This couple shares many different things, an outgoing demeanor, an active lifestyle, and a loving family but the most important thing they share is their faith. A belief that God is perfect and just and man is sinful and corrupt, thereby forever separating man from God.

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Man’s sin is punishable by death and the separation between man and God is an irreconcilable one by any means that man could ever attempt.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

But God loved man so much that he sent his own son Jesus to live a perfect and sinless life as a man on this earth and to die for man’s sin by being crucified for sins He did not commit, thus taking a punishment He did not deserve.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” 

He then rose from the dead three days later and  after physically meeting and talking with his disciples, ascended to Heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

Romans 8:34 “…Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God…”

This is a free gift that He offers to those who believe He paid the price for their sin thereby closing the gap between man and God and offers them eternal life in Heaven for repentance of that sin, acceptance of it’s payment by Jesus death on the cross and commitment to Him as their Lord and Savior.

A marriage that is founded on the infallible truth of the Bible and is practiced by two individuals that are committed to Christ is a marriage that will not fail.

Chris and Lindsay won their Save the Date Photos at a drawing during one of our bridal shows several months ago. Once we got the chance to meet with them over coffee, we knew right away that this was a couple that we would become friends with fast. We were on the edge of our seats learning about how they met in the Peace Corps in Nicaragua. We loved hearing about their wonderful engagement story that revolved around a tour of locations from the first movie Chris and Lindsay had fond memories watching together, 500 Days of Summer.  The tour ended at a now famous bench from the film at Angel’s Knoll Park in Downtown Los Angeles where Chris proposed. We were stoked to do their photos and set a date and location.

They wanted to shoot at a beautiful spot in between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach called Crystal Cove. It was a new location for us (which is always a welcomed task for any photographer) that had wonderful latitude of open beach, rocky cliffs, and historical cottages as a backdrop. Perched on the cliffs just above the beach is a tiny little restaurant called Ruby’s Shake Shack. This is important because the day we showed up to do their photos it was completely overcast. Since Lindsay and her family are from Minnesota, they wanted to give everyone a real taste of Southern California in their wedding and also their engagement photos. Unfortunately, the weather looked more like we were shooting at a beach in Seattle. We tried to take a few pictures, but we knew that this was not the look that Chris and Lindsay wanted, so we postponed the session. Instead, we had the wonderful opportunity to sit and talk with our new friends over delicious shakes from Ruby’s, while watching the ocean from our cliff top vista before “rain checking” our shoot for another day.

The second time around, the weather was perfect, sunny, mid-70′s with a slight breeze and a few clouds (you know, typical weather for February in Southern California). We had a blast shooting Chris and Lindsay. They brought several props they wished to incorporate and a few looks to change into. One of their props, in particular, sparked our imagination greatly. They had constructed a large Polaroid, cut-out from cardboard with their names and date painted on the front. Using that prop, we decided to take our imaginations (and Photoshop skills) to the next level. Chris and Lindsay had a wonderful time walking up and down the beach, feeling the icy cold….ahem…refreshing Pacific Ocean on their feet and sharing some pre-Valentine’s chocolate. Once the sun went down and our shoot was over, we all came to the realization that we were cold, hadn’t eaten lunch, and were starving. There was a restaurant on the beach that validated parking, so we decided to check it out. We strolled into the quaint little place called The Beachcomber, and we all decided to get the same thing—clam chowder with coffee and ciabatta bread. Over dinner, we had a great time discussing movies and production until we were warm and full and then went our separate ways.

Chris and Lindsay are two of the most welcoming and warm people we have ever met. It’s no wonder they were both in the Peace Corps. It is evident that they not only love each other, but they love people and we love people who love people, because everyone is different and they all have a story to tell.

After hearing their wonderful story, we made plans to shoot their Save the Date photos in the following weeks. Justin’s first job was at the Auga Dulce Winery just down the road from Vasquez Rocks County Park in Auga Dulce, CA. He still had many friends their and they had given him access to the whole winery for their photos. With threatening rain the entire afternoon, against the backdrop of stunning natural beauty at Vasquez Rocks and the warm, at-home feel of the winery we did their photo shoot centered around a beautiful 1932 Pierce Arrow and a vintage looking bicycle Justin had purchased for Melissa’s birthday. Once the clouds broke in the evening, we had a fiery sunset as a background, very fitting to represent the passion and love this couple shares.

