooter at the beautiful wedding of Lacey and Chase! My good friend from high school asked if I would like to shoot with her, and I of course said yes! I was a little nervous to shoot my first wedding, but the nerves went away as soon as I got behind my camera. It was a day filled with love, photography and catching up with an old friend. Brittany, thank you for giving me the opportunity to shoot with you! I had so much fun and can't wait to do it again! Lacey and Chase, thank you for letting me be a part of your special day!

So in love...

Lacey, you are such a beautiful bride!!

Aubrey, the maid of honor, made the day so much fun!!

You can just tell how happy and in love these two are the moment you see them together!

I can't wait to shoot another wedding! It was such a joy to be able to capture such beautiful moments of this special day!!

OC Lifestyle Photography: Michelle

2011-02-20T23:17:00.000-08:00

And the rain came pouring down. Again. My roommate and I scheduled another photoshoot only for it to rain on our plans again. But we didn't care. Rain or shine, the photoshoot was happening. And we couldn't have been happier with how the weather turned out. The entire time we were outside there were only a few drops of rain. But the very second we got back to our apartment, what looked like a tropical storm was upon us. Rain, lightning, thunder and a mini tornado was right outside. The timing was perfect.

M, you are so stunning.

The photo on the right is my favorite of the day. And it's proof that Michelle thinks I'm funny. :)

Fierce.

Stay tuned for part two of our photoshoot. :)

My Mama

2011-02-20T20:59:00.000-08:00

I'm a lucky girl. I have a mom that will do anything for me. Including pose for pictures when I need a model. So on Superbowl Sunday before the game we went and took some pictures. And she is beautiful in them. Thank you, Mom, for all your love. :)

Lifestyle Photography: Michelle

2010-12-05T20:33:00.000-08:00

Somewhere between moving, studying, work, etc., photography got pushed aside. Unfortunately. But today I picked up my camera and it just felt right. My camera belongs in my hands. It is a part of me. Of who I am.

My roommate and I decided a few weeks ago that today would be our day for a photoshoot. As we got ready rain started pouring down. But our plans would not be altered. We improvised, using our apartment, balcony and porch as a backdrop. And it was fabulous. We made a deal that we would do this every couple weeks so our creativity goes to good use and is not lost in the day to day routines we find ourselves in.

I can't wait until our next photoshoot!

My roommate and model Michelle.

I love the light the rainy sky brought allowing such beautiful photos as these!

This is why I love to photograph M. She looks so exotic here.

Roommates <3

Thanks, M, for a fabulous day! Xoxo, S

Vacation: Part II

2010-09-04T17:03:00.000-07:00

It's been a crazy few weeks and I haven't had time or internet access to post part II of my vacation. I recently moved into a new apartment and took another section of the CPA exam, so I'm happy that things have settled down a bit and I can finally post these pics.

This lake is my favorite scenic view. In all the world. It's home to me.

A few minutes after we got to the lake, we saw this buck and he let me walk right up to him.

This is a baby deer that looks so much like Bambi. It was adorable!

I will end with a self-timer family portrait. Sometimes it's the best way. :)

Family Vacation: Part I

2010-08-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

I don't know how many times I've traveled along Highway 395 and not been there. Up and down the 395 at least once a year, but always in a hurry to get to our destination, or to just get home. This year we decided to make a stop along the way to the living ghost town of Randsburg. And I was in photography heaven. An old town with old signs and old buildings and beautiful color. It was ah-mazing! And a beautiful place is always better when you have beautiful people to photograph there. I think my brother is secretly a model....

I love the colors of this building that said "Pickles" and the fact that it said "Pickles."

Brian is always climbing on things... like a giant tire

My Auntie K looking fabulous!

I love the old Coke sign and this church is gorgeous!

And I'll end with my favorite picture from Randsburg :)

Stay tuned: Part II of family vacation shall be posted shortly!!

Steve Madden

2010-08-05T20:19:00.000-07:00

I just can't help myself. Without fail, every time I'm near shoes in a store, I seem to find them. It's like there's a magnetic force pulling me towards them: Steve Madden shoes. Heels, flats, sandals, Madden Girl, Steve Madden Luxe. It doesn't matter, I have to have them. I recently told my mom that I want to wear Steve Maddens on my wedding day...that's how big this obsession is. Yesterday I went to DSW, my favorite place to shop for shoes, and saw these beautiful heels. And of course, I just had to have them.

Maybe I'll start posting a few pics of my favorite shoes or accessories every once in a while. :)

In other news, I just recently took my first CPA exam and am now studying for my second one (there are 4 of them...yuck) so my blog and photography have been on hold. But I'm hoping to have more photos to post very soon!

Grandma's Treasures

2010-07-16T23:47:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was at my grandparents' house and my grandma came into the room with boxes of jewelry. She told me take what I wanted (minus a few pieces that she holds dear). I was like a kid in a candy store, oohing and aahing over each piece of jewelry I saw. My favorite piece was a teal brooch. It was vintage beauty and I was in love. When I got home with the jewelry I collected, I put them with the vintage jewelry box she had given me over a year ago and other pieces of her jewelry and her mother's jewelry I had been given over the years. These items are truly are treasures.

Stephanie and Mitch: Merced Wedding

2010-07-13T14:00:00.000-07:00

Stephanie came home to our apartment one night four years ago from a blind date with a huge smile on her face. "I just met the hottest guy...and he drives a truck!" He was all she talked about from that night forward. And on Saturday, Stephanie married the guy with the truck, the man of her dreams.

