new blog site on Square Space.com

just in case you don't know....WE'VE MOVED!!

we have moved our blog to a new URL. please subscribe to our RSS feed, or simply, bookmark us and check us out weekly! please leave a comment to let us know what you think and that you visited us! click here for our new site or go to www.gjspiller.squarespace.com (copy and paste to URL)

see you there!

new blog site

hi blog readers! 

thank you for following us on our blog. we moved our blog over to www.gjspiller.squarespace.com

please bookmark us! we will be attaching an email subscription link soon on the site so you can sign your email address and be notified each time we post. 

check out our first full post about one of the events we shot this weekend. 

new blog design

i'm up...late...again. 

but this time it's because i'm multi-tasking: redesigning our new blog, and catching up on podcasts. i've always been a night owl. i thrive at night because frankly, the heat makes me lazy...er, i mean, sleepy. so just thought i'd drop a line to my peeps...my night owl peeps. stay tuned for a new blog design, and new posts!! good night for now. 

happy 67th, dad!

we just celebrated my dad's 67th birthday at King's Hawaiian in Torrance. everyone was in good spirits. my dad looked pretty good, and he seemed to be in a good mood, too. it's a treat to eat here because we rarely travel that far to eat. with three diabetics in the family, we can't stand long distances. hahaha...okay, all right....I can't stand driving long distances. especially when you're hungry.

below are some pix of our day. i had the Luau Platter, which consists of lau lau (steamed pork wrapped in ti leaves), lomi lomi (hawaiian salmon salsa), chicken long rice (chicken with noodles), potato salad, and white rice. oh, and huli huli chicken (it's not in the pic because i gave it to j. because, let's face it, there was lots of food on my plate!). so ono ("delicious"). i also had to have the chocolate dobash cake (i only had 2 bites...gave the rest to j.) before we left. it was a good meal. worth the drive. 

afterwards, we headed home with guava cake (which was also our wedding cake), to blow out my dad's candles. today was a good day. happy birthday to my dad...and hope for many more to come. 

photo tips by g.

often times, people ask me my opinion about photography or ask photo-related questions. in this age of digital, more and more people are interested in learning more about DSLRs (Digital Single Lens Relfex) cameras. one question that i get from most are, "i want to get an digital SLR camera. what kind will help me take awesome photos?" well, the answer is....none. no camera or gadget will take "awesome" photos. you are the one, the one behind the lens, that can make that photo the best that it can be. if this is your first time buying a camera that is not a phone or a point-and-shoot, here are some suggestions:



1) information is key. you are making a big ticket item purchase. so get your information from someone who knows about cameras. do not go to Best Buy or Target or Cost Co to inquire about cameras. your local camera shop, will know more about different brands of cameras, and will be able to answer your questions and suggest brands and models to meet you needs.


2) i am very big on educating oneself about new products, especially electronics. read up on camera models online or in photo magazines. reviews are also informative.


3) this is a must!! after you buy your camera, make a commitment to learn it outside of "auto" (if it has this setting). if you have difficulty following your manual, (do not throw it away! put it in a safe place for reference) take a workshop or class to learn how to use the features of your camera. you will have bought an expensive "point & shoot" camera, if you don't use the other features of the camera.


4) shoot, shoot, shoot. practice makes perfect. it's digital, so you're not wasting money on processing and developing. join a Flickr group or join a MeetUp group. there's a plethora of free advice and critique, and thousands of enthusiasts, like you, learning from one another.


if you have any other photography-related questions, please post a comment on our site! your question may be featured on our blog in future entries! happy shooting!

car show

when we're not shooting portraits or weddings, we like to check out local events. because we're so busy, we usually do not get to partake in what our community has to offer. 

as much as i like taking pictures of people, for some odd reason, i love taking photographs at car shows. i think it's because i like shiny things, and colorful things. at car shows, you find all of the above. a car is somewhat like a person, in that it has curves, and shiny accessories. i understand why guys love their cars as much as their women. duh. 

i don't know what any part of the car is. so don't ask me. all i know is i absolutely love chrome. it's like the accessories on a beautiful woman. ooooo....shiiiinny.   

it was fun hanging out at the car show, and cool of the participants to let us be spectators and admire all the sweet cars. check out your local car show. you'll see what i mean.

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Clean Paws

this weekend was a warm, and activity-filled. i will post pix from the weekend this week. but until then, i thought i'd post some pix of my baby, Popo, who is 2 and a half years old. whilst people share pix of their children, since we don't have any children, we have Popo. he's the apple of our eye, and is always giving us unconditional love. 

here he is, right after the groomers gave him his monthly bath. our puppy is so spoiled, his groomers come to my parents' house (aka "grandparents") every month. i wish i had that treatment!  i thought it was so cute that he had a purple bow, that said "i love my owner." we have a great mobile grooming service, called "Clean Paws" and they serve Los Angeles and San Bernardino. They are great, and the price is right! (909) 592-0120‎

tell them Popo Spiller sent ya!

From Drop Box