Category Archives: Random

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A bit of this, a bit of that

June 17, 2010 – 6:42 pm

So. Tomorrow morning I board a plan for Gawga to go see my friend Cindy who gets married this weekend to her wonderful fiance Robert AND I will be there to photograph the entire event with my good friend Alli. Could a girl ask for a better weekend? I think not! I may at this moment though be a wee bit jealous because as I sit here editing in my studio with the clock nearing 7pm said friends are sitting in Cindy’s living room enjoying Robert’s magical musical talents. Such betrayal! Don’t they know the music can’t start until I get there?! (I love editing, it’s a bit too solitary a project sometimes and knowing your friends are having fun without you…the cruelty!) :)

Speaking of the musically inclined, check this out - this is one of Robert’s friends Jerry singing a song Robert asked him to sing on the night he proposed to Cindy. This song stops me in my tracks and just melts my heart. The verses are so beautifully humble and gorgeous. Robert knew this was his ace in the hole - I mean, seriously, if someone played this song for you how could you not say yes?! hehe We all love him so we’re glad she said yes! Check it out HERE.

Okay, I’m wrapping up the Passion for Fashion with one hefty post of pictures.These are some favs - so many to pick from it was hard to narrow down but I could be posting about this project forever and I have some other fun sessions I’m excited to share! So…here we go. The beautiful Sacramento Kings Dancers modeling Krush Boutique Clothing…and the crazy, wild, fun Spirit Hoods!

By admin | Also posted in General, Portrait, Products | Comments (1)

The Headshot Session

June 16, 2010 – 8:52 pm

Have you ever met someone after seeing their website or their business card and you think wait, this is them, right? In my case, since I change my hair color oh-so-frequently that happens often! So, here’s the point - headshots are great for business and personal use but not if they represent you in the 80s, or in my case me last week (how do you feel about the color black? hum…), or if they in any way resemble your driver’s license - ya know what I’m saying? I mean, I’m just sayin…

So, here’s the deal for those of you who don’t know - we have headshot sessions that go like this: 15-20 minutes, 5 (or more) hand-edited images from which to order, and one (1) full resolution digital negative sized 8×10 included with your session for the sweet price of $50.  Groovy.

Here’s a headshot from a recent session with beautiful Ms. Kelli who I so enjoyed photographing! Just so happens she’s the sister to Dr. Jamie Curtis and it just so happens beautiful smiles run in the family! Go figure! :)

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Spring Fling Raffle Winners Announced!

March 28, 2010 – 2:27 pm

A BIG thank you to everyone who turned out for yesterday’s Spring Fling Designer Showcase and Photo Event! It was the first of it’s type for my studio and, based on yesterday, there will be many more coming! It’s always a little nerve wracking doing new events because you wonder how many people will turn out and there is always that little fear that you’ll be sitting in the corner drinking a juice box and eating the frosted sugar cookies you bought for the event. But I’m happy to say by the time I made it to the refreshments table at 5pm everything was gone! That made me extremely happy. As did little kids making friends in the studio and running around with wind chasers, chalking on the chalk board wall, making craziness in the play area, nibbling on cookies…and especially fun was dressing them up in Purdy Things and Bellia Mia’s beyond fabulous designs (there was a lot of ‘ohhhhhs and ahhhhs‘ going on in the studio yesterday :)) and seeing their little personalities sprout in front of the camera. To say I’m excited to edit yesterday’s captures is a huge understatement! I’ll be working hard next week!

Okay, on to the raffle! Well, we did good. Not as high as I hoped but that just means I’ll be working harder on our next event and whatever the raffle is to amp up the energy. We raised almost $200 for Loaves and Fishes - thank you to everyone who entered!

Raffle winners are as follows:

  1. Sacramento Kings gift basket - Schweim #910585!
  2. Bella Rose Naturals spa basket - Bearry #910573!
  3. Scentsy Warmer - Taylor #910417

Prizes can be picked up at the studio next week - please email beforehand! :)

and one sneak peek image from two best friends who completely supermodeled it in front of the camera!

