Anytime I shoot a wedding, while watching the bride and groom make their wedding vows to one another, I can't help but re-live how utterly scary that moment was for me.  Over 5 years ago I made a promise to a woman who, at the time I didn't realize that there was so much more to know about.  The crazy thing was that I was saying "I do" to a person I had so much more to learn about and I was resolving to commit myself to her for the rest of my life!  With that I echo wise words passed down to me from someone very long ago... 

I think I would be doing a major disservice to my generation and those that would come after me if I didn't stress the importance of the decision you make when you marry someone... this will be the person who will see you at your greatest AND your weakest.  This person you marry will be the one that you may raise children with.  This partner in life will be the one to brace you, embrace you, encourage you, love you, and whilst at the same time unintentionally (or not) hurt you.  He or she will be the one to both wipe your tears and at times... cause them.  And yet... she (or he) will be the one that you commit to with joy every single day of your life.  That's why it's of the utmost importance to not rush into a decision like marriage.  

Here are a few things I have found in my short 5 years that I believe continues to fire me up in marriage:

One, faith is huge.  My wife and I believe that because we know of the great love of Jesus Christ (and uncanny love for us), it just makes it so much easier to love and forgive one another even when we make mistakes.  We believe that a historical Jesus laid his life on the line to pay for the penalty of our mistakes and our weaknesses... this is the bedrock of where we learn how to sacrificially love one another (Romans 5:8).

Two, one day at a time.  Another wise owl told me it best to take things one day at a time.  Our first year of marriage was absolutely difficult.  From getting to know someone and their weaknesses in life to allowing them to see me at my worst was very difficult to swallow ~ one day at a time means to discipline myself to not be hasty and jump the gun.  To look at this moment as a moment that will soon pass, but more importantly - be in the moment.  

Three, love with action... love with sacrifice.  I must have said "I love you" to my sweet Annie hundreds of times by now, but none ever so strongly or passionately than with my actions.  And the kicker is that it's usually shown in the relatively mundane things in life like washing dishes, doing the laundry, cleaning the toilets (all non-glamourous or romantic things I tell you!).  I can say this... that in doing these things when not asked... I can't help but feel like I'm honoring this woman and treating her the best way i've found so far... and that's through sacrifice.  I can only pray that my son will reciprocate this same love whether he gets married someday or not.

Hey, thanks for stopping by and reading this rant!  A bit of a break from the pictorial blogs, but I hope this helps you as you also accumulate thoughts on marriage and life!

Cheers,

Jason

I have to take a minute to give my awesome wife Annie and the start of her company... Jane Hudson Designs.  I took some time to shoot her doing work.  Jane Hudson Designs specializes in wedding invitations and cake toppers... Hope you enjoy... but first, check out her website:

A month ago, I got a chance to go to a leadership conference.  Phil Wickham, one of my favorite Christian artists was there and unfortunately had an "irregularity" in his vocal chords which left his doctor with the recommendation to avoid use of his voice and waiting for recovery.  

All of this got me to thinking...what if our identity was limited only to our talents?  Though our talents may draw popularity in the tens, hundreds, or even thousands - I was reminded that we as human beings are more than our talents, skills, and abilities.  

Phil Wickham is a music artist who is more than his voice.
I am photographer whose identity is not formed by my ability to take pictures.
Your identity is more than "what you're good at"!

Hope your Tuesday goes well and hope that this post encourages you that your worth is far more valuable than the volatility of your job effectiveness!

Cheers!

- Jasonric

P.S. Here's a link to Phil Wickham's Blog highlighting his vocal chord challenge

This past weekend I photographed a couple who are entering into 25 years of marital bliss.  This was a unique opportunity for me seeing as how I spend a majority of my photographing with newlywed couples.  As I shot Erwin and Jeanette's pre-wedding renewal portraits, there was a moment after looking at all the images where I thought to myself, "I hope and I pray that I will be as in love if not MORE in love when I hit 25 years with my beautiful Annie".   Although this is 25 years in the making, you can tell that this couple is still very much in love with each other... lots of giggles turned to laughing, smiles, and firm embraces.  Cheers to this week's beautiful couple!

Apologies for going MIA on the blog friends!  2013 has been a wild year for us!   As our year began to close I realized how much I had to catch up on... weddings, family portraits, and even personal family moments.  Well, we hope you've had a wonderful holiday season with Christmas and New Years and "cheers" to good fortune and health for the upcoming year of 2014!  One of the first things our family did in 2014 was retreat away to the beach (our home away from home) and being a father and photographer, I brought my camera along with me.  

As a rule of thumb, I try to be very picky with where I bring my camera gear when it comes to family gatherings because I've learned over the past year that "he who holds the camera exists outside the moment"... we are physically present in tons of moments, capturing wonderful emotions. So usually I tend to leave the camera gear at home to play with the family... however, this time around I couldn't help but notice how BIG my kids were getting!  This past December my son turned 2 and my daughter turned 3.  We took a ride down to Huntington Beach and I got to capture these heart-melting moments that I will cherish forever! 

Cheers to new adventures, loves, journeys, victories, & challenges in 2014!
_ jasonric

My family and I have fallen into the ever-so-popular culture of "foodtruck-chasing".  There's something about these mobile eateries that just astonish me!  I'll be first to admit that my wife was the one who had always pushed me to go out and chase these trucks, but I was always hesitant.  It wasn't until I was at a leadership conference last year where I was "forced" to eat from food trucks because that was all they had.  I think the leader of the conference said it best when he described this food truck revolution when he said that, "Food trucks are successful because they bring the business TO the client [and not the other way around]."  Welp... Here is my newfound addiction - I am a glorified grub-chaser, and I am thoroughly hooked on BurgerMonster and from the looks of it -  SeoulSausage, check them out, eat their yummies and let me know what you think!

iphone 5!!! pictures below!

Took a morning to spend some time reading and thinking about life.  Growing up in California, I always loved going to the beach to get some clarity.  The ocean has always been the perfect place for me to unwind with God, breathe in fresh air, and just think.  So whether through words said or written, pictures taken figurative and literally, I just needed some time to stretch out, pray, and think.  Afterwards I walked around and enjoyed soaking in the surf and seeing these guys in action...

Several weeks ago when I brought my family to Dana Point on my wife's birthday, we stumbled across this very chic cafe near Dana Point Harbor.  "What a Dish Cafe" was the perfect place to have some serious downtime with my family over a flavorful breakfast, my wife and I tried different variations of eggs benedict that the cafe offered while my kids shared a sausage and pancake breakfast.  

What I didn't expect after stepping into this place was that they share space with a somewhat similar small business called "It's All About the Cake", and they specialize in, you guessed it... cakes!  Take a look into our experience at this very special small and local business and feel free to check them out on the links provided below!  Cheers!

WHAT A DISH CAFE'S WEBSITE      |     IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CAKE'S WEBSITE