cold yuck rainy dreary nastiness

Man O Man the sting of the last day of Spring Break HURTS!  Cold, dreary rainy yucky weather.  We went to a movie and now I am just shivering in my 5 layers.  I am playing with my  photos in photoshop.  No, I did not actually take these today.  They are from yesterday.  I am just huddled at my desk right now.  Back into the game tomorrow.  One more night.....  I sure hope it is sunny tomorrow.

Crying in my Wheaties

Ok, fine.  I pushed him to his five year old limit.  But I was bored.  So I started obsessing over ring flashes in lieu of the large stack of real work I had on my desk.  It is Saturday!  I needed a break.  And, the boys were obsessed with Guitar Hero (yes, hubby included)  So I got an idea and started running around preparing my lights.  Can you believe??  Evan built a fort of pillows to HIDE FROM ME!  POINT TAKEN.  I had to take photos of myself today.  I didn't even need to channel the sad dejected loneliness.  It is sooooo real.  Gawd.  Poor me.

Goofin' Around

Oh well.  Had to cancel my photo shoot today.  TOO COLD all of a sudden. YUCK.  What to do instead??  Practice with my fave buddy!  He looks like he is loving it, doesn't he?

So I have been playing with my DIY Ringflash again.  Of course, as an addicted crushaholic would, I am seriously crushing on a REAL one.  I am really trying to make my almost-free creation work.  It is just not fillin' the bill, though.  sigh.  

EXCLAMATION!! I HATE WINTER!!!!!

This is not a confession.  It is an exclamation from the tops of the trees and rooftops.  I HATE WINTER!!!!!!  I may have been reared in arctic weather - I snicker to my other Northern friends when school is closed due to a DUSTING of snow, but I have quickly gotten soft as I have lived in the South for the past 12 years.  I would never complain if I lived somewhere that was warm all year round, as I did for three winters in California.  However, in Norfolk we have definite seasons.  Our winter is mild by MN standards.  Minnesotans are known to wash their cars in shorts when it warms to 50 degrees...  And, I can still almost understand that.  You have to experience it to understand the feeling of standing next to a HUGE bank of old, brown snow in the warm sun.  You can HEAR and FEEL it melting.  You can smell the Earth again as the ground finally thaws for the first time in 5 months.  However, at this point I feel like it is cold, windy, and dreary way too much of the year even if we rarely go below freezing.  My drafty old house may have amazing character in her styling, but she is too darn cold for me.  I doubt the other parents at school will even recognize me without my poofy coat.  The only reason I can stand a convertible is because I have seat heaters.  And, even though my hubby finds it to be a complete turn off, I often hop into bed with socks.  Even during the summer.  Well, the warmth is upon us, if even for a few days.  And, there is no doubt that I love the spring as much in Norfolk as I did in Madison and Minneapolis.  I can feel my vibrance and excitement coming to the surface.  Yes, it is true, Spring has Sprung in Norfolk, VA!

YAY SPRING!  

TOLD YOU SO!!!!!

Ok, no one ever warned me... ahem, I mean the Easter Bunny... ahead of time.  BUT if they did, then they could say TOLD YOU SO!  Yes, it is true.  My kid is OBSESSED with Guitar Hero.  He sings the songs.  Alice Cooper.  Rage Against the Machine.  He is FIVE.  He plays them over and over singing along and doing the full guitar face and stance.  10 times in a row.  Over and over.  And, yes, he is now even doing air guitar while putting up with my photo practice.

Consider yourself warned.  Guitar Hero may take over your household.  

Studio + Creative = Oxymoron

Personally, I find the whole idea of being creative in a studio setting to be a total oxymoron.  With that in mind, it is still a skill I desire to have - a hurdle I must master.  I have all the equipment I need - the seamless paper, gigantic softbox and a great light, and now I even have a nice place to practice.  It is spring break - I even have a subject sitting around the house to work with.  I have managed to tear him away from Guitar Hero for a bit to play.  I have to say that it has been fun!  I really like these photos!  Only a few skittles got this kid to cooperate.  He is such a good boy!  And, a little photoshop magic even made these 'cool' in my humble opinion!

Just ignore the bed head!  We can't be perfect all the time.

Normal

Sometimes I wonder why I can't just be NORMAL.  Darnit, I can't.  And, this is my version of studio.  Gosh I love this photo.  GUSH!

Spring Break

It is spring break here in Norfolk.  How on Earth do we keep these boys busy??  Oh, right!  Photo torture!  Here is Evan with his best buddy, Maddox.  It is was the mom double team with the cameras.  Yes, it is true, we are BOTH photographers.  Wow, these are some unlucky kids!

We have a Guitar Hero in the house!

We have one darn cool Easter bunny at our house.  Our Easter bunny brought Guitar Hero for the Wii!  How lucky are we??  