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Playing with the Big Boys

March 7, 2010 – 7:57 pm

UPDATE: So apparently, I’m totally lame. Spoke with ’someone’ today who informed me he does 6 minute miles easy peasey. And the girl at Fleet Feet said my 10 minuter was, well - fair.  Yuk. So, guess I’ll be working on a 9 minute mile…

Navy Seals here I come! By the way, can I bring my hot pink sweatshirt?

So, awhile ago I posted a comment on Facebook after I got back from the gym (uh, yeah, Facebook! if you’re not on there, join already! you can find a link directly to me on my site under Be a Facebook Friend) about doing the Navy Seals fitness running test and being really bummed because I had scored (sigh) a satisfactory low ( I cringe even admitting this). I was NOT happy. It did not sit well with my little competitive spirit (just try pacing me on the freeway - no really, try it, I dare you! :)) Anyway, so today. My friend Darc and I met up for an afternoon workout and decided to give this another run (no pun intended - will use this opportunity tho to brag about my gym which I love. I practically wear it as a second skin. Really, like I morph into my workout clothes as I leave the studio. It’s pretty cool. You should see it sometime. Anyway, my gym! - Cal Fit on Sunset - has these new - like several months ago - treadmills where you can take the Airforce, Army, Navy Seal, Marine, PEB and federal running fitness test and it rates you. Right up my competitive alley).

So, after a 20 minute walk to the gym from her house to warm up, we hit the treadmills. Bring it I told Marcie Blue (I don’t know, my treadmill needs a name). She whined at me as she started up - like that was going to break my stride. Right. It’s gonna take a little more than that to slow this machine, sister. I started pounding pavement…or - treadmill. Terminator 3 was on which was fantastic because it was the running scene where Linda Hamilton’s character is escaping the mental hospital they have her in and she totally kicks butt as she flies down the hall at a dead run, muscles flexed, solid determination in her gaze. Good way to kick it off. I was feeling it. Pumped. Then, of course, Arnold made his appearance and well, the boy looks good in this movie. Chiseled cheekbones, dark Oakleys (just guessing), leather jacket, snug jeans, no hint of an expression, splitting heads with but a lift of his forefinger - arghhh! (I’m pretty sure Marcie growled too). And eye candy has this really fabulous effect. It inspires you: work harder, walk taller, smile more. I worked harder. Speed. Up. Bring it.

Now, if you don’t know, for the Navy Seals fitness running test - at least the pseudo test Marcie gives out - you have to run 1.5 miles as fast as you can and you’re rated according to your sex, age and weight. As I hit 10 minutes I started to get a nice burn going in my lungs. I’ve come to like this feeling. A little over a year ago, I dedicated myself to working out hard on a regular basis. No more half-dedicated, I’ll go when I want, read a book as I stroll on the treadmill kind of thing. Which had been, up until then, a good chunk of my life, truth be told. But a little over a year ago I took a class that changed my entire attitude about fitness - the Gravity Class. That is by far the MOST challenging thing I’ve ever done. And it came with the most challenging instructor who I absolutely adore and who doesn’t flatter with words and tell you that you’ll achieve your goals working out 30 minutes 3x a week. She lays it out plain - work hard, eat right, get the results you want.  If you’re going to go 45 minutes, why not an hour, she’d say to me. That kind of rocked my world. At first, the idea of doing a hour of the treadmill or elliptical or whatever seemed - overwhelming. But after three kids, one pregnancy being the twins, I had goals (I still have goals) and if 30 minutes 3x a week wasn’t going to cut it, then tell me what was. So, I started on a course, dedicating myself to gym time and over the last year, I’ve come to love it. It’s my place to get peace. To unwind. To leave feeling like a happily deflated balloon. Oh yeah, and to catch all the basketball games (and if any CF Sunsetters happen to read this - who is it that watches the Food Network while working out? Isn’t that kind of an oxymoron? We need to talk. This isn’t working for me. I need ESPN and you need to leave my TV alone. Let us bond over basketball. I think you’ll discover it’s much more exciting that watching cake building contests. Just a thought).