Having lived with Stephanie for the first year and a half of her relationship with Mitch, I saw their relationship blossom and their love grow. And since then it has continued to grow into something so true and raw and their wedding was all about their love for one another.

Last summer I was blessed with the opportunity to take their engagement photos as my very first clients. I am so thankful that they believed in me and my work enough to shoot those special pictures. I was one of Stephanie's bridesmaids, so I took a few pictures while getting ready.

Stephanie and Mitch with the groom's cake at the rehearsal dinner. And maid of honor Michelle with her gift!

Beautiful bride-to-be Stephanie getting her hair done... this was after she saw her bouquet!

Nicole and LeAnn watching Stephanie get her hair done all pretty.

Michelle loved her Maid of Honor bouquet!!

The bridesmaids' bouquets were beautiful!

We had on Father of the Bride (I and II) to get in the wedding spirit!! And Stephanie's bright pink rose bouquet was stunning!!

When Stephanie was busy getting ready, Amber and I stole her shoes from her room and took LOTS of pictures of them. I mean, hot pink shoes!?! Yes, please!!

The bridesmaids' shoes and those sexy hot pink shoes!

The head table was amazing!! Stephanie's vision come to life was just remarkable!

Stephanie and Mitch and family made the table cloths and centerpieces! They were gorgeous!!

This picture on the left is one of my faves from the reception hall.

Heidi and Olivia looking beautiful!

The camera just loves Amber!!

All the handsome groomsmen standing in the 100 degree heat while the bride and groom take their pictures.

Steph and Mitch, thank you for including me in such a beautiful day. I hope you are having the best time in Hawaii! I love you both!!

The Jasmine Star Workshop

2010-06-27T21:39:00.000-07:00

I was nervous. So very nervous. I was about to meet a group of photographers at dinner the night before the Workshop. And these girls are amazing photographers. And Jasmine was going to be there too. There I was, just finished grad school in accounting, and I was entering a room filled with so much experience in photography. But when I walked in and met the girls, all those nerves were gone. That's how amazing this group was. I felt welcome right away and part of this group of photographers.

The next day was The Workshop. The. Jasmine. Star. Workshop. Ever since I first saw Jasmine's work I was inspired. Her creativity, passion and determination showed through each photo she took and each word she wrote. And I was getting the opportunity to learn from her. I never imagined just how much I would learn from Jasmine. It was truly an amazing day!!

Jasmine is so fabulous that she wrote each one of us a handwritten note!

Our models for the day were the beautiful Jihan and her handsome husband Joe.

Jihan's gorgeous makeup was by the lovely Vivian of All Made Up

JL Designs created this beautiful bouquet for the Workshop.

This blog post wouldn't be complete without a picture (or two) of Jasmine!

J*, JD, and all the girls: thank you, thank you, thank you! for an incredible day. I learned so much from all of you and am so blessed to have gotten to know you!!

Ali & Seth

2010-06-24T22:11:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of attending my dear friend Ali's wedding as a guest last weekend and snapped a few pictures of her and her new husband Seth. It was a beautiful ceremony and fabulous reception. Seeing two people that love each other that much vow to share their lives together was such a beautiful thing. Ali and Seth, thank you for letting me share your special day with you!

Just Because: Hipstamatic LA

2010-06-16T21:45:00.000-07:00

The Ever Stylish M

2010-05-17T16:42:00.000-07:00

Way back in September I did a photoshoot with the lovely and beautiful Michelle. The camera just loves her and I adore taking pictures of her! We wandered around Downtown LA for this shoot and found some awesome and colorful locations. And I love love love M's outfit!

MAcc

2010-05-16T23:56:00.001-07:00

Well, my photography had been put on hold for quite a bit as I just graduated with my Master of Accounting at USC. But now that it's summer and I am done with school, I'm excited to get back into photography and put much more time into my passion! I will be updating this blog (that is supposed to be a temporary photography blog until I can actually find the time to fully update my photography website) more often the next few weeks with photoshoots that took place while I was still in school. I can't wait to spend more time on photography this summer!!

Editing

2010-01-21T22:16:00.000-08:00

I finally found some time to edit a few of Stephanie and Mitch's engagement pictures from way back when. It was a great way to put off doing homework. I still have many more to do eventually.

Random Old Photos

2009-10-31T10:36:00.000-07:00

Just a few random pictures I came across lately from Venice, Austria, Seattle and Covina.

All photos copyright Shannon Ott Photography.

Mammoth

2009-08-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

I had a week off from school and went to Mammoth with the fam. Here are a few pics of the trip! More to come!

Sam

2009-08-05T19:41:00.000-07:00

These are some old photographs I took doing a photoshoot with my cousin Sam. She takes such beautiful photographs and I was lucky to do a day long shoot with her.

Stephanie & Mitch

2009-08-05T19:08:00.000-07:00

I had the amazing opportunity to shoot engagement photos of my roommate Stephanie and her fiance Mitch a few weeks ago. It was such an honor to be asked to take this photos for them. I remember the first time Stephanie met Mitch and it's been great to be there as their relationship and love grows!

Here are just a few pictures of their engagement session. There will be more posted soon. :)

Jen & Cory's Wedding

2009-05-31T20:24:00.000-07:00

A month ago my cousin Jennifer and her now husband Cory got married in a beautiful ceremony in Long Beach. It was a great wedding and the reception was one big party. Jennifer was a gorgeous bride and I am so happy for both Jen and Cory. Here are just a few pictures I captured of their beautiful day.