AWC-SB'S "Women Of Achievement" Annual Awards Luncheon 2015

Enjoy the slideshow at the bottom of this post. Feel free to "like" this page above, share this link on FB, and leave your comments about this super fun day of celebrating Santa Barbara women achievers!

The Association For Women In Communication's Santa Barbara Chapter
Annual "Women Of Achievement" Luncheon
2015 Location: The Santa Barbara Women's Club
Wednesday June 3rd, 2015

AWC-SB's Annual "Women Of Achievement" luncheon has always been an inspiring event for me to both attend and to photograph every year. It has been an honor being a part of this incredible organization and it's no surprise--with our incredible population of heavy hitting women in Santa Barbara--that we have the fastest growing chapter in this nation! 



This year's luncheon honored two very deserving women who have both had quite an influence both nationally and internationally:  local environmental activist and community leader Sigrid Wright of the Community Environmental Council and author and public speaker Marilyn Tam of The Happiness Choice. Also honored was AWC-SB Poet and "Member Of The Year" Perie Longo who wrote some pretty fabulous and witty poetic tributes for both of our honorees. 

Preceding two inspiring talks by Wright and Tam, SB Mayor Helene Schneider and Jan Ingram (long-time friend of Tam) gave some wonderful introductions to the honorees that were both humorous and thoughtful. And Sloane Reali, public speaker, vocalist, and vocal teacher, rocked the house with her always fun emcee skills. 



I always come out from this annual luncheon feeling inspired, proud to a woman in this incredible community, and motivated to think bigger with all of my dreams!

Congratulations to the three of you and thank you for all that you have done for our community!

Enjoy the slideshow below and feel free to "like" this page and share it on FB as well. 

Enjoy the slideshow below. Click on the "play" arrow button in the middle of the box. If the sound doesn't come on at first, then refresh your browser window and click on "play" button again. Enjoy! Feel free to share this link with others. 

Erika Lilley & Jeff Walker's Gorgeous Sunset Wedding

This could just as easily have been named "The Many Expressions of Erika Lilley Walker!" as I've never seen a more boisterous bride with a wider range of expressions than Erika. However, the moment when Erika won my complete and bemused respect was when she got down in the middle of the dance floor during the reception and started doing push-ups in her wedding gown. You gotta love it! As best friends in love and life (she's a fitness trainer and he's a coach) Erika and Jeff have boundless energy and enthusiasm for sports and all things athletic...which always makes for a fun celebration!  

I have to give thanks to friend and longtime client, Kathleen Barry, for having connected me with Erika and Jeff (who were planning their Santa Barbara winter holiday wedding at The Rincon Beach Club, a gorgeous and intimate venue in the seaside community of Carpinteria). It was only because of her that I know them both and was there to photograph their wedding. Big thanks to you, Kathleen!  

As you'll see from the photos and slideshows, Erika and Jeff are surrounded by a beautiful group of friends and family who delighted in watching this very much in love couple celebrate their nuptials.

I'm very much looking forward to helping them celebrate the next many years of co-creating your lives together! It was truly a pleasure photographing you both on a very special day! 

To look at the full gallery of all of the photos or to purchase prints from their wedding just click here: http://rsthurston.zenfolio.com/lilleywalkerjpegs

Hoping you and your loved ones enjoy these super fun slideshows!
*If the music doesn't come on when you click on the "play" (arrow button in the middle of the window below) then refresh your browser and click on "play" again.
**To make the slideshow full frame (recommended) just click on the rectangular icon in lower right hand corner of the slideshow window below. Voila! 

Erika & Jeff's Bride & Groom and Ceremony Slideshow

Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra's "Tango And Tapas" Gala Season Kick-Off

SBCO Executive Director: Kevin A. Marvin
Music Director & Conductor: Heiichiro Ohyama
Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra at The Lobero Theatre on Saturday November 1st, 2014

What do plunging necklines, deliciously sexy acrobatics, sangria, and Vivaldi all have to do with another?

Pues, todo! That's where the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra "Tango & Tapas" Gala Season Kick-Off on stepped in…seamlessly stitching all these artistic and musical elements together into one fantastic celebration at the Lobero Theatre earlier this month….

It has been a very exciting time to step on board as a photographer with the SBCO as their new executive director Kevin A. Marvin (with the help of his staff and the board) has been putting together an unprecedented event this fall mixing the delights of the SBCO's classical music at the Lobero along with a VIP event featuring tapas, sangria, and the incredibly sexy dancing of "Dancing With The Stars" choreographer/performers and husband-wife team "Sandor And Parissa," considered by some to be two of the best Argentine Tango Dancers in the world. (Am I the only one who thought Parissa was a dead ringer for a Latina version of Ashley Judd?)

Following the VIP event was a very moving concert by the SBCO featuring Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" and Astor Piazzolla's "Four Seasons Of Buenos Aires" (Aha! The Argentinean connection once again, folks!) featuring violinist Martin Beaver and SBCO Conductor Heiichiro Ohyama.

It was such a pleasure photographing this event, meeting several of the board members, and being a part of a one-of-a-kind SBCO Event. I look forward to hopefully working with them all again in the near future~ ;-)

Kudos to Kevin A. Marvin, his hard-working staff, the SBCO Board Members, SBCO Sponsors, Conductor Heiichiro Ohyama, Violinist Martin Beaver, the SBCO Musicians, the Lobero Staff, and all of you who were involved in creating a truly extraordinary evening of music and dance!

