Portraits: Pamela & Lloraley

A few months ago my best friend insisted she needed a new professional profile picture for her Facebook page. Pam swore she felt the need to release her modeling alter ego and that it needed to be photographed immediately. So who did she contact to solve her profile picture problem?  Me of course. She's over dramatic like that. But this time she wanted to include her roommate Lloraley, which is the reason I said yes because I like her roommate a little more than I like her. I'm kidding Pam! We spent our Saturday afternoon walking around California Baptist University, which is also where all three of us go to school, and I had a blast with these two girls. Lloraley is a soft spoken, graduate student pursuing a masters in forensic psychology. In other words she's smart. And Pam is just going to college because she's not married yet. But she's also smart I promise. Together they make an awesome pair. They're intelligent, they love Jesus, they can cook [i think], they have cute hair, they're single, any guy out there interested, just holla, I'll hook you up. But before this becomes an e-harmony profile, here is Pam and Lloraley!

First off, Pam. :)

        Pam, really!? :)

      Ladies and gents, Lloraley. :) Work them stairs girl!

Cheat day

So yesterday was cheat day and for those of you who don't know what I'm referring to it's the day when I can cheat on my healthy eating four month challenge. In other words carbs and sugar get-in- ma'-belly!!!!! My friends and I decided to have one cheat day out of the week for our sanity. Thank you sweet baby Jesus! All this lettuce almost had me rocking back and forth in a corner.

So yesterday after church my friends and I went out to eat (because it's not church until you grub right after) to an Italian restaurant and the smell of garlic and marinara sauce slapped me in the face when I walked in. It was beautiful.  Sunday was cheat day and my taste buds were doing a happy dance in my mouth. So was I. Pasta with shrimp, stuffed pepperoni pizza, garlic bread, oh the wonders that filled my heart internet. But, I did practice self control. ME??? Practice self control when it comes to food??? I know internet, this whole healthy eating thing is changing my soul or something. Luckily I didn't pig out the way I would normally do, BUT, one thing I forgot was how eating fatty foods makes you feel right afterwards. We hung out at a friend's house after lunch and instead of being a social butterfly I sunk into her couch and knocked out like a bear in hibernation. And, of course like any good friend does, my friend took a picture and posted it on the internet.

Happy Monday! :)

The Santiago Family

This past Saturday not only did I have the chance to shoot Adrian's senior pictures but I also had the opportunity to shoot his family. Two doses of awesomeness in one day? Yes please! I spent my chilly afternoon with the Santiago family and it was nothing short of fun and of course, some fabulous-ness. I met the Santiago family at my home church and I had an awesome time taking their pictures. So much so that they're adopting me as their long lost cousin two times removed. I kid I kid. But c'mon, who wouldn't want me in their family?

To the Santiago family, thank you for allowing me to capture these images and thank you for making my afternoon that much more fun. You guys are awesome! :)

Senior: Adrian

He walked up and said hi holding on to his blue collard shirt he brought for his second outfit change. Adrian had a shy way about him and he made it clear he was nervous about being in front of the camera. When his mom emailed me about taking Adrian's senior pictures I had no idea I already knew who he was. I'm a Jr. high leader at my church and every Sunday morning Adrian sits on his wooden cajon and helps out during worship. I just never knew his name. I'm horrible with names ok. So this past Saturday when I was expecting someone I had never met before and then saw him I think I scared him a little bit cuz I got a little excited and yelled out "heyyyy, I know you!!!!" waving my hands in the air and everything. I had a blast taking his senior pictures and did I mention he's an awesome drummer? After high school he's going to the Art Institute to pursue a career in music and I'm sure he will rock it out. Congrats Adrian! :)

The four month challenge...

We sat in the pizza restaurant chowing down our caesar salad and garlic bread. And after my third slice of pepperoni pizza, they hit me with the bomb and my life as we know it would never be the same. My friends asked if I wanted to do a four month challenge with them of "healthy eating." I don't know what I was thinking internet, it must have been the dressing I had, because the words that came out of my mouth clearly proved that I was being possessed my some health freak because I agreed. I know, pigs really do fly! We all decided on different foods we would give up and I came up with the decision that I would give up carbs and sweets. CARBS AND SWEETS INTERNET!!!! The basic essentials of my diet! Why! Exclamation points! And today marks my second day of insanity, so I'm hoping I have enough will power to go through with it, because everybody knows I'm a quitter when it comes to healthy dieting. One time my sister and I decided to workout to an 80's workout video [long story internet] with a lady that used phrases like "reach for the stars" while stretching, and by my tenth squat I gave up on those stars and instead went to the kitchen to eat a taco. Yes, a taco!! So say a little prayer for my sanity and let's hope that by the end of four months I look like I belong in a Victoria Secret commercial.

