Hi there! Welcome to my Blog! My name is Joel Llacar, I am the owner and principal photographer for Joel Llacar Photography. I am based in Westlake Village, California. I document Weddings throughout Southern California and Beyond including Los Angeles County, Orange County, Ventura County, and Santa Barbara County.
One of the many things I passionately love about photography, is when I finally get to "show-off" some of my most favorite images after a shoot, for everyone too see! I love to be able to connect to my clients, my brides, my friends, and my colleagues, on a personal level. When I first got into "blogging", I didn’t really enjoy it as much. Now I do. I really do enjoy blogging (and bragging) about my clients, their personalities, how we met, what their wedding day was like, and most of all, the images that tells the story of their wedding day.
Thank you for visiting my Blog!
Contact info: Joel Llacar. (310) 989-3745 info@jllacarphotography.comUPDATE: So honored to be Zsaella and Joseph’s Wedding Photographer. I just posted what is got to be my BIGGEST collection of images from their wedding. See below and Enjoy! Full Write up of this GORGEOUS Wedding coming very shortly!
Ceremony: St Lawrence Martyr Catholic Church, Redondo Beach, CA. Reception: The Hyatt of Long Beach, CA
Slideshow will be posted on Jackie and Conrad’s blog post this week!
Rachelle and myself designed a beautiful custom signature guestbook for Robin and Len’s wedding this coming September 20th. *UPDATE, Friday Sept 5th*: Robin and Len’s Guestbook arrived today from those “Brown wearing fellas”. Whenever I meet with a potential client, I always make sure that I show them a sample of one of my custom made signature guestbooks. All I can say is that I LOVE LOVE these guestbooks. Beautiful hardbound cover with pages made out of archival paper. Quite honestly, I wish I had one of these during my own wedding! I cannot wait to drop them off with Robin! I just know she will fall in love with them!
August has been one of my busiest months capturing and documenting Weddings. Today is the only Saturday that I get to spend the entire day (and evening) with the family. I decided to take them to Santa Barbara for lunch. Rachelle and I have been to “SB” for several times, but this is the first that we get to experience Santa Barbara with Jordan. It was quite an eventful but absolutely gorgeous day. Check it out!
Now why there are other names on this first collage other than myself, Rachelle, and Jordan???? The things that make you go hmmm….
Actually there should be on more name but we are keeping it a secret for now. (Shhhh look at the 2nd collage).
Girls do RULE!!! I believe that!! Someday a woman will run this country, and we (including us fellas) will live a much happier and healthier lives!
My brother-in-law Conrad married his fiancee Jackie in Los Feliz. My wife Rachelle, Conrad, and their family have been attending Sunday Mass at The Our Mother of Good Counsel Church since they were in grade school. Rachelle even attended their Catholic school. I was very fortunate enough to get married at the same church just about two years ago. I met with Jackie during her getting ready part at The Hilton of San Gabriel, where she will eventually also hold her Wedding reception. Celeste Magdato, her hair and makeup stylist did an awesome job with Jackie. After she was finish with Celeste, with the help of her sister Janet, Jackie wore her beautiful wedding gown ready to travel to Wedding Ceremony. I only had about 20 minutes or so of some bridal portraits taken right down at the hotel’s staircase lobby. Gorgeous sunlight coming through from the windows gave us excellent directional but diffused lighting. I naturally took advantage of it, accented with a few off camera lighting.
Ceremony started right on time at 3pm sharp. It was funny in a way to look at this church from a photographer’s point of view. The minute I walked in, I suddenly realized that just a few years ago, I was the groom getting ready to get married. Ambient lighting was a bit of a challenge as there is hardly any of it, and not only that, the officiants said NO FLASH during the ceremony! No worries, I can handle any lighting situation, flash or no flash. My 2nd shooter and I had NO PROBLEM capturing and documenting this amazing wedding.
Reception was held at the 3rd floor Garden Terrace of The Hilton of San Gabriel. Gorgeous flower arrangements by Perfect Arrangements of Carson, CA.
I have known Zsaella since I was in highschool. I met her on one cool Fourth of July back on 1991. Wow!! Talk about BACK in the days. Yes, I was young once (and single!). Didnt have a care in the world. All I did back then was hang out with my boys, go to parties, drive my Nissan Sentra with my boys. I loved that Sentra, so many memories. A nice car that was handed to me by my Mom. Yes, a 1987 Nissan Sentra, my chick magnet. Haha! So anyway, I have seen Zsaella go through boyfriends like onc would go through underwear. Through out the years, I came to know her and her family. We became very good friends. We had so many good times together. I hung out with her sisters, her family and her friends. It was GOOD Times!! Over the last few years though, as we became “more responsible”, we slowly just drifter apart. Not keeping in touch anymore. I guess you can say that is just natural when start taking on more responsbilities, such as graduating from college, taking on a career, paying credit card bills. etc. etc..etc.. We still stayed in touch though, but not as much. I am still close to her in many ways. I was fortunate to become good friends with her. When I got married back on 2006. I already knew I wanted her to be one of my bridesmaids. I am so glad she accepted! So now, here we are. Time for “Nina”, as I have called her, to settle down. I was actually texting her last year if she knew of anyone that was just engaged, or those looking for a wedding photographer. Well she replied, I can start with her. The moment I read that particular text message on my phone. I jumped for joy!! I remember, I was at work one afternoon when she responded. I was so happy for her. I was so happy that she finally tying the knot. She met a really good man in Joseph. I know very well he will take care of her.
I finally scheduled an engagement session with them. It was just a little too close from her wedding day. But hey, I gotta do this. I wanted to do this. I am so proud to be her wedding photographer. We settled on a very nice location inside the grounds of Cal State Long Beach University. Its called The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden. Went on a Sunday, but they were only open from 12-4pm. What a bummer because we met at 2pm and the strong light was harsh like you would not believe. We made the most out of it, but most of all– We had a GREAT TIME doing it!
Beautiful outdoor wedding in Casa Sirena Hotel & Marina in the City of Oxnard, CA.
In the meantime, these images of Tania caught my eye and I just had to show them. This is Tania just before the she walks down that Aisle with her Father.
Beautiful Couple! I know very well that Floria and Seylom are so excited about their wedding day! They are set to wed this coming August 8th in Westlake Village, CA. Another beautiful session at The Landing in Westlake Village. They are so fun to shoot, and I even gave them very little direction because their poses and interaction with each other were so natural. It was truly an amazing experience.
Good job Joel & Rach! Damn it just brings back memories of when Paolo and I got married at St.Lawrence.. awwww =) Paolo and I will see you guys when we get back from Korea.. hopefully I can do some weddings there! Heehee =)
First of all, It was the most beautiful wedding ever! It was a gorgeous day for this special occasion. The bride Zsaella my friend is beautiful in every way & Joseph very slick & handsome. The motiff of the entire wedding the colors, the flowers and the setting was beautiful. Joel & Rachelle, you did a terrific job on the pictures & video.Keep up the great work! I hope to see more from the reception.
The whole ensemble is very nice & well done. I hope to see more from the reception. Keep up the great job Joel!