GETTING OUT ALIVE ...

So I am supposed to be working on a paper right now but this one particular line keeps popping out of my head like a soar thumb. I was watching "Van Wilder" last night and he said the coolest line.

"IF YOU TAKE LIFE TO SERIOUS, YOU'LL NEVER MAKE IT OUT ALIVE!"

I absolutely love this and I thought I would share it with all of you before this beautiful long weekend commences.

This obviously doesn't mean that something bad is going to happen to you...

It means; If you take life to serious, you will not have lived life to its fullest. Being alive is one thing but LIVING is another. I encourage you to think of the term "Being Alive" differently. Not just eating and breathing, but FULFILLING your life. Doing what you REALLY want to do and not letting fears and worries and negative people stand in your way. There is no greater reward than living a life full of fulfillment.

There will be people who will critisize your ideas and point out nothing but the fears and negatives but the truth is if you truly believe in something than you should do it. And even if it doesn't turn out the way you planned it then you shouldn't regret it because you followed your heart. But I bet even if things turn out a little different , you will appreciate the unpredictable and learn from the experience.

I guarantee you there are a ton of people out there who share the same values and beliefs as you. Those are the people you want around you, those are the people that will encourage you to keep fulfilling your dreams.

I'm taking a little road trip this weekend, so you all think about this and enjoy your weekend.

Stay Fresh!!! (Never stop recognizing the simple beauties that surround you everyday, stay fresh and continuously find something new to appreciate)

And of course a blog post just isn't a blog post without a photograph... This is me loving life :)

The Great Gabby :)

Howdy ya'll,

I know Gabby has been DYING to see these photos so I definitely wanted to get them up for her before the long weekend arrives. Ps. Gabster, your photos are ready for pick up.. :-)

Gabby opted for a studio + on location shoot. We were trying to get this shoot done for weeks, unfortunately this Toronto summer, or lack of summer kept postponing the shoot. Every time we scheduled a date the weather channel would forecast rain a few days later. Eventually I stuck to my guns and I said with or without rain we are getting this done, so we sucked it up, held our breath and bit our bottom lip praying that no rain would pour down on us and luckily enough WE DID IT!

A little history behind Gabby. She is a singer and she is coming out with an album and as soon as she informs me of a link to a website/myspace you will be able to CLICK HERE to check her out.

The CD is called "Love for the Loveless" (not sure if I am supposed to reveal that information) so if you check this post more than once and you notice this paragraph is missing, it's probably because she yelled at me. Anywho, when she told me the title of the album I instantly reminded me of this particular location and I was pretty certain on the look I was trying to get.

On that note, I am going to bed...Awesome job Gabby and supporting crew Julia + Nickolooch!!! It was an extraordinarily fun day!

Enjoy...

julz

A lil behind the scenes action...





This picture defines Gabby...Love it!!!

Christina + Marco | Engagement

Ok...

Christina + Marco.....

Wow, where do I begin with these two??? I have known Chris & Marco for QUITE some time...it is definitely safe to say that we have history! When Chris called me to shoot her wedding I was beyond pumped!!!

Chris + Marco are certainly one of a kind. A good balance of wild mixed with mellow, when combined they make for a pretty cool combo.

To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect from them before the shoot, but they certainly pulled it off. I have known them for a long time and I don't hang out with them every day, but when I did I never really saw them be "lovey dovey" with each other... I thought Marco would be a big shot, too cool to show his emotions and Chris would just be...well, all over the place!

I was right about Chris, but I love it. It makes her who she is.. fun, wild and cool. Marco, on the other hand really impressed me. I completely had him figured out all wrong. You can tell how absolutely crazy he is for Chris, the man would walk a million miles for his soon to be bride. Chris is in great hands and Marco has his hands full, lol. But i'm sure it's gonna be an awesome journey together.

I can't wait for their wedding.

Here are some photos from their e-session!

julz

Madhu + Riaz | Full Wedding + Live like a beginner

"Live like a beginner!"

I am a big fan of Jason Mraz and I was reading his blog the other day when I came across something he wrote. Some fan asked him why he had a tattoo that said "beginner" and he responded by saying... "When I started surfing, I had to let go of the fact that I wasn’t going to look as cool as everyone else - that I wasn’t going to catch every wave, and if I did, it wasn’t going to be graceful. I found myself paddling-out next to pros wishing I were wearing a sign that said “beginner” just so they would know that I was cool being at this level. I began to notice that beginners had more fun anyway. They don’t get uptight when someone else scores the wave, nor do they know the conditions well enough to say it’s a good or bad day for waves; therefore, Beginners love regardless of condition, or shall I say, Beginners Love UNCONDITIONALLY." In Zen it is said that the beginners mind is a great place to come from." This train of thought inspired me to do the same thing in my life, to do everything as if it were my very first time doing it, regardless of how many times I may have done it in the past. The point is to make it count, have fun and put a smile on your face :)

That's my thought of the day. I encourage you all to try this and let me know how it goes :)

Now onto another full wedding that I photographed back in May. The photos have been ready for a while, but Madhu & Riaz decided they wanted a slideshow as well so here it is!