2013 is already looking like it’s going to be a great mix of weddings, along with some really neat concepts and documentary work for us, which leaves us very excited to share with you the best of 2013 in the future, but that’s still a year away! So we leave you with our favorites from 2012:

We started the year off right. We drove to the RED Digital Cinema headquarters in Irvine, CA and picked up our new Scarlet Camera which we named “Elena.” Our first thought was what do you do when you have a new kid? Take them to Disneyland of course! So we spent the day as a company with our newest family member. We even bought her a Mickey hat with her name embroidered on the back.

We captured this image for Tim and Kristen where they had met years before at their alma mater USC. The campus is a photographer’s playground, littered with beautiful brick buildings and sprawling grounds. We scouted the location before meeting up with Tim and Kristen and using the wonders of technology were able to track exactly when the sun would be in the perfect position to give us the back light and flare we were looking for. If you are interested the app is called Helios and it’s awesome, especially if you work in the timelapse world.

Jake and Nicole were a laugh a minute couple. They had won a free Save the Date photo shoot from us. Nicole had several great but very different looks that she wanted to achieve with the photos. I suggested LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art), a place I had visited many times for my own personal work, that would be able to offer us the different backdrops we would need to achieve our goals. Jake and Nicole had never been there before but loved the location. This photo was one of the favorites from the shoot. it is very southern California with the palm trees and dressy yet casual clothes and very American. With the red accents of the glasses, nails and sweater, the almost white lamposts, and the deep blue sky as the couple look into the future, their future, and it looks sunny bright and full of life.

Stephanie and Patrick wanted to have their Save the Date photos in Santa Monica, a place we know well and had visited often. We walked all over the pier and down past muscle beach until we came to this large expanse of empty beach. We directed them to walk away from us over to the right and just keep on walking till they reached the water. In having them go to the right of the frame away from the tire tracks of a long passed police or coast guard vehicle they give the image a sense of taking the road less traveled and with their hands clasped they would not travel this new path alone. The large use of negative space gives us a sense of solitude and yet of intimacy that they are in their own world and nothing else matters because they are together.

For Tim and Kristen’s wedding we shot the groomsmen on a bluff overlooking the ocean at high noon. The harsh noonday sun gave us a crisp and contrasted feel that added to the epic feel of the photo. Those that are married men can connect with the feeling this photo brings. As this shoot was just hours before the ceremony, you feel awesome. You are dressed to the nines, you look cool and you know it. With a posse of groomsmen who have your back it feels good, like you could take on anything.

For the girl’s end of Tim and Kristen’s wedding we captured this very unconventional silhouette of the bride. It really makes the mind curious as to who she is, what she looks like. It gives a female viewer the opportunity to step into the shoes of this bride as she just starts to pass out of the frame.

Toward the end of Tim and Kritsten’s wedding which was on a bluff near a lighthouse in Torrence, CA we went to the edge of the bluff and using a sign post to hold the camera steady for the 30 second exposure we were able to capture this gorgeous shaft of light from the lighthouse. I particularly enjoy the soft reflection of the light off the surface of the waves below.

During a reception for Stephanie and Patrick we had a moment to borrow Stephanie’s sunglasses (which she had searched all over Los Angeles to find the perfect pair) and place them next to a drink that had been made special for that evening by the bartender. The pint glasses were given out as favors along with their names and wedding date the glass reads, “To have and to hold and to keep your beer cold.” This image is a perfect snapshot of the evening which was a warm summer night filled with dancing, fun, good drinks and good times.

We got this image of our bride Jamie during her wedding in Huntington Beach, CA. It is a quite moment before the ceremony where Jamie gathered her thoughts and just let the experience of getting married sink in. She was about to marry her best friend Jamie who lived half a world away in New Zealand. Jamie and Jamie had met in Facebook fan page for the popular music comedy duo Flight of the Concords.

During a wedding in Ojai, CA, at quaint retreat house in the mountains our groom got a straight razor shave from some very skillful hands. It was a challenge to get this shot without standing over the groom or impeding the view of the barber. 

