ello! And welcome to the new home of the JSP blog! Thank you SO much for taking the time to visit! We hope you take the time to wander around, explore, and discover the little parts of the site we have sprinkled here and there to hopefully make your stay on this site fun and wonderful :) As always, please do leave us your wonderful and warm comments to help each post from the oven feel loved! You have no idea just HOW much it makes my day to read your beautiful words! :D If you're shy, you can still press that nifty little 'like' button beneath each post to still leave your mark, but stay behind the scenes. That would make me really happy too!! (or do both, and be my new best friend! haha :P ) 
 
So off you go....meander through the pages! And I hope you love what you see and find! :D  
 
xox 
 
 
ps: This post is a pinned post, so this will remain up here above any new posts. So if you are a regular visitor here, please scroll down past this post for any new blog posts :)

It was nice today. 
 
To feel your fingers lock around mine, as our feet walked side by side while we felt the orange sand tingle with heat from the sun, between our toes. I giggled in amusement at you, because you tried to sync your footsteps with mine.  
 
I remember the salty sea breeze energetically brush past our faces, our necks, and our hair. And watching you smile as you looked from left to right, taking in the full wonder of God's creation around us. And although you didn't know it, it made me happy, to see you happy then.  
 
I remember thinking in quiet adoration of you, and of God in that slice of time, thanking Him for these quieter moments that we can simply just relish in together.  
 
xoxo 

'm sitting here with some rare spare time, and have realized I post about one personal post per year these days. Which is such a stark contrast to the pre 2010 Jenny Sun who wrote her heart out almost weekly about things that scared me, made me laugh, upset me, and just made me happy. It's easy to blame the lack of time over the past few years, since the majority of it I now spend nurturing my personal life over my business life (a move I will never ever regret), but at the same time, I think I've just become overall more guarded as I've grown up. Plus there seems to be about an extra 25,000 of you reading what I write these days so that also adds to the "be careful what you put out there, in case you get tomatoes thrown at you" fear. I've become a girl who no longer wears her heart on her sleeves.  
 
That said, I do really miss those days where I could just spill on whatever was on my mind, and a session of fun or serious verbal diarrhea would rule, and have it not be about work. So I'll try harder this year to do that :) To let you all in, that is :) And I'm hoping you'll enjoy the posts that ensue :) 
 
So, to start, here are a few random things that you may or may not know about me right now: 
 
1) I am NOT a sweet tooth. 150% NOT. I don't know why. I've tried and tried to like cakes, desserts, and all things sweet, but the most I can manage is the 5 mini tubs of ice cream in my freezer which I seem to only open when visitors come over. I also like to bake red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. But again, only for others to eat. People think this is weird, so I'm not sure what disorder to call this.  
 
2) I am OBSESSED with music. And that word, is probably an understatement. In my other life, I was a rockstar or some famous singer song writer churning out grammy award winning hits. But in this life, I'm a song hunter. No joke. If this was a real job, I'd be a professional. I'm THAT good ("self praise is no praise", I hear my husband telling me haha). Seriously, once I hear a song I like, I will hunt it to the ends of the earth til I know what it is, and how I can get my hands on it. If Shazam won't help me, that's ok, I'll find a way. A recent track I fell in love with didn't even exist in record form, so I begged the artist to please record a version. God must have heard because a week later, she launched the song for purchase. I was in audio heaven :D 
 
(3) I am the word WANDERLUST personified. I actually think I should diagnose this as a disease because the desire is so strong, my love to travel and see the world is greater than my love for shoes, clothes, bags, and makeup ALL COMBINED. I recently told my husband I'd take a holiday over a new Chanel bag, or a rolex watch. He, and everyone else looked at me as if I was mentally insane. I am still daydreaming about my next trip to anywhere my feet haven't been... sights set on Istanbul, Brazil and South America, the USA again (I fell in LOVE with New York last time and have been dying to go back), Switzerland, Moscow, Egypt and the Pyramids, and the more obscure parts of Europe :)  
 
(4) I have a secret constant fear that I am not good enough at my job. I don't know why. I sometimes look at my work and wonder what it is you all see in me because I believe there are so many other photographers who are so much better at it than myself. I know this sounds crazy to most, but it's true. The ones I confide into the most about my work will know that I am scared of being a failure and just being a disappointment. So thank you to every one of you who have encouraged me. I do mean it when I say to people I notice every 'like', read every comment, and appreciate all the kind words via email, twitter, facebook, and instagram.  
 
