Imaginale Design

Been thinking a lot about...

2012-02-09T10:24:00.000-08:00

(images aside from my photo found here)

Like. A lot.

Have you created a Pinterest board specifically for your business brand? As I'm making changes, I'm literally flipping back and forth between my design and my board. Try it if you haven't. Here's mine. Pin ONLY what you do not hesitate to say "that is absolutely me."

So yeah, when you see coral -- think of me. Cause this color is taking over my miiiiind!

p.s. Getting a hair cut today! Want to clean up my bangs to more of a side-swoop. And if I dare, possibly chop the length. I might start slow first and just get a few inches. Who knows ;)

Fashion + Pizza + Showit Shoot Out

2012-02-07T08:05:00.000-08:00

I don't even know where to start with this. Seriously.

Do I tell you about how mind blowing Showit as a community is? Do I tell you about the delicious pizza and hilarious conversation I had after this shoot with my Phoenix Showiteers?

A girl can only talk so much. And this girl right here talks. I've been with Showit now for about 3 years and it wasn't until last month that I even knew a Facebook group existed which connected you with local Showiteers. This might sound all foreign (showiteers, shoot out, etc.) -- but the point is that I've never been surrounded with so many creative, encouraging, and challenging artists. Our first event was hosted by the lovely Karie (this girl deserves a blog post alone!) who brought Kasey, Taylor, and Audree to model for us.

I will go ahead and state the obvious: the girls are gorgeous!

It's definitely a little nerve-wrecking to shoot in front of everyone, but once I started pulling the girls individually, I was in my zone..

♥ ♥ this LIGHT!

Although I've been in Phoenix now for a year and a half, I'm thankful for how many people have come into my life and share in my journey with me ;) Which means, uh oh.. I'm starting to get attached.

p.s. How do you like my new coral pants?!

A Ross purchase! Their new slogan should be "Like a Boss." Cause that's exactly how my wallet felt.

Outfit Chronicles: One Piece - Three Ways PT 2

2012-02-01T07:29:00.000-08:00

Here is Part One if you haven't checked it out. The rundown is basically this:

Alex of AVE Styles + Me = A fashion series to make styling a little more comprehensible
Challenge: Take 1 article of clothing and make 3 different looks with it.

While Alex is typically behind-the-scenes, helping couples, models, and other clientele find items that suit them best -- she brought the party in FRONT of the camera this time. And I was ready :)

Alex's one piece: Striped Long Sleeve Top

Isn't it amazing how a striped top can be elevated to "French Prep" by pairing it with a blazer and riding boots? I mean, it makes sense but it's such a different feel from the Bold Artist!

I love this last look! I've seen Alex sport long sleeves under dresses before and it's something I really want to try. In fact, as I was leaving Alex told me to try putting the cardigan I was sporting in yesterday's post under the printed dress I was wearing.

A huge thanks to Alex for helping me carry out this idea to make the world of fashion easier to digest. Or simply to provide y'all with some inspiration as you stand in front of your closet! :) Check out Alex's post for an insight on her styling process for these outfits.

We have more tutorials planned for the future! Hope you've enjoyed the first and are looking forward to more! Feel free to send in any requests or just share your thoughts ;)

Outfit Chronicles: One Piece - Three Ways

2012-01-31T07:52:00.000-08:00

Ever have a how the heck did they even come up with that outfit?! moment?

Alex from AVE Styles and I are working together to bring you a set of series where fashion and style are a lot more accessible. Where you can start thinking about what you already have in your closet rather than the brands you don't own. Kind of like shopping for free. How ridiculous is that?

First challenge: One piece of clothing styled in three ways. Three completely different looks.

I showed up to Alex's place with a duffel bag full of clothes. I would consider myself a relatively stylish girl. BUT. I have NEVER put any of these outfits together that Alex whipped up. After the fastest camera/photography tutorial ever, Alex became the photographer and together we created these fashion profiles. Consider the notes like recipes -- you can mimic or reinterpret it to whatever taste you like.

My one piece: Coral Blazer

Add some sparkle and now it's a night time outfit. Alex said this outfit reminded her most of me. Not gonna lie, definitely a favorite...

And last -- this one really surprised me. I would have never thought to pair a cardigan under a blazer.

Cra-zy. Felt like I went shopping. The wonders of working with a stylist. Lucky for us, Alex is raining down some of that styling wisdom on us :) Tomorrow it will be her turn to be in front of the camera... yeeeep!

Make sure to check out her blog for even more details on the thoughts behind the styling. Hope you're looking forward to these series! Requests are welcomed ;)

Upcoming Fashion Series

2012-01-30T08:19:00.000-08:00

Meet Alex from AVE Styles...

Our initial collaboration was on my first-ever Menswear shoot. And now we are bringing YOU a series that will hopefully provide some inspiration for your closet. A twist to my typical outfit chronicles.

The first series inspiration came from the ever amazing Jamie -- but you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see what exactly it is ;) I'm excited to have Alex in front of the camera seeing as how she is always behind-the-scenes working her styling magic. The fun part is that she also was behind the camera taking photos of me ;)

See y'all tomorrow!

Creepers at the Grocery Store

2012-01-27T07:54:00.000-08:00

I'm standing in line with two packs of cookie-dough for our married's small group that's meeting that night...