I have a special place in my heart for Madhu & Riaz. They were the second wedding I have ever booked and the very first wedding I photographed on my own, with my very own crew. We had 3 camera's going that day!!! Now I definitely admit that 3 cameras are completely unnecessary and the photos repeat themselves but give me a break, I was nervous, it being my first wedding on my own. (Allow me to clarify, I have done plenty of weddings on my own in the past, but this was the first wedding I photographed under "Julian Moniz" THE BUSINESS!!!)

I remember my first meeting with Madhu & Riaz...It was in a Timothy's cafe and they arrived unfashionably late. The meeting lasted quite sometime but it was all worth it. They were super awesome to work with and I loved every minute of it. I want to thank you both for trusting me and giving me the opportunity to capture each and every moment on your wedding day. I sincerely wish you both nothing but the best and a lifetime of happiness. Tell the family I miss them :)

julz

How do you plan life???

I put this question "how do you plan life?" up on my facebook in hopes that I would spark conversation or perhaps just hear other people's responses. And sure enough I received a few, thank you to those who commented.

I watched a movie not to long ago called "My Life in Ruins." Starring and written by the same actress who did "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." I was skeptical as I strolled into the theatre, but I love all movies because I always enjoy a good story. Surprisingly though, this movie was awesome. It's a feel good flick, and inspirational as well.

I learned 3 simple lessons that I want to share with everyone.

#1...There is always time for a coffee...

I mean this metaphorically of course, because I don't drink coffee. What it means is that no matter what you are doing in your busy lives, how many errands you have to run, how many assignments you have to complete, how many weddings you have to edit, yada, yada, yada...You should always take time for a break, even if it's only a coffee or a tea with one of your closest friends. Work smart, but don't kill yourself. There is no need to stress over every little thing, because it really isn't good for our health. Try to make what you do compelling, I know a lot of you will say how and the only answer is, you really have to love what you do. You have to have a passion for your work and life otherwise it's "JUST WORK." I have to admit, I love what I do and everyday I learn more and more and it is an incredible feeling. I am able to take photos of beautiful people, timeless moments and incredible landscapes and architecture around the world. My purpose is to tell a story, through photos every time I pick up my camera. Try to find what it is that you love doing and DO IT! (Sorry I strayed off topic)

The Europeans have the right mentality, they wake up, go to work and then they shut down shop in the afternoon for lunch and take a nap. Then they come back to work. The lesson here is to always make time for yourself, do something you love doing, go out with a friend for a coffee/soy green tea latte and simply talk and forget about everything for 30 mins or an entire afternoon.

#2...Just Dance...

I love this! In the film, the Greek culture is very care free and easy going. When something troubles them, what do they do? They dance, they dance their worries away. It actually works, Dance like nobody is watching and smile.

#3...How do you plan life?

One of the characters says this to the main actress..."But, How do you plan life.?" In this film, she is a tour guide, but her tours are always boring because tourists just want to have fun, they are on vacation, they don't want to be taught about the history of a country and follow a structured itinerary all the time. She always has schedule for everything and because of this the other main character asks..."how do you plan life?.

It's true, how? We can't, we never know what is going to happen. Life is constantly changing and so are we. But that is the beauty of life, the fact that we never know what to expect can be intriguing. We never know what is in store for us, it might be good or it might be bad. Whatever it is, we will learn from it and it will make us stronger and wiser.

We have to expect the unexpected and appreciate it at the same time. Because life is full of surprises, we just have to roll with the punches and react!

I thought I would share one of my favorite photos I have ever taken because I feel that it applies to this topic. This is my approach to wedding photography, you cannot control the day so my job is to capture it as it happens.
I already have this photo on my blog under Destination Weddingsbut I love it so much because of how beautifu this moment was, plus it was in the Mayan and destination weddings are my absolute favorite! We were done shooting for the day and the groom stood, holding his brides dress so it wouldn't drag on the floor as the sun was setting over the building and I just snapped it.

Breathtaking isn't it?

I would love to hear some of your comments on this post...keep checking back and thanks for reading.

julz

Jen & Roger Full Wedding :)

I hate to make this post short, but it's definitely sweet. I am meeting with Jen & Roger today, and I need to get ready b4 they get here so enjoy :) And please comment, I love hearing what you guys think...

PS. Happy Canada Day...I hope you all enjoy your day off, and don't think about going back to work tomorrow...even though I just reminded you, haha.

Julz