In other news, here is a sneak peek of a family shoot I did a few days ago. Meet the Santiago family! I had a blast shooting them and I have more to come soon! Now, If you'll excuse me, I'll be in a corner with a piece of carrot.

Happy Tuesday! xoxo

Chewbacca's wife...

I get super excited when I do one of these. The theme for this year's styled shoot (I know I've said this like a gazzilion times so stop rolling your eyes!!) is Frida Kahlo. But really, I loooove doing styled shoots. And I'm particularly very excited about this shoot because it's something completely different and original from anything I've ever done. When Ally from glitz and glam brought up the idea of doing a shoot inspired by the Mexican diva herself I just about got up on the table and shook what my momma' gave me. But instead, I just did a happy dance in my seat because I absolutely loved the idea. I rejected the dancing on the table idea because then everyone would have gotten jealous of my moves.

I am confident Ally will rock it out as usual with hair and makeup and will definitely leave her own touch of originality just like she always does. Working with her is awesome! (Check out her work here and here)  One of my favorite parts of a styled is incorporating various types of ideas and seeing them come to life in my images. These types of shoots give me the freedom of being creative in the ways that I shoot and they also give me the liberty in trying new poses I wouldn't normally use in a regular shoot. The camera, in a way, is sorta' like a paintbrush. It's basically the tool that creates a desired picture and there are no rules in how to use it. It's all up to the one in control of it. Oh yeah my friends, I just had to throw in a little metaphor to show you how cool I am. Just kidding. Really, I just thought since homegirl Frida was a painter it just fit. And since I just referred Frida as "homegirl," I just have to say sistah needed some eye brow threading or sumtin'! If I ever grew a unibrow people would confuse me for Chewbacca's wife. Not cute. Aaaaand now that I got that all that off my chest, stay updated for the shoot coming soon! :) Without the unibrow.

And congrats to Yanira Aguero who won a free Photo shoot for guessing the theme! Woop woop!

 

 

Happy Friday!

THAT girl and FREE photoshoot!!

Homework, studying, commuting, research papers, I have no life, ThisFooJustTookMyParkingSpot, textbooks, library and oh so much more is what awaits me this semester starting tomorrow. Yes, school is back in session, all my pencils are sharpened, my school bag is packed and every class syllabus has already been printed. Who deserves a gold metal for nerd!? This girl! And I flaunt it like a new pair of high heels. It's that time of year again. Break is over and it's back to the nitty gritty. I love school, I really do. I'm that girl that arrives ten minutes before class starts because your late if your five minutes early. I sit in the first row of class and bug my teachers with e-mails and after class conversations about extra credit. Yes, I'm THAT girl. But the way I see it why give 100% when you can give 110% to something you wish to achieve? Something you love. If your investing your time, money, and energy why not just give it your all instead of just half. BAM! There's some life coach wisdom for ya'. Tell Dr. Phil I'm runnin' this joint suckas'! It's awesome what dedication and a little passion can take you.

Anyways, totally shifting from my uber philosophical advice I've been feeling in the giving mood and I've decided to give out a free photo shoot! Yes, FREE!!!!! This year, Ally from glitz and glam and yours truly are at it again and we are planning our next styled shoot! I absolutely love and enjoy being part of styled shoots because I get to step out of the box and see creative and blended ideas come together in a batch of awesomeness. Last year's theme was retro 80's and this year's theme is a dose of nothing short of fabulous and I can't wait for it to come together!!! You know I'm excited when I start going crazy with the exclamation points!! But instead of revealing what the theme is I'm gonna' let you guys out there guess. First person to guess correctly will receive a FREE photo shoot!!

Shoot will include 1 photographer (me :))
1 hour of shooting
30 high resolution images on disc

So, you're up for a guessing game? Just post your answers on Facebook (please submit one answer at a time :)). Good luck!
*Contestants must live in Southern California

The HINT is: Canvas and Mexico