Man behind me: That's a nice dinner you got there
Me: *laughs* Yeah... it's gonna be quite the meal! *politely smiles and waves the cookie packs in the air*

[slight pause]

~~Man~~ Creeper behind me: ...Makes me wonder what's for dessert *raises eyebrows up and down, up and down*

Cashier: Um, Borders?

As creeper went from funny to you're-too-old-to-say-that-to-me, I'm busy giving the Safeway cashier my Borders rewards card. THEY'RE THE SAME COLOR. Did you not just see this man's eyebrows dance for me?! And YES, I know Borders is out of business. No, I don't know why that card is still in my purse.

Real smooth.

Office Situation: Should I paint the oar?

2012-01-25T08:55:00.000-08:00

Remember this inspiration I drew up for my office?

Except, instead of a branch I wanted to get an oar (i.e. paddle). Then I found one for $15 at a thrift store! Enter my...

I found a perfect spot to hang it as I've been decorating my office. I'm thinking the space between my curtains and book shelf.

But here's my question for YOU.

I can't figure out if I want to keep the wood color (and re-stain it)... or go for a modern look and paint it white?

Keep in mind that the white on the oar is ~~magic~~ photoshop. It isn't white yet, but that gives you an idea of what it could look like. My walls are cream so the white would stand out. Thoughts? Wood or white?

An Intimate Maternity: Christina -- Phoenix, Arizona

2012-01-22T21:50:00.000-08:00

I can only imagine this little girl, who will soon make her appearance, will be as graceful and beautiful as her mom.

Can you imagine her soft, little feet wearing these pink slippers?! Having a little girl is oh-so-sweet :)

These are actually Christina's lacy slippers that she wore as a baby. Soon her little girl will have them on. You know how we all love wearing mom's shoes anyway ;)

And there's no question Daniel is going to take care of his girls :)

So sweet :)

Obviously parenting looks good on these two! ;)

Christina & Daniel -- thank you for sharing this incredibly intimate, and special moment with me. I can't wait to meet your little girl! She is going to be so loved by you both :)

Jose Vidal

2012-01-20T10:29:00.000-08:00

Where do I start with this guy?

He turns on the latest Willow Smith song for us to dance to while we're brushing our teeth, I call him at least 3 times a day to ask "okay, what do you think about this?" Nine times out of ten when he says he has a "surprise" for me -- it's food. The man knows me. Let's not mention the fact that he looks THAT good assisting me at a wedding. But even more than any of that, he has made me so proud of the leadership roles he has taken on these past few months.

We're leading our own small group! It will officially start next week. I've come downstairs quite a few nights to find Jose sprawled on his stomach - propped on his elbows (his favorite "working" position) - staring at and scribbling on his notebook. He is setting goals, he has reached out to people, and I love and admire the fire in his heart for this group.

Ok. So maybe sometimes his ~~interpretation of~~ hip-hop moves scare me a little. But this guy... he makes me pretty happy :)

A Sweet Maternity Sneak Peek -- Phoenix, Arizona

2012-01-17T07:26:00.000-08:00

A little girl will soon slip on these beautiful shoes....

I've photographed the baby outside the tummy.... but never inside. And goodness, the beauty of a woman who is expecting is incredible. More to come later... :)

Outfit Chronicles: Preppy and Nerdy Collide

2012-01-10T08:15:00.000-08:00

These were taken back when it was cold... in Dallas during the Christmas break. Now I'm back in Phoenix where I pretty much had to hang up the scarves and jackets. We're back to our "lows" this week at 66.

button up: my sister's closet, cardigan: H&M, scarf+belt: Spain, pants: F21, boots: borrowed from mom ;)

These are actually on the sidewalk of my childhood home :) Every now and then my mom would peek through the curtains from inside to watch Jose and I. What's funny is that she lent me the boots I'm wearing. I remember her and my brother picking us up from the airport and classic mom -- she's got these ankle boots with a fur lining on the cuff. I should have had an outfit chronicles with her is what I should have done!

Enjoy the bloopers :) When I need help relaxing my face (read: when my lips feel tense after taking photos), I inhale deeply, blow out my cheeks, and release the air slowly through my lips.

I know... these cheeks were quite the talk when I was a baby.

Look what I found

2012-01-09T09:41:00.000-08:00

Isn't it pretty?

There's gold, blue, violets, and hues of green right HERE. For free people. Go get your desktop a pretty make-over ;)

Fashion: Hannah Sutton -- Phoenix, AZ

2012-01-04T08:21:00.000-08:00

So Hannah and I did 2 looks. One dark, one light. Light -- well, that's very typical of me. Dark? Depends on how you define it. In my case, I wanted to approach it very edgy, sharp, with a focus on high-fashion (rather than lifestyle).

You'll notice on this first set that it's dusk -- meaning we did this look last. I'm showing it first because it has a softer approach (which you might expect from me). I left the dark set last to show the contrast between the first look and what I was trying to accomplish by doing something edgier.

// LIGHT //

model: Hannah Sutton

// DARK //

One of my favorites... Hannah and I both love backs :)

I'm a fan of experimenting. ♥

Vogue Covers... A Girl Can Dream

2012-01-03T09:58:00.000-08:00

As I was editing, I thought about how much I love imagining some of my photos on the cover of a magazine. And what better magazine to dream about then Vogue?