(5) I'll be celebrating my 5 year anniversary next week with the man I've shared the last 13 years of my life with. It's crazy to look back and see how far we've come, and how much we've changed and grown over the decade and a bit. I would never have guessed 13 years ago that God would have brought us through all that we have been through, and come out more rooted in our relationship. That doesn't sound like much of an achievement, but trust me, to us, that is huge :) And I am so thankful. So, while I am no expert on love and marriage, three things big lessons I've learned in the last decade is that i) forgiveness, compromise, and accepting a person for who they are, are HUGE ingredients to a marriage that flourishes. ii) things like passion, fun, friendship and love don't disappear in a relationship (most people think they do), but instead they often take on different forms. It's learning to recognize those forms and embracing them that adds fuel to the fire :) I think once I came to terms with those two things, our marriage was in a much healthier place :) AND iii) learn to prioritize the other person in the marriage instead of expecting it the other way around. It makes it easier for them to put you first in their lives :)  
 
And since no post feels right without at least one photo, I've grabbed 16 from my recent instagram feed (my username is: jennysun for those looking) to give you a visual snippet of the recent pages in my life :)

Left to right, top to bottom:  
1. being sick for over a month and still not well :( 2. I'm rarely up for sunrises, but this one was well worth being awake for 3. my very stubborn, cheeky, and feisty cat, Padme. 4. At a recent wedding with friends as a guest! Im in the top polaroid 5. Evidence of the red velvet cupcakes I DO make :) 6. My favourite little girl in the world: my niece Emily :) 7. Coffee love forever!! I have at least one every day 8. Probably the one seafood I could eat all the time. I'm obsessed with baked pepper crab. 9. Summer time fruits like cherries are my favourite all year 10. Although I don't love travelling to Asian cities (I'm a country/beach kind of girl hehe), I did make it to HK recently and got to add another country to my travel list 11. Evidence of my perpetual life on the road. 3/4 of the contents never ever leave the bag. 12. Being there for important moments :) 13. My favourite person in the world :) 14. These things are my BIGGEST diet weakness. Damn you potatoes!! 15. The best gift anyone can ever give me. I LOVE scented candles and oils! :D 16. Evidence of my mission to get fit and stay trim this year. It's been hard, but I'm still trying! :D

To end, I just want to leave you with a song that I've just been OBSESSED with lately. Probably the BEST rendition of U2's "With or Without You" I've ever heard. I absolutely LOVE this girl. She is so underrated, its not funny. You all HAVE to check her out. Sarah Darling's voice is absolutely beautiful and the original songs she writes is off the charts amazing. I promise you she is worth the time!! :) Connect with her here: official website, facebook, twitter, iTunes :) I know this should really go in the JSP Song Vault, but it's okay to break the rules now and again :) Enjoy!! 
 
 
 
 
xoxo 

he anthem of Alicia Key's "Girl On Fire" is blaring through the air as I sit here munching on the crunchiest most delicious cherries I've had in summers past, and I can't help but notice how fitting it is to hear it at this time of year. For the past few years, it has felt like a constant 12-month cycle of growing pains. Constantly progressing and better than the last 12 months, but still not without a tenacious wave of sweat, tears, and very very hard work. That's not to say this year hasn't been a year full of hard work. Believe me it has. But sitting at the end of 2012, I am a girl who is finally looking at the face of 2013 with great hope and excitement. Not because I know what it will hold, in fact, 2013 is as ambiguous as any other year has been. But instead, the hope and excitement is because, I feel the most rooted and grounded as I have ever been in terms of the things that matter in life.  
 
When I started this foray into this life behind the camera, I did nothing but chased my dreams relentlessly. Becasue thats what people told me to do. However no one ever tells you the great cost it comes at, and the things you have to sacrifice....That came at a great price of which my friends, family, my husband, and my own personal wellbeing bore very dearly. I have since learned that success to me isn't business wealth or fame... but it is happiness. And happiness I've learned is putting people in my life first, and that everything will work out around it :) It has probably been a 5 year lesson in the making, but God has gotten me through and I'm so glad. I am content in my marriage and we are about to celebrate our 5th year anniversary (more reflections about love and marriage when that time comes a little bit closer), I finally have time to reflect and have time to relate to God which does wonders for my soul and my sanity, I am now present at MOST (still not all... boo, but Im working on it) important events in my loved ones' lives, I have been able to see more unseen parts of the world with my husband, I have regular time to exercise and stay fit, I am able to get my much needed 8-9 hours of sleep a day, and by God's grace despite this rather big change in lifestyle, the great Man upstairs has provided abundantly in terms of work this year... so much so that my to-blog list has officially become longer than my to do list. Never thought that would even be possible. HAHA.  
 