I want to give a special shout-out to my friend, client, and classical violinist in the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra Sally Barr for having connected me with them and sponsored the photography for the night! Without you, none of these photos would exist~ I am very grateful to you, Sally!

As a special thank you to Sally, Director Kevin A. Marvin, his staff and the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, I've put together a slideshow celebrating a few of my favorite moments from the evening. Enjoy and please share the link to this blog with your friends and SBCO lovers! You can check out this 2014-2015 season's schedules here: 

Cheers,
Rachel Sarah Thurston 
www.rsthurston.com

Enjoy the slideshow! 
~Click on the arrow in the middle of screen to play the slideshow.
~Recommended: Click on the rectangular icon in the lower right corner to make the slideshow full screen.
~If the music doesn't come on at first, please refresh your browser and click on the play arrow button again. 
*Music is "Postales" by Federico Aubele

2014 Santa Barbara Writers Conference

For well over a decade, the Santa Barbara Writers Conference (owned and directed by dear friends Monte Schulz and Nicole Starczak) has come to punctuate my year in a most wonderful way. It's a place where I can wear two hats….that of a writer and that of a photographer.

I have made lifelong friends from around the country through the conference, have found writing mentors who continue to inspire me, and built up a community of fellow writers with whom I can exchange inspiration and critiques throughout the year. 

Over the years my relationship with the conference has grown into becoming one of their main event photographers as well as running the Annual Talent Show with my co-host Margaux Hession and long-time friend and Mentor Matt Pallamary. The Talent Show continues to be a great way of just relaxing and celebrating a very long and exhausting week.

It's a month's worth of celebration, inspiration, interaction with mentors, fellow writers, editors, agents, and internationally renowned novelists and non-fiction authors.

Simply put: It's an incredible, magical, and mind-expanding week. Writers come for encouragement and feedback but end up coming again and again largely b/c of the "family" feel of the conference and for the friendships that we all make.

Big thanks to Grace Rachow, our heroic Director of Volunteers, and all of my hard-working fellow volunteers who have spent many years putting their love, sweat, and tears into helping Nicole & Monte run the conference so smoothly! Between us all, we have a wonderful team and SBWC "family!"

And now I'll put on my "photographer's hat" and let the photos speak for themselves. Looks fun, doesn't it?! ;-)

Enjoy the slideshow! Slideshow below may take a minute to load…but it's worth it! ;-) Once it's loaded, click on grey arrow in middle of window. If music doesn't come on within a second or two, just refresh your browser window and click on the "play" arrow button again. 

To watch with a full size screen, just click on the rectangular icon in lower right hand corner of screen. 

Feel free to leave "like" this post above, leave your comments below, and share this link with your friends. 

Santa Barbara's Association For Women In Communication Annual "Women Of Achievement" Awards Luncheon

Enjoy the slideshow at the bottom of this post. Feel free to share this link and leave your comments about this super fun day of celebrating Santa Barbara women achievers!

This is always an inspiring event for me to both attend and to photograph. It has been an honor being a part of this incredible organization--The Association For Women In Communication--and it's no surprise with our incredible population of heavy hitting women in SB--that we have the fastest growing chapter in the nation!

This year's Women of Achievement Awards Luncheon honored two very deserving women who have both had quite an influence on the media coverage in SB as well as our academic community. Bravo to both of you, Marianne and Nancy! Kate Carter is also an amazing woman honored with the "Lois Philips Founders Award." 

It was a special treat for me as well seeing the Marianne and the staff at The Independent being honored. When I first moved to SB almost 15 years ago, I interned and then wrote for them as a freelancer. I will always have a special place in my heart for The Independent "Family!"

And AWC-SB has had a special "home" at Antioch for almost two years now and I've had many close friends attend this excellent school. 

Congratulations to the three of you and thank you for all that you have done for our community!

Enjoy the slideshow below. Click on the "play" arrow button in the middle of the box. If the sound doesn't come on at first, then refresh your browser window and click on "play" button again. Enjoy! Feel free to share this link with others. 

Sloane Reali, YOU ROCK.

* Feel free to leave your comments and love for Sloane at the end of this post~

Working with Sloane Reali, on any level, is a total blast. I first met her many years ago when we were neighbors and have never forgotten her…she is a fantastic ball of energy and unfailingly positive and radiant. It was a total delight to see her in her element, working as both a vocal coach both privately and to groups (at The Santa Barbara Guitar Bar) as well as the intrepid leader of a group of vocal students at The Rock Shop Academy. Full of positive feedback and support for her students, I honestly can't imagine anyone else being in the position she's in. 

You can see how much her students (from young kids to older adults) really warm up to Sloane and feel comfortable and equally inspired by her presence. It's truly a beautiful thing to witness! And as a long-time vocalist and musician, I can truly appreciate her ability to nurture men and women's talents from such young ages no matter what level they may be starting at. I can only imagine how far along I would be musically if I had had a teacher like Sloane when I was younger. It's impressive as well how many resources there are for young kids when they are musically inclined….both The Santa Barbara Guitar Bar and The Rock Shop are fantastic local businesses supporting both amateur and professional musicians of all ages. 

Sloane, you're a total delight and I can't wait to see you and your students performing one of these days! Please give the young ones my best! They were an inspiration to me as a fellow vocalist myself.

Check out more of what Sloane does here: http://vocalcoachingbysloane.com


These are just a few of my favorite photos from our multiple shoots together…ENJOY!