Vogue Italia has some of my favorites.

Ahem. And I couldn't help but be a little more presumptuous in my dreaming...

Hey. I like to bite off more than I can chew. It's nice to dream, right? :)

Ringing in the New Year.. Faux Hawk and all

2012-01-02T09:09:00.000-08:00

I was on the couch, lounging in my slippers and PJ's, and my laptop on the couch beside me. I looked over at the time and had about 40 minutes until we were heading to Seth's house for his New Year's party. It was time to get dressed.

But as I sat there, I immediately thought about a faux hawk. You see, I've been wanting to do one for the longest time and what more appropriate time to do such a dramatic hair style then for a New Year's party?! You know, those dresses or accessories that you're like "wow, where would I wear this to?" So I dashed upstairs and the hair spraying began...

I was ALMOST finished with it, when I yelled from the bathroom "I'm running out of bobby pins!!!" and Jose yelled from downstairs "give it up! you might as well stop now." What?! Stop now?! Did he not see the 15 bobby pins already in my hair?! I ran around, dumping little drawers I had, knowing I misplace bobby pins all the time. I found 9 more. Sucker!

I was ready to ring in the New Year. I'll be posting more photos of my faux hawk along with the tutorial I used on my Facebook Page! So "Like" it if you haven't and let me know if you try it for yourself :)

Off to Seth's house we went and celebrated with great friends..

Seth, getting low on minute-to-win-it.

And we decided to have some fun with the sparklers :)

Any hair styles you want to try? I'm ready to see what 2012 will bring. Certainly more moments where Jose will continue to say "you know, it doesn't have to be that crazy." That usually means I'm on the right path ;)

Thank you 2011. Don't forget.

2011-12-31T15:30:00.000-08:00

"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers."

I still remember last year when I cried in my car after an unsuccessful meeting with a photographer. I learned to say "no" to opportunities if it meant compromising my business. I finally understood that my identity is not in my business or in being a photographer -- but in Christ. That my worthiness isn't up for grabs so I won't base my success or self-worth in my business because God's grace has already shown me that I am good enough.

Good enough. A concept that I hope to teach others for the rest of my life. To help them find their strengths, hold on to them, and realize that no one can be "you" better than yourself.

After a lot of behind the scenes in the wedding industry, I opened Imaginale's doors to the wedding industry as well. I don't have words, I simply don't when I think about how special my relationships with my clients are. After getting a call from my bride's mom, I immediately grabbed my journal (I know, real paper!) and wrote down "don't forget" followed by a description of my emotions and the words "this is why you do this." For those moments when I feel left behind, when I question where my business is going or if I'm good enough -- I look at that paper and remember why I'm doing this.

Cling to that moment when it happens to you. Write it down. Freeze it. Because we're all going to need reminders one day. Thank you 2011 for the no's, for shoving me, holding me, challenging me, frustrating me, guiding me, and growing me. Thank you most of all for leaving me behind in order to search for "different ways or truer answers."

And you, what would this blog be without you? Thank you. I hope you're with me, whether in front of my lens, reading my words, or beside me in person as we head into this new year :)

Black Glasses & Fascination

2011-12-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

I've been having a thing for glasses lately...

Woke up yesterday morning at 3:30 A.M. to catch our flight back to Phoenix. We stopped at El Paso first and I cannot tell you anything about that flight because I passed out so fast. On the second flight (to Phoenix) I had this sudden burst of energy to start taking notes on my 2012 goals. Right there. Middle seat. In my little black notebook.

I'm swimming in thoughts you guys, swimming. I know it's a good place to be, full of inspiration and passion, but I'm trying to catch up with my mind and set some action plans. While at home in Dallas I found an old notebook from a college conference I went to with a quote that jumped out at me:

Inspiration + No Application = Fascination
Inspiration + Application = Destination

Funny how notes from my past can compel me in a way that may have not been quite so gripping had I not pursued this path. Anyway, I have some catching up to do now that I'm back in Phoenix. It's my grandma's birthday today so Tuesday night while Jose and I were still in Dallas we bought a small tres leches cake for her and sang her happy birthday with my mom and brother. She clapped, sang, blew out her candle, and asked if the cherry on the cake was a tomato. Goodness... I love that silly woman :)

Outfit Chronicles: Rainbow Thrifted Top

2011-12-26T10:09:00.000-08:00

You see, this top was a joke. We were ugly Christmas sweater shopping at Goodwill and this rainbow-bright top practically danced a little number for us with its brilliant colors. Jose and I couldn't stop laughing and I knew that I had to own this top.

Did my husband ever expect me to wear it as an ACTUAL outfit? No. Definitely not.

But as I stood in my closet and stared at the top, I embraced the courage it takes to be bold -- heck, to be foolish. It's not so much the actual mistake we'll make every now and then, but the willingness to risk making it that takes courage.

So I decided to try. If I failed, then I'd put that top back in the closet and reserve it for an 80's party I foresee in my future.

cardigan + necklace: H&M, button up: Goodwill, jeggings: Walmart, socks + clutch: F21, heels: Plato's Closet

And if you didn't know, I'm awesome at making mistakes ;)

An Ugly Christmas Sweater Party

2011-12-22T08:29:00.000-08:00

In case you missed it on my Facebook Page... here's a little video of our small group's Ugly Christmas Sweater Party...