Amidst the reception of the Ojai wedding we asked to borrow the bride and grooms hardware. We placed them on their hand drawn invitations and captured this marvelous image of the rings. It was pitch dark by this time so we had to use external flashes for the light. This was the first wedding where we had the chance to work with Canon’s new Speedlight 600 EX-RT which is their popular speedlight plus radio capabilities. These flashes in conjunction with a 5D Mark III camera make working with speedlights an amazing and fun process

We love the Indian weddings we get to be a part of. The colors, food, and dancing make traditional weddings seem just a bit on the tame side. This image is not from an Indian wedding however. It is from the celebration several days before the wedding. The life an energy of these events is well shown here from Matt and Gopika’s mehndi. At Indian events everyone dances….everyone. From the very young to the very old. In this image we see the two young children the center of all the dancing, kids at weddings always have some of the best moves.

Another thing that is very typical of Indian weddings is choreographed dances. Displayed here was a huge dance put on for the couple Matt and Gopika that are in the bottom right of the frame. We love this image because not only does it convey the event so well there is one bridesmaid who is peeking out. I love these kinds of moments. To the pleasant surprise of all the guests Matt and Gopika joined the dance at the end copying the moves and dancing to Korean pop star PSY’s, “Gangam Style.” A treat that was met with wild cheering and applause.

Selective color may be one of the most cliché images in all the world of photography but this boquete shot we got at John and Xylina’s wedding has no post process on it to dull out the background. This pile of boards, from years of being weathered, had los their color turning to this wonderful grey that brought out all the colors of the flowers so well. The image was also taken in this direction and not flipped or rotated in post. We liked that the boquete seemingly defies gravity.When we got to this image in post production we just stopped and stared. The posing was perfect and natural, the lighting was fantastic, and the backdrop was stellar. This image conveyed everything Aaron and Meredith had planned for their Halloween themed wedding. The old world hallway is courtesy of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown LA. We were able to catch it right at a moment when the typically very busy hallway was empty.

First of all, thank you so much for spending some time here with us. If you are reading this, it means that you are probably a friend, an interested client, or someone who appreciates our work. We are thankful for all of you.

FlyFeNniX Productions has been a wonderful journey for me, and I can hardly think of anything that I would rather be doing. It has given me the honor to meet wonderful people, learn a lot about our craft, and be witness to some amazing stories.

Now I won’t deny that I haven’t done some mistakes along the way. After all, one day I was working as a production assistant in a Hollywood studio, and the next, I was running a small production company with 3 employees. It was overwhelming. At times it still is. A few people have asked me for the secret to make all of this happen, while making it look so simple. The secret is… I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m learning as we go, and I’m just dumb enough to expose this in front of you and everyone. I’m not perfect, but I try to be brave. I believe everything must get progressively better, and I always strive to fuel my desire of learning. The day I stop wanting to learn more, will be the day it’s all over.

One thing I’ve been certain about from the very beginning is caring for our clients. I’ve always strived to give my best, and to encourage my crew to do the same. I’m constantly looking for different ways to improve on this, which brings us to the main point of this letter…

“Everything Changes.”

This is a phrase used often by Jim Jannard, founder and former CEO of Oakley Sunglasses and founder and current CEO of RED Digital Cinema. Jim is a person I admire for being a visionary. He is one of the only, if not the only person who has been able to create two separate multimillion-dollar multinational brands from scratch. In fact, many of the words written on this blog post are probably a reflection of what I’ve learned from him. I want my company to be a place where we embrace this concept of  “Everything Changes”. I hope this approach won’t frustrate you. Understanding that it is in YOUR best interests that things change and get better. It shouldn’t matter what we do, what we offer in our services, or if we change our approach to social media, as long as it is in our client’s best interests. FlyFeNniX clients are my number one priority. Therefore, it is also in my best interest, to change everything I can for the better as often as possible.

Changes have happened constantly ever since FlyFeNniX started. What seemed like good ideas two years ago might seem completely wrong today, and boy, were some of ours wrong. Now we begin this New Year with new ideas, new concepts, and renewed motivations, which we will be sharing with you throughout the following months. I want to invite you to be a part of it.

I enjoy thinking out loud, talking to you. When I think out loud, I usually get a response. Those responses often lead me to a better understanding of what I was thinking about. This new or better understanding brings forth change. However, a lot of my thoughts have absolutely nothing to do with what we do at FlyFeNniX. Sometimes they are about technology, sometimes movies or photography, and sometimes it’s just random stories. I’ve never wanted to clutter my company with those thoughts, but at the same time, I’ve never wanted them to be completely foreign. That being said, I started my own personal blog called “Wherever You Go.” Where I’ll be sharing those things that don’t necessarily fit here, but I’d like to invite you to be a part of. Every once in a while you’ll see a recap of what I’ve posted there in here. You will also find me updating our social media much more often than we have these past few months, so you can be in the loop of these new things that are happening with us.