Anyway... in line with my annual tradition of summing up the year in one word, I'm naming my 2012 to be 'settled'. For those that know me personally, they would be surprised to hear it, considering how busy I've been with my job, but this is the most content and rounded I've felt in 5 years (hopefully even more so in 2013! :D ), and I can't thank God more for that. It makes me a better person on the inside, and in turn a better photographer on the outside. My eyes are filled with much excitement for 2013 because I know that I've put the most important things in my life where they should be... and everything else that is in the unwritten book? well... I am well aware that nothing is ever permanent... not even when we think we have worked it all out... but I trust my AMAZING God to work out in His own always-wonderful ways to shepherd us forward to the right pastures :)  
 
To everyone who has been part of my 2012... thank you. To my BEAUTIFUL brides - your faces are what have MADE JSP...you have no idea how grateful I am that you choose ME. From the bottom of my heart, JSP owes you its past present and future. To our AMAZING fans old and new, (all almost-25,000 of you according to facebook!!) you make me smile EVERYDAY with your blessings, warm words, and support. Please know that I read every comment, see every like, and none of it goes unnoticed I promise..Without you, we wouldn't be here today.... .it is all your encouragement that brings JSP to life, and we are nothing but better because of you. Thank you for taking me all over the world whether its through a shoot, our name in passing conversation, or even just liking our photos on your mobile phone screens while you're on the train home. I love you all :)  
 
Thank you to the friends, brothers and sisters, and my family who gave my good counsel and called it as you saw it in truth when I needed it, and loved me in my most difficult of moments this year. You constantly teach me about humility, real love, patience, and grace. I am a better person every year because of your footprints in my life.  
 
And to my husband for unconditionally loving despite EVERYTHING. To be able to say I love you more today than the whole of last year makes my heart so full. Only you and God will understand the weight of those words. I keep praying that our Lord will continue to work in us and through us, to be more like Him, so that we are not only better able to love each other, but those around us. I love you to the moon and back.  
 
To end... I know everyone has been doing these photo collages and photo summaries, but in all honesty, I'll save all those wonderful frames for future blog posts. Instead, I'm going to leave you with my favourite memory in 2012. And that was... sitting on the rooftop of a restaurant in Santorini, that had the most amazing food, with ju, and watching the sun go down. It was truly a special moment to enjoy God's blessing of wonderful food, wonderful company, and his beautiful creation all in one. This was the view from the rooftop we sat on that night.

Happy 2013 everyone. I hope the new year ushers in hope, love, and blesses you further along in the dreams you hold on to.  
 
xoxo 

This personal post is actually scary to write. Mainly because it is that.. it is SO personal.  
 
It started off as just a desire to share about two books that have really encouraged me over the last few months, but then with any recommendation, a convincing one would involve sharing why, and how it has impacted my own life. So this has been shelved for a little while as a result of my hesitance to let you all in a little into my secret world. The world that involves those closest to me, my husband, my friends, my family, my God, my deepest dreams and desires, and also my deepest fears and heartbreaks.  
 
So for this very small slice of time, I wanted to un-shelve, and personally and honestly share why these two books have profoundly affected me. I know alot of people come up to me and say that the life I live is incredible, amazing, and that I am so blessed. And in many ways, I know I am. God has been ridiculously kind and generous. The fact that I have a complete family, good friends (though small in number ), a roof over my head, I never want when it comes to food, I am married, and the reality of a job that allows me to do what I love are all blessings... and I know that. But one of the areas I struggle most is in marriage. I find it hard being a good wife. Ironic, I know, considering the fact that I am a WEDDING photographer. Realistically however, I have learned in the years I have been married (and talking to others) that while there have been some lucky few that have had it easy (something I thank God for, for you - what a beautiful gift you have been blessed with), I am certain for the majority of the rest of us, we fall into the 'marriage is hard and tough work' category.. the honeymoon period did not last. Which is why I've spent alot of time reading books on marriage, because despite how hard it has been, I am committed to making it work, and be better. That IS what the vows say right? For better or for worse :)  
 