(remember to select HD if you're going full screen :)

Can you believe it?! Three more days till' Christmas!!

Fashion Bend

2011-12-21T09:23:00.000-08:00

model: Hannah Sutton

Sometimes all you need is a black dress, an alley, and a chain.

Oh, and a model who can bend like no other. That helps ;)

DIY Anthropologie Mason Jar Snowglobe

2011-12-19T09:46:00.000-08:00

I'm in Texas! At least that's what I figured when I saw all the boots and cowboy hats coming off the plane. Yes, the stereotype is true my friends. Or maybe the airport is just that nostalgic. Anyway, we're going Christmas shopping today so I'm going to make this one short and sweet :) Inspired by the snow globes at Anthropologie ~~and refusing to pay $30 for each~~, I came up with this tutorial.

// SUPPLIES

I bought all of these little Christmas figurines (penguins, snowmen, trees), the Martha Stewart craft glue, glitter, and snow at Michael's (craft store). The figurines are only a couple of bucks for a bag of 5 in the Christmas craft section where they sell ornament crafts! You can find mason jars at thrift stores, but since I was making 9 (and they need a lid) -- I found a box of 12 at the grocery store.

Step 1 // Hot glue your wooden block to your mason jar lid. Then hot glue your Christmas figurines on top of that block.

This is basically serving as a base (and adding height) to your Christmas figurines. We happened to have 1x2 wood from Home Depot that Jose cut into little blocks. If you don't have (or want to buy) this, you can just use crumpled paper.

So glue your scene to this wooden block (or glue it to the crumbled paper that is securely glued to your jar lid).

Step 2 // Tear strips of notebook paper (or even better, white printer paper)

Step 3 // Hot glue the little strips around your wooden block to hide it

It'll look like this..

Step 4 // Cover your paper with a light coat of glue. Then add your frosty snow! It won't always stick perfectly, but that's okay! Tip: toothpicks are a great help when/if your fingers are covered with glue.

I also found these gold toned pine cones at Michaels. They're great for a more refined look. Just depends on how playful you want your snow globe to look :)

Step 5 // Drip your craft glue on to the bottom of your mason jar. Take a brush and make sure the entire bottom is coated along with some of the edges. Fortunately my hand was able to fit inside the mason jar so I used the same glue brush.

Step 6 // Sprinkle your glitter and swivel your jar to make sure the entire bottom is coated.

Let it sit this way for a few hours along with your bottom lid. I made the mistake (due to an overdose of Christmas spirit) of immediately closing my jar. The next day when I opened it, the glue was insanely STRONG smelling. It's because I didn't let it air dry.

Plus, it helps to let the glue in your jar dry with the glitter instead of dumping out the excess immediately.

After a couple of hours (or the next day), flip it over, dust out the excess glitter, and screw on your lid!

I know, I didn't talk about the hanging pine cone. But it's ridiculous to get that thing on there and not really necessary :) I glued some fishing wire around the pine cones and squirted some hot glue at the base then literally STUCK MY HAND inside the jar to press the wire against the glue. I yelled many times in the process, burning myself 3 times at least. I made 9 of these for my party and I think I only put the hanging pine cones on 4 of them.

There's no need to be ridiculous. With or without the hanging pine cones, they'll add a kiss of whimsy to your Christmas either way ;)

Happy Holiday Monday! Hope you enjoyed the tutorial :)

Ugly Never Looked So Good

2011-12-16T09:33:00.000-08:00

These were probably the only pretty things you'd see in our place last night...

Cause we had quite the Ugly Christmas Sweater Party :) I made those ornaments as party favors and I'll be sharing my DIY tutorial on them next week!

In the mean time... let me walk you through the process that REALLY happens before the party.

Exhibit A // Setting up my photobooth

Clearly I only have one model to test it on. My husband. Sometimes I know he wishes I knew people that lived near me.

How sexy is that "done" face?! Someone slap an Express logo on that image and we have quite the AD!

So then I moved on to making the actual booth itself. I had this idea in my head, but the execution came out COMPLETELY wrong. Had ugly written all over it.

It was late. I felt the gold tinsel mocking me. I took it all down and thought "if only I had a really nice fabric with... stripes... WAIT A MINUTE!" I remembered the stripe fabric from IKEA I bought to upholster a cushion ~~that will never get done~~ and crossed my fingers that it would be wide enough.

IT WAS! Design was revamped. And all was good...

Testing it out in my PJ's. Flash wasn't on....

We were ready to go. Ugly has never looked so good! ;)

Today I'm going to be packing, prepping my hard drives for our visit to Texas, and possibly attending another ugly Christmas sweater party! We took some ridiculous photos at the party last night and it's taking a lot of will power to not sit here and start editing them. You can't really appreciate the hideous top I'm wearing from that image. You'll just have to wait for a front view of it. I would say I am a cross between Cindy Lou (from Horton Hears a Who) and Austin Powers.

And truth be told, it's not even a sweater. It's just plain ugly. But that's all that really matters for these parties, right? Are any of you fashioning any ugly sweaters this Holiday? Happy Friday!