I’m really excited to share all of these new changes with you. I truly love what we do here, especially because we get to interact with you. I really thank you for your support. It keeps me going.

Sincerely,

Ces Peynetti
Director of FlyFeNniX Productions

At our bridal shows we usually have a drawing to win a free Save the Date film, during one drawing, we pulled Meredith’s name. When we met with Aaron and Meredith they couldn’t have been more excited for the chance to make this film or to tell us all the amazing details they were planning for their wedding. How it would be at a 1920′s restaurant in downtown LA called The Cicada and  how their wedding would be Halloween themed!!! Where everyone had to come in costume or don’t come at all. I remember Meredith saying, “If your costume comes in a bag…you can’t come.”

Several months later, after wrapping the production segment of their Save the Date film, they asked us to photograph their wedding. If they hadn’t asked we probably would have begged them to let us shoot their wedding because never had we met a couple that was so willing to really make the wedding experience their own. Traditions are great but if it’s not who you are then who is it? (Well that soapbox is for another time.) We began that very afternoon, thinking of what costumes we would wear for a wedding that was over nine months away.

The day finally came and we dawned our fantastic costumes ready to shoot the most unique wedding we had ever been to. Aaron and Meredith got ready at the beautiful Millenium Biltmore Hotel in downtown just a block from The Cicada, where the ceremony and reception would be held. After the girls finished hair and make up and began putting on their vintage gothic attire. The guys were finishing up getting straight razor shaves at St. Vincent Barber Shop, a tiny little barber shop, on a tiny hidden side street of downtown. That Aaron perfectly described as, “Diagon Alley,” from Harry Potter. On their way back to the hotel they stopped by Casey’s Irish Pub for some lunch and a quick drink to welcome their friend into the brotherhood of being a husband. Following the guy’s prep (and ample application of guyliner by bridesmaid Kitty) to complete their vintage gothic look, Aaron and Meredith finally got to see each other for the first time that day.

After a short walk to The Cicada, the ceremony was soon underway, a processional set to Muse and an officiant dressed as the Grim Reaper could not have been a better back drop for this couple’s wedding. Following the exchange of rings and “Hell yeah’s!” instead of “I do’s,” Aaron and Meredith were married. The reception got underway with speeches and dinner preceded by a cocktail hour. True to their style they shared a crepe instead of traditional cake cutting and then danced most of the night away. Then came my favorite event of the night, an impromptu photo booth, with one of  their friends that had fallen asleep on a couch at the back of the venue. Who served as the centerpiece, prop, and backdrop all in one. This wedding was more than a privilege to not only shoot but to be a real part of.

And just in case you were wondering, here is a picture of us in our awesome costumes from Make Believe Inc. in Santa Monica, CA

It was an overcast yet pleasant day in Camarillo. While Xylina and the bridesmaids sipped champagne as they got their hair and make-up done, John and the groomsmen talked about the bachelor party over breakfast burritos and Grand Theft Auto, every so often making sure to let John have a good icing. After Breakfast, the guys headed to Hank’s Barber Shop for straight razor shaves and haircuts. Once everyone was dressed, a stretched Hummer arrived to pick up the guys and take them to Padre Serra Parish where Xylina and the girl’s were excitedly waiting to start the ceremony. Following the ceremony the bridal party was off to the beautiful and vintage McCormick Ranch House nestled among the fields of Camarillo for the reception, dinner and dancing. To be dismissed for dinner, guests played a hilarious text-in trivia game with DJ Graham from Silvertunes Entertainment where all the questions were based on, “How well do you know John and Xylina?” The night continued with dancing, touching and funny toasts from family and the cake cutting, an event resulting in both John and Xylina getting cake all over each other’s face and I am pretty sure up John’s nose. The night ended with a glee filled  tunnel of guests leading John and Xylina to the Hummer for their getaway.

 
Back in July, instead of having our standard coffee meeting with Matt and Gopika, they asked us if we would like to meet for dinner at Sunnin Lebanese Cafe. Since we love food and are constantly yelping new places to try, we jumped at the chance. We arrived early (as is our usual) to scope out the place and find a table where we could spread out and talk, there is nothing worse than six people trying to sit at one tiny table outside a Starbucks with a speaker right above your head, blaring the latest indie hit from a band a hipster would tell you, “you’ve probably never heard of.”

