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Manalo Empire Photography bio picture

Welcome to my Blog!

 I'm the first to admit...."I'm in love with love".  I love seeing two people happy together.  I enjoy seeing the way a couple looks into one another's eyes and seeing the spark between them...that magic.  It makes me smile. I love seeing families and friends bond. I adore children smiling and laughing...that's why I photograph people.
     These things keep me happy and motivated.  They fuel my passion to always be the best photographer I can be for myself and for my clients.  I consider all of my family, friends, peers and clients a part of "Manalo Empire".  A group of people who I keep close to my heart...
     I love what I do, and I pour myself into my work wholeheartedly. It is a part of me. How do I "define" my work?  It's hard to put me into a box.  But a few words that come to mind are romantic, fun and spontaneous.  It's a mixture of so many things. It's me....Manalo Empire.

A Few Tid-bits on Me

I'm a California girl at heart

I'm married to a wonderful man and I have 3 beautiful children

I'm a veteran of the United States Air Force

I can weld, use a lathe and mill, and shoot an M-16 (strange fact, I know) LOL!!!

I <3 coffee and boba!

I dig my boots

I love accessories (but I don't have enough)

I'm friendly and I like to have fun

I like pretty girly things

I love spending time with family and friends

I'm pretty easy-going and not too hard to please

I like the little things in life, like children's smiles, the smell after a good rain, and listening to the waves crashing on the beach

Mexican, Italian and Asian foods are my favorites!

I'm not too big on chocolate, but I LOVE Red Vines Licorice!

It's hard for me to put down my camera I love using it too much! (Just ask my kids...LOL!)








Natalie’s Birthday Bash

Isn’t she just beautiful?  Recently I had the opportunity to photograph this pretty young lady’s birthday party.  Here are just a few of the portraits from that day.  More to come soon….

A little fun in the lobby…

This photo was  Natalie’s idea.  She loved the light in the elevator and wanted to be photographed in there.  Luckily she was staying at the hotel, otherwise I would’ve never of known that the elevator had such cool lighting!  So we took a ride (up and down) to try and capture this shot.  Luckily a few of the passengers were kind enough to let us finish…

More to follow…

Linco Inc.

As a photographer, I always want to give the best to my clients.  And I can honestly say, that I believe Linco is the best framing company in Southern California.  I’ve used several other companies in the past, and none of them have  met my high expectations.  Only one company has stood out from the rest…and that is Linco Inc. in San Dimas.

I have been going to Linco for the past few years, and haven’t looked back since.  I believe that when a company does well they deserve some praise and recognition for it.  Steve Lindemann is not only a great business person and vendor, but he’s kind, considerate, and appreciates what he does.  Every time I walk in, I’m greeted with a smile.  He’s always great at helping me  pick out the best frames and mats for my clients.  And he always delivers on time. (Which is why I no longer go to anyone else.)

I highly recommend Steve and Linco for all of your framing needs.  Not only do they have hundreds of frames in stock, but just about every type of color matting imaginable.  He custom cuts every mat and frame to your exact specifications.  You can choose from regular, to UV-coated glass.  There is so much he can do, you just have to go down there to see it for yourself.

Don’t bother getting a cheap frame that will fall apart from anywhere else.  If you want quality, and durability…his work is spectacular and worth every penny.  His frames are the best in showcasing your precious images in your home.  He is now my one and only framer.  I only expect the best for my clients and myself, and he is definitely it.

Linco Inc.
326 W. Arrow Highway
San Dimas, CA  91773
(909)971-0244
www.lincopictureframing.com
linco@tstonramp.com

The Ballecer Clan

It’s been a long time since I’ve shot in a studio.  So when I was approached by LadyAnn to photograph  both sides of her family in a studio she reserved time for?  I was more than happy to oblige!  Here is a sneak peek of just one of the shots from our session.  This is such a fun image!  I just LOVE this shot!!!

Isn't this one of the coolest family shots ever? Go Lakers!

More to come soon!!!

A Girl is Born-Baby Caitlyn

As a mother of three children I can tell you…I love my kids.  Some of the most amazing days in my life are the days they were born.  Giving birth is such a wonderful,  and miraculous thing.  It’s a blessing.  So to be asked to be the photographer of a birth…I felt honored.  To be there for such an important part of a couples life, and to share in their joy is a gift.

Jae and Christy are becoming good friends of mine.  Not only have I photographed their engagement, wedding and maternity shoot…I was now going to be photographing the first few precious moments of their daughter Caitlyn’s life.

I got the call early in the day that Christy had went into labor.  Around 7:30 p.m., Christy called me to tell me that she was going to start pushing in an hour or so.  I rushed over to the hospital.  She was in good spirits and seemed to be a big trooper in handling the pain.  I mean really…I was never so calm with any of my births!

Within 1.5-2 hours….Caitlyn was born.  A rush of emotions was felt by everyone in the room.  I looked over at Jae and he was just beaming with pride.  I photographed Caitlyn’s first few moments of life.  I captured the emotions of the parents.  It was simply amazing.

So without further delay…here are just a few of the many images.

This isn't just a photo of an IV.  It is a photo of one of the hands of the mother who will use them to help care for, nurture, and comfort her newborn child.

And here she is...baby Caitlyn. Here is your beautiful newborn daughter Chris and Jae.

She's a healthy little girl. She has great lungs too...

A congratulatory kiss from Jae to Chris.

Here are the proud parents with a freshly bathed Caitlyn. I love how they are just looking at her in awe and amazement.

Here is a precious moment of Chris and Caitlyn looking at one another. Priceless.

Beautiful little girl.  I think daddy is going to have a hard time telling her "no" when she gets older.When baby Caitlyn was delivered…not only did the parents cry…but I did too.  What a blessing it is to give birth.  And what an honor and privelage it is for me to be asked to be the one to capture those moments.  Congratulations again Jae and Chris…you have a beautiful little girl.

Brigette and Adrian

A few weeks ago I photographed Brigette and Adrian’s engagement session at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles.   They are such a great couple!  When you are around them, you can see the sparks fly!  They look so good together!!!

Here are just a few images from that shoot:

They are just too cute for words!  I can’t wait to photograph their wedding in September!!!

Adrian and Karina

Here is just a sneak peek from the engagement session with Adrian and Karina.  Now, I must say…I have to give Adrian a high five on creating what looks like a cover of a romance novel.

Way to go Adrian!  Can’t wait til the wedding!!!