David + Devon: Mesa, Arizona Wedding Pt II

2011-12-14T07:05:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone's sweet words on Facebook :) If you haven't seen Part 1 yet, stop by there first! I have a special surprise at the end of this post ;)

And here is Part II of Devon & David's wedding...

Devon and David decided to have a first look which is always exciting. This is basically when the groom and bride have a private reveal moment before the ceremony...

I love First Looks so much because you can actually throw your arms around each other, laugh your nerves off, and not worry about a crowd of people watching you.

From the reception space, looking into the ceremony space... My Vintage Venue is such a beautiful location.

One of my many favorites..

Jillian's perspective right before the kiss...

then mine..

Clearly Devon inherited her mother's beautiful looks. Love these two :)

Rust and Lace ... they left me speechless when I saw their amazing work. I've never felt overwhelmed with where to start with details before. Which is a really amazing place to be.

And right as the sun dipped below the horizon, we took some of my absolute favorite images. Like something out of a fairy tale. I felt like I was peeking into their home as they slow danced by the light...

Time to celebrate!

Take a good look at these people here. They will teach you how to party.

A fairytale night indeed ♥

And that is all, my lovely friends. After second shooting for so long, I can't tell you how full my heart is to be able to share with you my own weddings with more to come next year! Sadly I couldn't squeeze all my favorites into this post (I KNOW. Ridiculous ;) So like my Imaginale Design Facebook Page -- and I can stuff your eyes with more ;) For now... we will end with this special slideshow:

(make sure the grey HD is selected if you're watching full screen! :)

The amazing vendors involved + Details:
Flowers: Emily Burton (works with Rust and lace)
Venue: My Vintage Venue
Event designer: Rust and Lace (Lettie Peterson)
DJ: Starz Entertainment (Matthew Bolt)
Catering: Classic Catering ltd.
Wedding dress: Mariee by Martina Liana
Shoes: Nordstrom (Beverly Feldman)
Garter: Etsy (rosebudlips)
Clutch: Nordstrom (Sondra Roberts)
Groom's suit: Men's Wearhouse (Calvin Klein)
Flower girls' dresses: Etsy (The Little Pea)

David + Devon: Mesa, Arizona Wedding Pt 1

2011-12-13T08:51:00.000-08:00

As I walked into the hotel where Devon was getting ready, little Phoenix came running up to me. I wanted to drop my equipment right there and just hug her. I've said it before and will say it again... I adore Devon and David's family. Their wedding is so special to me in so many ways. I've been counting down the days to share these images will you all. A special thanks to my amazing second shooter Jillian Murphy and always, to my loving husband for a third set of hands.

Phoenix is David's (and now) Devon's daughter. I posted this image a couple of weeks ago on my Facebook page and mentioned it's one of my favorites simply for the fact that I can see this moment happening when Phoenix gets married one day.

Phoenix is a magnet to anything pink. She is quite the girly girl :)

Every now and then I would catch Devon's mom trying to hold back tears as Devon was dressing. Her eyes literally brimming, watching Devon with admiration and so much love. Devon's mom has a beautiful heart!

Is it me or does Devon look a little like a Spanish princess? ;)

This girl thought of every detail. A bride after my own heart!

So beautiful..

Part II is next with details (some truly amazing details), the first look, ceremony, and reception!

The amazing vendors involved + Details:
Flowers: Emily Burton (works with Rust and Lace)
Venue: My Vintage Venue
Event designer: Rust and Lace (Lettie Peterson)
DJ: Starz Entertainment (Matthew Bolt)
Catering: Classic Catering ltd.
Wedding dress: Mariee by Martina Liana
Shoes: Nordstrom (Beverly Feldman)
Garter: Etsy (rosebudlips)
Clutch: Nordstrom (Sondra Roberts)
Groom's suit: Men's Wearhouse (Calvin Klein)
Flower girls' dresses: Etsy (The Little Pea)

My Christmas Gift List

2011-12-09T08:33:00.000-08:00

Hearts // Chloe // Naked // Ring // TOMS

I'm working on a little DIY crafty project that, as you can see, involves glitter....

Tis' the season to love gold isn't it?!

Oh my gosh you guys, I have the most irritated throat! I used my handy iphone flashlight app to check out my tonsils and it was pretty red back there. They're a little swollen this morning :( My body isn't aching, so I can't tell if it might just be the dryness of our climate (especially with the heat turned up in the winter), or if I'm on the road to a cold.

Then I had a dream last night that I ate a bowl of pineapple and immediately regretted it afterward, yelling "Oh no! My throat!" Then in my head (in the dream), I imagined my throat saying "you crazy lady." In a British accent. Just keeping it real folks. Can't help if I have a sophisticated throat.

Looking back

2011-12-08T07:56:00.000-08:00

As I opened my doors (and my life) to the wedding industry this season, I look back and feel blessed and grateful. Thankful mainly for the relationships I have made with the brides and their families. For their trust, their affection, and their love of photography. Honestly, if I had to put into words my ideal client I would say... that they absolutely love photography as moments of art. When the mother of the bride holds back the tears and grips her daughter's hand, the outstretched arms of women lacing up the bride's dress, the ring bearer who is propped on 2 chairs -- sleeping while the guests dance the night away. Big or little, wedding or not -- I love recording moments.