Once we settled and ordered some stellar Turkish coffees and one random glass of yogurt drink, it wasn’t long before Matt and Gopika arrived. That’s when the party started, our conversation went from zero to sixty as they shared with us their hilarious engagement story over plates of delicious Shwarma, Hummus, and Pita Bread. Our meeting felt less like a meeting and more like old friends catching up, we walked away with a sincere feeling that we had made new friends.

Two days after their Mehndi on a beautiful October morning we drove to the Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey to begin filming, we started the day out with Gopika and her bridesmaids in the bridal suite which overlooked the marina and outlying ocean from the top floor of the hotel. Part of the way through Gopika’s prep she sent the first of a series of gifts over to Matt’s room. Following the gift, we went with the bridesmaid turned courier to capture the moment. After repeated knocking and no response, we returned to the suite. Upon Matt’s return, he had with him a beautiful brown box simply tied with a thin rope of leather emblazoned with a very recognizable and enviable logo. This package, along with a letter he had written were sent to Gopika. After receiving the package and having a deluge of emotions wash over her because of it’s contents, she quickly sent the faithful bridesmaid/courier back to Matt with the first of his gifts. The gifts for Matt followed the theme, “going to the moon” because Gopika said, “I would go to the moon and back for him, and not anyone else.” From a LEGO moon rover to probably the most unique wedding gift I will probably ever see, the gifts brought a smile to Matt’s face and a sense of wonder at his soon to be wife.  The rest of the day followed suit with every event and activity representing just how crazy Matt and Gopika are for each other and how fun-loving and open they are to everyone they come in contact with. From the energetic Baraat to the calm and beautiful sunset before the reception, every aspect of the day was a perfect backdrop to convey who this couple is.

Once we settled and ordered some stellar Turkish coffees and one random glass of yogurt drink, it wasn’t long before Matt and Gopika arrived. That’s when the party started, our conversation went from zero to sixty as they shared with us their hilarious engagement story over plates of delicious Shwarma, Hummus, and Pita Bread. Our meeting felt less like a meeting and more like old friends catching up, we walked away with a sincere feeling that we had made two new friends.

Early last month we had the great privilege of capturing their Mehndi and Wedding. Their Mehndi was held at the Harlyne J. Norris Pavilion in Rolling Hills near Palos Verdes. The evening’s agenda was filled to the brim with food, dancing, henna, more food and even more dancing. Dinner was amazing Indian cuisine, featuring several dishes I had never encountered before. I would elaborate but for the life of me can’t remember what they where called. What I can say is, it was the best pancakesque-cheesy-potato-curry-burritto I have ever had. I may have committed a culinary injustice, since I topped it with guacamole, from a huge bowl that accompanied other bowls of Chips, Salsa, and Pico de Gallo tha Matt and Gopika had placed next to one of their engagement photos, an image of Gopika holding a sign that said, “Chips” and Matt with a sign that read, “Salsa.” Indian and Mexican food together, a unique idea from a very unique couple. Dessert was catered by a cute and classic ice cream cart from Carmela Ice Cream which had very delicious and different sorbet and ice cream choices such as refreshing Basil and Mint Sorbet. The night’s festivities weren’t all centered around food however, there were several choreographed dances from cousins, aunties, family, and a surprise dance for the guests featuring Matt and Gopika emulating the now classic “Gangam Style” dance by Korean Pop Star, Psy. There were also speeches by a few members of the bridal party and heartfelt thank you’s to all the people that made the evening possible. All in all it was a fantastic evening that matched the couple’s enthusiasm, humor, and love.

We had the privilege to do both the photography and videography for this wedding, and a Same Day Edit short film! One of my favorite moments from the day (apart from the whole getting married thing, of course) was when the bride opened a special gift box sent up to her from the groom. Inside the box was a key with a note attached that read “to the balcony”. Low and behold, the groom had parked a brand new car outside for her! What she didn’t know was that he was standing under the balcony (we made sure he couldn’t see her since they hadn’t had their “first look”) and beaming ear to ear with excitement.

All that to say, it was a long day filled with special moments, and we had a blast capturing it from every angle. Congrats to this wonderful couple, whose hearts are so filled with love for one another!