My good friend Dr. Gary Small is on the cover of the KCET Magazine this month. I had the honor of shooting the cover headshot and two inset photos of Gary and his wife Gigi.
This past Spring I traveled to St John Island, in the US Virgin Islands to photograph a wedding. I spent a few days doing photography with the couple and then covered the wedding at the Caneel Bay Resort. St. John Magazine picked up the wedding and did a 12 page spread using 26 of my favorite images.
This year we’ve been selected by the loyal fans of The Knot as one of the best photography studios in Southern California in their Best of Weddings 2008 issue.
I really can’t go any further with this blog without thanking all my close friends, relatives, teachers, mentors, and business associates. This is a collection of the people who made me who I am today, people who make my business possible, and a few who I just plain appreciate having around.
Family goes first. Mom: you did everything a mom could, including making sacrifices in your own life to ensure I’d have the best. You fed me, clothed me, co-taught me to cook and taught me to tie my shoes. You’re one of my closest friends and know basically everything about me, thank you. Pop: (not ‘dad’, or you’ll kick my butt) you put the camera in my hands - that’s a big deal. You also ignited my passion for many things automotive, mechanical, electronic and outdoorsy. Carol: you hate it when the term “step-mother” is thrown around, so I’ll try something else: Advocate. Simply put, you’ve been an incredible person of support and encouragement in my life. Thank you for everything. Kim: you’re nearly a decade younger but still so close. You’re also a bajillion miles away most of the time. To the sister who I txt mr thn I c, thx 4 bng ther! Mike: the only Eagle Scout I know. Pop and I used to joke that if Kim ever had a problem I’d be the brains and you’d be the muscle. Not true. You’d be the brains and the muscle and I’d be the skinny guy sprinting to find help for the poor sap who crossed your path. Thanks for accompanying me in the outdoors and I’m looking forward to climbing Mt. Whitney this summer 
Love comes next: Michelle - I could blab on and on, but you know how I feel. Thanks for putting up with my BS and eating my cooking. I love you.
Curtis Dahl can’t be overlooked. He gets two mentions! You’re a great business partner and an even better friend. About 9 years ago this all started. Thanks for your help, inspiration, mentorship and entrepreneurial energy.
Last, but never least are all my close friends, both through business and personally.
So, in alphabetical order: Adam George, for being an old skool friend and fellow Brookie. Andrea Shear an amazing artist who creates outside the computer. Bob Fryer for creating my business card and logo, and putting up with all my inane requests. Bren Dahl for her diligent mid-westerness which has benefited the business so much and her tireless effort to keep the books balanced and bills paid. Brooke Lee a dear friend and fellow Brookie. The Brooks Institute of Photography for polishing my lighting and giving me an excuse to live in Santa Barbara. Carol Matteson for countless referrals and being like family. Curtis Dahl for being a close friend, mentor, business partner and great guy who I could never say enough good things about. Moonlight Color for making my prints look great and delivering on time. Gigi and Gary Small for shrinking my head, feeding me chicken and setting me up with their niece. Labprints gets major props for making digital photography work. Their product is simple fast and effective and we couldn’t do business without it.Leather Craftsman for doing things right the first time and making the most bitchenest albums on the planet. Jay Wiener for being one of my oldest, closest friends, and co-founder of the IPYMC. Jeff Ames and Joe Heckt for hittin’ the links and keepin’ the tunes going. John Solano for reminding me that I need to improve my Spanish. Jonathan Spoer our amazing IT guy for keeping everything working and still taking my calls when things go kablooie late at night.
![[Facebook]](http://blog.sterlingfrankensteffen.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[MySpace]](http://blog.sterlingfrankensteffen.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/myspace.png)
![[Email]](http://blog.sterlingfrankensteffen.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/email.png)