Who knows what next year will bring, but if you were in front of my lens -- thank you. To my brides -- thank you. If you read my blog -- thank you. To those who commented or "liked" or e-mailed --- thank you. Thank you for growing with me. For pushing and challenging me.

In wrapping up my last wedding of this season, I had to post one last teaser. Next week... you will see this beauty in its entirety. Who knew I was going to get all emotional like this!! Oh, you're not surprised? Hm. Well. Did I mention I'm an emotional photographer? ;)

Behind the Scenes - Exposing Your Foundation

2011-12-06T08:17:00.000-08:00

Sunday night during dance practice, our instructor Cory forced everyone to stop dancing. Then she said "I want you all to remove the styling, and I ONLY want to see your footwork." It was so frustrating, challenging, and probably the best exercise she made us do. She then said, "if you begin to draw attention with your styling to cover up your footwork, you're not making yourself a better dancer."

DEEP! Seriously! Do we exaggerate something to draw attention away from the foundation of our work?

I have rewritten this thought. Over. And. Over. I hope y'all can understand what I'm trying to say. There is a) your technical foundation (understanding the technical aspect of photography and b) your personal style (how you use light, your composition, your editing ... opening PANDORA'S BOX here!).

So how do we challenge that?

Find where in your work you can push yourself. What might make you uncomfortable, but you can still hold on to your style? This could mean location change, new posing, or maybe using manual focus. Then ask yourself, "I changed ______ and _____, but what stayed consistent in my work?"

My challenge was to test a little bit of both. Hannah (model and photographer) and I met, planned our concept, and shot within 5 days of our coffee talk (I'll share that session later ;). Stepping out of my comfort zone (for me) was with the first look Hannah and I did. Goodbye soft, romantic, gentle styling. My posing and composition were tested -- I pushed for rawness... more hardness. And for foundation, I decided to use manual focus (moments at a time). What stayed the same? My intimate composition and details. This is how I always, always, always shoot. Yesterday's shoot affirmed it, despite a change in environment or styled look.

So stop for a second and go back to the basics. Find at least one thing to pull you out of your comfort zone. Pick a model/friend who you can be vulnerable with to let them know you want to try something different. This is not to change your style, but in fact it's to discover/affirm WHERE your foundation and style are. When Cory asked us to stop styling with our hands and arms -- it completely exposed our foundation: our footwork. Styling is the creative, more personalized part (that we all LOVE) -- the branding ... and will only be more thrilling when your foundation is strengthened.

My next challenge is creative location shots during a session. I love people and intimate details, so I tend to zone in on that & forget the buildings. Or an entire portrait session on manual focus. Test subject anyone? ;) What's challenging for you?

Easiest DIY: Magazine File Design for Office Studio

2011-12-01T10:15:00.001-08:00

So I'm going to teach you how to do...

Have you ever found a DIY and swore you would do it but just lingered in your bookmarks/pinterest/word doc? Not this one. You practically don't have to do ANYTHING. I saw a rendition of this at IKEA and immediately went home to do it.

People. There are no RULERS or measurements involved. And you know what that means. ~~Jose wasn't involved~~. It's super easy.

What you'll need. I got my magazine file from IKEA (a course, a course):

Pick a magazine with a style that resonates with you. Flip through it.

Can this get any easier?

That's like asking if I make the best jalapeño salsa. Don't go there.

So after flipping through the Anthropologie catalog, I picked an image that inspired me (as I did with the others) then gently ripped it out (clearly cutting would be best). And you may or may not want it to have a similar color scheme as the other images or that coordinate with your office/studio. Your choice.

You then center the image where you'd like it on the magazine file and create some creases to mark your spots.

Flip the page over and attach double sided tape to both edges.

Attach to ONE side first and tug tightly.

Then firmly press the other side.

Now it may join the ranks of the fashionable organizers.

What can I say, I like to keep it simple. I'm slowly piecing my office together and IKEA is having quite the love affair with this space. And our living room.

Hope that gave you some inspiration for today! :)

Outfit Chronicles: Black & Brown + The Carl Zeiss 35mm 1.4

2011-11-28T14:29:00.000-08:00

My heart has been captured by the 35mm 1.4 lens.. and not just any lens, but the Carl Zeiss one!!

I wish I actually owned it, but I sure don't! The photo above is taken right before I had to return the lens to Tempe Camera when I rented it for a wedding. Figured I would do an Outfit Chronicles (and mini review) before returning it :)

If you didn't know, the Carl Zeiss is all manual focus -- this means you don't ever have the option of doing auto (in terms of focus). And let me tell you, when you're shooting at 1.4 -- my little eye is straining. However, Carl Zeiss is considered to produce some of (if not *the*) best glass out there.

When I was shooting details at the wedding, manual focus was actually not a problem. I was blown away by the results. The focal length, how it responds to light, the ability to move very close to the details, and the aperture -- perfection. I could definitely distinguish the focus up-close. But during bride and groom portraits, time moves much faster, especially because you're trying to capture emotion now and not an inanimate object.