The problem is that Evan keeps singing 'School's out for the summer!  School's out for EVER!' and I keep muttering under my breath for him to dream on...  what was cute at first is beginning to grate on my nerves!  That kid is loud and repetitive, let me tell you.  I ...  I mean, the Easter Bunny did not consider that when shopping at Target.  I don't think.  I mean, how would I know how the Easter Bunny reason's out gift-giving??

Charlotte and Davis

I had an awesome photo shoot with a couple of kids I have known for some time.  They were my VERY FIRST kid clients!  MY how they have grown!  And, what wonderful models are they!  We braved the crazy wind we keep having in Norfolk for these wonderful shots.  It was worth it!

Cookie Time

The truth is.... THIS is why he puts up with me.  The sweet reward of bribery.  Cookie time.......

studio love

Just a little practice photo shoot with Evan and 'Cool Dog'.

WILL WORK FOR CAMERA EQUIPMENT

Yikes.  I just did it.  I put in my order for the D3.  I am expecting it end of April - beginning of May.  Not long after I return from my workshop with all sorts of great new tips and techniques a la Mare.  SO EXCITED!  Great things are on the horizon for me!

I am so anxious I can hardly stand it.  This camera will revolutionize my work.  I can almost TASTE it.  Ok maybe I am being a bit dramatic but I really don't think so.

yippy!

Remember when I said that everyone in the household must suffer?  Right.  And, THAT D3 is why we are staying home for spring break.  sorry kid.  He reminds me every day that he wants to go back to Puerto Rico.  El Con = D3.  Mom chose the D3.

Not so much a confession.....

It is not so much a confession as it is a revelation that we could keep training this kid and he can become a famous model.  We can retire and live off his addictive smile.  Aaaaahh yes, there IS a reason I have been torturing myself to learn this photography thing so well........

More Studio

I am loving my new studio space.  I love you dearly, son, for sacrificing your room.  SMOOCH!  And, as thanks I will torture you with photos!  Gosh, you love me!

Confession Time: EVERYONE must sacrifice!

Confession #6:  There is a lot more that goes on behind the scenes when it comes to the biz of photography.  I do a lot more than just show up with my camera.  If you think you can start a photog biz and not have it turn your home life upside down, THINK AGAIN!  Well, maybe some people can do it without effecting everyone in their house - big or small.  But I am not one of them.  I guess I have a flare for drama because my house is topsy turvy and twisted around these days.  Our money goes to my biz.  Our time is dedicated to my biz (Ian is always furiously working on the computer end) and now our HOUSE has become the site of PRB.  Not only did I take over the 'play room' several years ago as the site of my computer and art.  OH, no.  It does not end there.  Last weekend I kicked Evan out of the biggest bedroom in our house to the smallest.  He likes his new room - I swear.  But I also made Ian do what he hates the most in the world.  I made him paint.  (hush....  yikes...)  I tried to do it all on my own during the week last week.  Not good.  I ended up laying on the floor crying and then the dog hadn't been out and he peed in my paint and it was just a big disaster.  So I waited for the weekend and we turned the aircraft-carrier-ready-room that used to be Evan's into a gorgeous denim-covered guest room / photography studio.  The gray denim wall we created with a Ralph Lauren technique is PERFECT.  I am very excited about it.  But poor little boy got kicked out of his room and I am feeling some strong mommy guilt.  Well, a little.  Fine.  Not much.  My room is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!  And, Evan now has his computer AND a TV in his room so I hear absolutely NO REGRETS from him.  He has a GREAT art nook in the big room and he is welcome to use it as a play room any time...  unless mommy needs it... or a guest is coming... well, you get the point.  So although I have turned the house upside down no one seems to be complaining very much.  Ian got over the painting and Evan seems content even if I did make him act as my model for test shots part way through the change.  

Ok, it is time for me to get to the work that pays.  

Baby 'tude

I believe Baby 'tude deserves his own post......  

Sweet Baby

Any more baby models out there for me???  I took the 3 month photos of this sweet little guy today.  OK, I totally admit I was scared. I haven't photographed a baby in over a year now!  Wow.  It was really fun!  I loved it!  And, this photo with my ghetto DIY ringflash is particularly exciting to me.  Thank you to all the great baby photogs at ILP who inspired me!!  After a very busy and long week I am glad to relax in the excitement of my latest photo crush.  BIG GRIN!  :-D

WATER?

I had to go back again.  I just can't believe how late the sun is going down already!  I thought 5:30 would be better!  Silly me!

What were we doing in the water in March, anyway???

More Crushing Love

Today was a whirlwind of kids.  Yes, kids galore.  Couldn't have asked for better weather.  It was GORGEOUS in Norfolk.  A hint that spring  is near?  I HOPE so.  And, glad I got a chance to add these lovely photos to my portfolio.  

PHEW!

After doing some INTENSIVE behind the scenes work for the past few weeks, I had a photo shoot with the lovely Julia and Sophia.  Adorable and sassy, here is a fun shot that I just adore!  I just love the look of attitude!  It is so real!