So, Navy running test today. Finished out at 1.5 miles in 15:15 minutes with a score of - wait for it…..Outstanding High (here’s the best part - when my score came up,  I realized I accidentally set myself up as a Male! Thus, the Big Boys title) Okay, no laughing. I know there are much faster people reading this but I told my friend Darcie - I’m all about small joys these days. I was happy. Ready to throw up, but happy.

So, big boys here I come. Me. Navy Seal girl. With the hot pink sweater and camera. Cool? :)

Okay, going to take this opportunity to show off my cute munchkins and a picture that was taken when they were bebies. I’ve had this bag for over three years and love it - it’s got several pockets including a side water pocket, it’s totally durable and usable. It’s my gym bag and I get compliments on it all the time (if I was really bold, I would have put my logo on it but that’s so not me. I need a public relations person I think! :). I’ll be adding a Boutique gallery to the website soon but this bag retails for $145 and can have a pic front and back.

And I’m outta here! As I’ll be out all morning tomorrow, I’m considering this my Monday post and saying “happy Monday! have a great day!” :)

By admin | Also posted in For Fun, General, Uncategorized | Comments (4)

Change. Love. Surrender.

February 26, 2010 – 3:22 pm

There are some sessions I edit that have such a story to them I find myself reminiscing through the entire editing process.  This is definitely one of those sessions. First, let me begin by saying this is Maggie Smith, talent extraordinaire. And gorgeous to boot. (God, do you think it’s really fair to bless some people with insane talent and stunning looks and great personalities and big hearts?  Something to think about the next time around. Ya might want to share the wealth with us other little people. I’m just saying….) She is also the daughter to one my bestestis is the world, Ms. Cindy who is also stunning and loaded with talent (Cindy Harter Photography). SO. It’s fair to say Maggie’s been photographed a lot and not just by any photographer but a really good photographer and I’ve seen the images and they’re beautiful. I’ve wanted to photograph her for some time now but when it came right down to it - I was a little nervous. I mean, she’s been photographed by an amazing photographer and not just once but a lot. She’s learned a style of posing, of communicating and she knows what she likes. I didn’t know any of these things about her. I couldn’t help wondering if I’d come up short - if my style of communicating and directing would be totally lame compared to her moms. And what if I got so out of my element I jammed up completely and stood there creatively clueless like a zomniac? What if, what, what if…silly probably considering how sweet and loving both Maggie and Cindy are but nevertheless, this is what was going through my head.
I should have known better. Maggie is so much fun that immediately our shoot took on a story that still has me cracking up. So, we decided the location of our shoot - this abandoned (or not? I love Cindy’s mentality - shoot first, ask later. cool. I’m down with it) warehouse - was a wharf and she was saying goodbye to her boyfriend. Very sad. Then, as she stood looking through the gated fence we decided she was saying goodbye to her boyfriend who was now in penitentiary. Again, very sad (we never really decided why he was locked up but it was a tragic love story indeed). And she so loved up to the role that she later told me she thought her eyes were truly tearing up. I felt it man. Deep. Maggie, should you ever wish - acting awaits you. :) Anyway, later as we scrolled through the images it was fun to add commentary to the story. This is what I mean. The stories that follow the shoots. So fun.And as I edit, it’s only appropriate that her voice rings in the background from her newly released CD CHANGE. LOVE. SURRENDER. I’ve been blessed to be in Cindy’s living room while Maggie plays and her voice is beyond description. Magical is maybe nudging close to describing how amazing it is but still comes up short. Needless to say, her CD is one of the most soulful, soul cleansing, and healing sounds I’ve heard in a long time (will have songs on website later today so make sure to check that out!). I’ve played so many tunes over and over, including my absolute fav, Can’t Fight, so many times I’m afraid I’m wearing out my cd. WHICH, by the way - Maggie has graciously donated a CD to be given away during our Spring Fling Designer Showcase and Photo Event - just one of the many prizes we’ll be handing out through the day. I’ll also have a handful here available for purchase.
Okay, session coming in - into the studio I go! Have a great weekend! (ps - for some reason the blacks are coming up blotchy online…hopefully it won’t distract!)

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