I had to switch back to my Canon lenses every now and then, and definitely did not use it for the processional. It's not impossible, I'm sure there are people who could shoot an entire wedding on manual focus, but when people are moving towards you and things are happening so fast during a wedding -- I'm not willing to take that risk. Again, for those moving moments.

Overall, renting that lens just solidified my personal preference of fixed focal lengths, along with the ability to shoot that wide. I was most surprised by how close you can move in on a subject without getting much warpness (did I make that up?) on the edges. Yep. It's my kind of lens.

top + pants: H&M, earrings + necklace: F21, shoes: Rack Room shoes

Anyway, hope my experience provided some insight for you guys! While I would love the glass from the Carl Zeiss lens, I ultimately need the option for auto focus from the Canon lens. My only question is, would the 35mm be wide enough for my family portraits over the flexible 24-70mm?

Huge thanks to my hubs for the spontaneous moments I want to do Outfit Chronicles. Each time he groans at my unplanned shoot, I know it's just his panda-bearish way of saying he loves me ;)

And in that moment..

2011-11-23T09:02:00.001-08:00

they gathered around her, hands to slip the dress on and hands to pray over her on this day that she would be Mrs. Morkunas.

♥♥♥

Engaged: Jessica + Chuck

2011-11-22T08:16:00.001-08:00

Jessica and her mountain man -- Chuck.

I love that she nick named him that because it's so fitting to his relaxed, and very masculine character. Jessica would cuddle up next to Chuck and you would know, just by the look on her face how protected she felt. In these moments when I meet new couples, you begin to learn the different ways that people love. Some embrace tightly, some laugh tearfully, and some just need the other's presence.

Jessica, the girl with the throw-your-head-back laughter who jumps into her mountain man's arms ... Chuck.

This is their story.

Milly came along for our photo date too.. you know, to give us some pointers on modeling ;)

...how sweet it is to be loved by you

I agree, they belong in a catalog!

Thank you Jessica and Chuck, for letting me tell your story. Can't wait for the big day in May :)

More photos will be added to Imaginale Design on Facebook so if you haven't *liked* it yet and want more, make sure to do so! Hope to see you there!

Office Decor: Feminine Design

2011-11-21T10:39:00.000-08:00

It's the most feminine room you'll find in our house. My office. Scored some beautiful, silky curtains at Target and this gorgeous vase from IKEA. This was my original inspiration.

I want to find some brown branches to add more volume. And these are pieces of items on my desk and book shelf...

She draws ladies and gentlemen!

I know, I'll stick to photography :) It's funny how I'm really drawn to hand-drawn elements or watercolor. I think it says a lot about the style -- I love effortless imagery. What do you find yourself constantly drawn to?

How to: Create a Sweet, Sweet Package

2011-11-17T09:18:00.000-08:00

This is what you'll need...

Wrap your prints/note/gift with tissue paper and place inside of your kraft box. Doesn't tissue paper = fancy? Or do you have bad childhood memories where tissue paper = "Aw MAN, not clothes AGAIN!?!"

I remember those too.

Be still my heart..

My friends may recognize this stamp from my own wedding invitations. No shame in my game ;)

Then you wrap it up in whatever ribbon, twin, lace, etc. you'd like and add an embellishment!

Sometimes simplicity works best.

Recognize it from here? -- you'll find more details on my supplies in that post :)

Under my blog banner where I have my "About Me" and "Portfolio" tabs, I just recently added "For Photographers." So now all of my posts dealing with branding, packaging, marketing, and everything photography (business-wise) are under one tab!

What can I say. I like sharing. Unfortunately it didn't work out for me in 3rd grade. Nope. I tried sharing an answer with the girl sitting beside me who was clearly stuck on "7 x 3" and I whispered "21" to her. She immediately stuck her hand up in the air and loudly announced that Alejandra was cheating, giving her the answer. I. still. remember. That and the mole by her lip as she told on me. Hmph. Twenty-one. ~~Raise your hand now Elizabeth!~~ Enjoy the answers my friends. Not that I always have them :)

Simply stunning...

2011-11-15T07:06:00.000-08:00

The lovely Mrs. Morkunas

A little preview of this sweet day.

Outfit Chronicles: High Socks + Gold Flecks

2011-11-14T07:36:00.000-08:00

So let me share something I do when I'm in the closet staring at my clothes.

One day Jose and I were at the mall and he asked if we could stop by the Fossil store to replace his watch battery. Assuming I'll just be there waiting, I spot a lovely couch at the end of the store for me to plop down on, except as I'm walking in that direction I notice accessories along the wall. And I'm not referring to watch straps.

I see a wall of absolutely beautiful handbags and print images of people wearing incredibly lovely clothes. What?! Fossil sold... clothes?! One of the sales girls hands me their catalog and I flip through it in shock. The price range isn't my favorite -- but it is the styling that has truly caught my eye.

So back to me, standing in my closet, staring at my clothes....

I took the catalog home with me, and instead of tossing it in the recycling bin when I was done, I left it inside my closet. I flip to one of my favorite images, and hold it up -- staring at it. I figure out what pieces I own that are similar to this outfit and how I can recreate it with what I own.

