I was so excited to go back for my birthday weekend. Seattle… it just feels like home.

The weather was absolutely incredible. The sun was out. The alcohol was flowing. The food was overwhelming. From hanging out to my best friends, checking out new bars, restaurants and hangouts it was a great weekend to bring in the number 29.

From sailing Lake Union to watching my friends from Hey Marseilles release their new music video, it was an absolute joy to be back. One thing not so joyous? My one and only camera, Natasha, decided to break. Oh well. On to new adventures I say!

Seattle is my favorite city in the United States and I always tell myself that one day I will end up back there. To all my friends that I saw, and even those that I didn’t get to see, thank you for such an amazing weekend!

So here are a few that have recently made me as giddy as Pandas during playtime.

The first big one is this article for OUT.COM
Yup, thats right. I was a spotlight feature! Incredibly honored!
Go check out the interview [click here] and learn about some of my most popular shoots!

Donal & Niamh were also featured recently on One Fab Day! The Northern Ireland engagement was incredibly popular and still one of my favorites to this day! [Click here] To go check it out!

Speaking of engagements. Colby & Brandon’s engagement took down my site not too long ago and its been, by far, my most popular engagement shoot. So big thank you to the guys over at Queerty for featuring some of their favorites [Click Here].

[twitter] [facebook]

So here are a few select images from these past weekends that came from my phone.

Lots of ridiculously good food, lots of liver failure, models, behind the scenes, and general life loving.

Life is good.

I love a weekend when I don’t have to open my computer to edit.

Most of these images taken with VSCOCAM, a photo app that I LOVE. I would strongly suggest checking it out and downloading it.

I’ve worked a lot with these two and they have become incredible friends.
No fancy lights, no magazine or online features, no concepts. Not this time.

Just love.

Colby and Brandon are fighting hard for their love. It shouldn’t have to be that way. It’s hard to love yourself, let alone someone else, when there are a lot of ignorant people out there who don’t accept you for who you are. Well you know what? Screw them. Yeah. I said it.

It doesn’t matter who you love. Underneath it all, its the same love.

Colby and Brandon. Thank you so much for letting me capture your love. It was truly special.

I wish I had powerful words to write to you readers. But, I’m going to let you push play below, and let Macklemore do it for me.
There are a lot of pictures. Which is great, because there is a whole lotta love.

// No law is gonna change us
// We have to change us
// Whatever God you believe in
// We come from the same one
// Strip away the fear
// Underneath it’s all the same love
// About time that we raised up

Me: At least you guys aren’t doing something cheesy like spinning around holding arms.

Colby: OH MY GOD LET’S DO THAT!!!

And here is what happens when you bring a superman onesie to an engagement session.

[Facebook] me

Just writing that makes me smile.

Let me add up the ways this engagement makes me smile. I went to high school with both these youngsters. We also photographed in my hometown. My first engagement ever in my little border town in Arizona. Extra special. Heaps of laughs, lots of running around, vintage cars, awesome property, siblings, truck drives, and tons and tons of fun. That is the perfect word jumble to explain Renee & Jonathan’s engagement session.

Those are my favorite type of engagements. Ones were we don’t even realize the camera is there. Just having fun. Being yourselves.

Those are the best.

I was so happy when Renee emailed me a few months ago, asking me if I could capture their special day. I am so excited for these two. They are incredible people and will go on to do incredible things. I am so excited to go back to my little hometown to shoot their wedding. It will be absolutely incredible.

I get many photographers telling me that I post too many pictures. But, I disagree. I want to post more. I want to tell more of their story. I want you too see the fun we had.

To Renee & Jonathan. Two special people who I am happy to welcome to the panda brigade.

It was at a bar where Dalina met Alex. They met at Karaoke no less. Which suits them perfectly, because they just LOVE to sing out loud. It was the sweet melodies of Neil Diamond that got them talking. It was no surprise that I acted very big-brotherly when Dalina first told me she met this great guy. But, it only took one meeting and I instantly bonded with Alex. He was the perfect match. I really can’t see anyone else. I think Dalina knew that very early on.

So, to my amazing honor, they asked me to take some engagement pictures in the city they fell in love in. El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles.

It was awesome that they got ready at a record store/hair saloon. Only fitting considering they met through music. We explored downtown, the arts district and even a little bit of the east. We explored so much, and I got to see so much of the city that they love. It was incredible.

They are incredible.

Dalina & Alex.

The email started simply and got to the point. I had met Jessica & Mark back when I photographed a wedding in Hawaii and I couldn’t wait to join them in Central America to capture their awesome day. They were living in Alaska at the time, but now they live in places abroad that I can’t even pronounce. They decided Costa Rica was a great place for everyone to meet up and have an incredible time.

And we did. It was an absolutely incredible time.

Why? The people. These two are surrounded by some of the coolest and amazing people I have met during a wedding. Mark is an engineer, but Jessica comes from a circus background. It was a blast two see both their families and friends come together and just…. share the love.

We went [sailing] and experienced the [wonders of the country].

It was simple. A wedding on the beach surrounded by your loved ones. It was exactly what a wedding should be about. Two people celebrating their love. It wasn’t about the decorations, the food, the DJ, the centerpieces. Nothing of that.

“We don’t need anything fancy,” Jessica told me.

“All you need is love”.

The wedding was as colorful as the people surrounding it. Not lots of black and white images here folks. This was all about beaches, colors, cartwheels, and most importantly… love.

Not only because they are close personal friends of mine, but because we are at a turning point in history.

I see a lot of love as a wedding photographer.

Love is love.

Nothing & no one can change that. It’s amazing seeing so many people united for equality. Love is worth fighting for.

“Everyone wants someone to grow old with and shouldn’t everyone have that chance??” – Sophia Petrillo

Colby & Brandon. Engagement.

Coming soon.

Come along and sing a song
And join the jamboree!
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

This post has been to get that theme song stuck in your head.

You’re welcome.

Have a good weekend everyone!

[Gabriel Gastelum Photography]

[Slater Model Management]

If you are in the Playa Tamarindo area while visiting Costa Rica I strongly suggest a day trip with this crew.

After the wedding, Mark & Joy set up an excursion for everyone that attended the wedding to go sailing.

There really isn’t much I could say.

Open bar, snacks, sea life, sailing, music, kayaking, snorkeling, amazing food, amazing friends.

Amazing time.