I have been married 4 years, and while I love my husband to the moon and back, and I know he loves me just the same, it doesn't change the fact that marriage has not been easy for us. There have definitely been seasons of great joy, don't get me wrong... but in the 4 years we have been married, there have also been seasons of deep hurt. The kind of seasons where you sleep in separate rooms. Or you yell across spiteful things to hurt the other. We are so very very different as individuals (which is part of what attracted us to each other in the first place) couple that with the fact that we are both strong characters, stubborn, and aren't afraid to tell each other what we think, alot of times, we clash heads. So I will admit that we drive each other crazy alot! And there have been days where we sit and say to ourselves, "I don't know how to make this better". There really have been moments where I have been rendered incapacitated, and unable to do anything because of how hard some periods have been. But by the grace of God, while we aren't masters of our marriage or experts in the area, I have seen in hindsight that God has been sharpening us to be better. He has taught us (and is continuing to teach us) lessons of compromise, patience, sacrifice, and unconditional loving when we don't feel like loving. I can see God's wisdom in putting us together as alot of our differences complement each other, and we make each other better through those differences. I am a planner, he is not. He is easy going and flexible, I need things in order and stress when plans change. I sit and reflect about things deeply, he likes to think about things only if there is a need for it. He loves being out. I love being home. He needs alot of time to come back to solve a problem, I need it solved right then and there. And the list goes on. I am amazed, and thankful that by the grace of God, and that alone, we have been together 12 years, and married for 4. With hopefully more years to add to that :) 
 
I was shooting a wedding recently, and while the couple was not Christian, their vows and promises to each other in their toast really struck home with me. They said "your happiness is more important than my happiness. " They said "By putting you first, and making you happy, makes me happy". I swallowed the lump that was in my throat because there was SO MUCH truth and wisdom in that. I used to think that I would only get my happiness if I fought for it... if my husband didn't listen to me, I would have to push my way, only MY point of view mattered.. .and lets face it, many of us get into those situations all the time...But I have learned that marriage involves so much sacrifice and putting the other person first... and that is scary for us as people. Because we are so inherently self focused, and always ask ' well what about us'? And while Ju and I haven't perfected this skill... not even a little, what i have learned from just TRYING is that when both people are committed to putting the other ahead of themselves, it makes the grounds for a great great marriage to grow. And even if it is just ONE party trying, I know from experience that the other person does eventually notice and it helps in instigating change and what you are after far more effectively than fighting for it by pushing your own way ahead of theirs. Crazy I know right? I look at the way our parents love us... unconditionally loving us despite us being unappreciative or hurtful, we eventually see their goodness, and it only prompts me to want to be better for them. Similar principal.  
 
So these books are for those who have found that marriage isn't a bed of roses (and even if your marriage is, I think it is still a great read and reminder of why and how your marriage is so good). I know there are alot of books out there on marriage, and believe me i have read ALOT (like, in the double digit range - i am too embarrased to even admit how many I have read), but I have found these two most helpful and most encouraging because 1) They have really helped me get through some very difficult periods, and more importantly 2) they have pointed me back to the heart of the gospel, and driven me back to how God has loved us. Our amazing Lord loved us, and died for us, even when we hated and rejected him, and that is how I hope we will love each other in our marriage. I'm not very good at it, and I suspect for my husband and I , it will be a lifelong journey of teaching, sharpening, and growth (both in painful and joyful ways), but I am so thankful that through faith, I can depend on God to carry us through. He has said that He works for the good of those who love Him, and that is such an assuring thing to rest upon because i know if something is hard, something good is coming from it. And that means, pain, toil, and heart ache are never in vain.  
 
I know these books are written with Christians in mind, but I hope those of you who have dared to pick these two reads, will learn that the Christian view on marriage, and God's view on love is profoundly beautiful. Unselfish, and lasting. I promise I am not trying to be religious here at all.. I just hope you can see that God's view on love involves joy, deep companionship, belonging, unconditional love, desire, (all of which are great things we all want no matter what religion we belong to) and it shows that by putting the other person first, you gain far more than you ever imagined if you had tried seeking your own happiness first. It gives fruit to a marriage that goes deeper than those initial crazy fireworks, and more rooted and lasting than those hollywood romanticized love stories we all chase after.  
 
And that is a great great thing to rejoice about.  
 
xoxo 
 
 
ps: I would LOVE to hear your experiences about marriage, in the comment box below. It's completely confidential and you don't need to leave your details. I just find that we can all learn from each other. So do share your stories, or any tips you have, that have made your marriage better :) Otherwise my inbox is always open to all of you :)  
 
 
Tim Keller - The Meaning of Marriage 
Website: http://timothykeller.com/books/the_meaning_of_marriage/ 
Amazon/kindle version: http://www.amazon.com/The-Meaning-Marriage-Complexities-Commitment/dp/0525952470

John Piper - This Momentary Marriage  
(this book is also available to download and read for free in PDF format!! Check out the official website below) 
Website: http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/books/this-momentary-marriage 
Amazon/kindle version: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1433531119