I had finally bought a pair of ivory knee-high socks and I tried pairing it with 2 different dresses and 3 different skirts until I found the one.

sweater + skirt + socks: F21, hat: Target, boots: Steve Madden, necklace: Goodwill

Thought I'd share that with y'all if you're stuck on outfit ideas. Print images or keep catalogs that resonate with your style. To me it guides me when I'm blanked on ideas for new outfits with what I own. It really was the high socks that made it (in my opinion). So my challenge to you as this weather is growing chilly -- skip the jeans one day and go for some tights or knee high socks paired with a dress or skirt.

Anyone else know what's happening March 23, 2012?! CAN NOT WAIT!!! Happy Monday you lovely people.

B is for Branding // A Party

2011-11-09T09:49:00.001-08:00

I had a special party last month. You can call it the small scale version of what I hope to be doing one day ... large scale.

There's something about branding that I simply love. I'll be chatting with a photographer and suddenly I start piecing together the identity of their brand from our conversation. There's always quirks and characteristics of a person's life that define them. But I think it's SO difficult for us to do that with ourselves. To step back and articulate what our style is. Right?

You have ideas, sure, but to start omitting the junk and refine your message ... well, that takes..

A BRANDING PARTY.

So there we were. An intimate group of working professionals: photographers, event coordinators, jewelry makers, and engineers. I asked each photographer to bring their favorite THREE photos. Photos that they would confidently say "these images represent my style of photography."

I created stations for each photographers to set their photos up. Then I handed each one an index card to privately write THREE WORDS that they would use to describe/define their style.

Fold it up. Tuck it away.

Now everyone would receive a set of index cards (photogs and non photogs), and go around the room and privately write 3 words on a single index card, per photographer, that they personally thought of when they saw this photographer's work. Keep in mind they have not seen what the photographer wrote for him/herself.

When everyone finished, each photographer took their set of index cards and one by one, we each read aloud and revealed what words we ended up with.

I'll share some of mine: romantic, comfortable, classic, captivating, flowy, sensual, honest, emotional. The funny thing is when I read "sensual" aloud, others spoke up and said "yeah! that's a good one!" I also had romantic three different times!

Featured Photographers: Jillian Hogan Photography, Dream Photography Studio, This is Life Photography, and Imaginale Design

I absolutely love, love, loved the discussion we all had about our words, why those were chosen, and our honest thoughts about how they portrayed our work. The word "sensual" lingered in my head and now I've turned it to --> intimate. My style is feminine, intimate, and playful.

Can I just ask, why is it that the only 2 males at the party had THE B.E.S.T. INSIGHT?!

After the discussion, I gave everyone a handout with action steps on what to do now that they had specific words to apply to their photography. One of them involves coming up with your target market. As in, WRITE IT DOWN IN A SENTENCE. I remember I first heard about this through Promise's presentation on the PASS Tour and it has stuck with me.

There's so many times that I want to write on my blog for everyone. Does that ever happen to you? There's so much freedom in understanding and accepting who you are, what your style is, and knowing that people will both embrace it and reject it. Yes... reject it. And that's okay. Because honestly, your talents will never shine if they don't represent you. Love you because you are the only difference between everyone else.

SO! Would you throw a branding party in your city?! Do it! I would be insanely excited to hear about it :) If you need help planning, just contact me! alejandra(at)imaginaledesign.com

Outfit Chronicles: Dazzled and Tamed

2011-11-08T08:07:00.000-08:00

I think this was a first in... who knows how long that I didn't blog on a Monday! This last month had to be one of the most hectic months ever. In one weekend Jose and I moved out, I had a wedding to assist, AND I had a dance performance AFTER dance practice. All in 2 days.

I typically prep my Monday posts on Sunday night, but I've been coming home after dance practice on Sundays with my legs aching. Being on your feet for about 8 hours, then dancing the next day has truly been exhausting me. And I wouldn't be nearly as caught up if it wasn't for my amazing hubs. Not sure what I'd do without my man!! Probably eat cereal for dinner and buy a massage chair. And I'm pretty sure they don't make pretty looking massage chairs, so that idea is out!

This outfit inspiration came from this pin on my Pinterest..

I call it the tamed dazzle.

sparkly top: plato's closet, polo button up: my sister's closet, jeans: charolette russe

Basically you pair the neutral with the bling ;) So I thought I would do that with my nail polish!

And that my friends is some tamed bling bling.

On a side note, I love this quote by Jasmine Star:

"That's when it hit me: those who quietly sit behind a computer and study, photograph for the love of learning, and freely give to others in the name of moving the industry forward are putting in their 20 miles. Every day.

And we don't have to finish first to know we ran a good race." -- It really grounds me during this moment of planning and restlessness. Hope you find moments to give -- and love -- freely :)

Blank Slate: Time to Decorate

2011-11-02T11:35:00.001-07:00

I mean, hello... wood floors?! AND MIRRORS!!

No seriously. I can actually practice my dance routines in here without busting my foot on a coffee table (in case you were wondering, two weeks later and my little toe is still healing). On top of that, the natural light that pours into this room is rejuvenating.

Obviously I'm pretty happy with the new condo we've moved into :) -- still renting!

Anyway, at IKEA Monday night Jose and I were shopping for some bathroom shelving units and in the middle of the textile sections, this beauty caught my eye...

At least, that's what the blanket whispered to me. To Jose it may have said "impulsive shopper." But whatever. Isn't it the perfect blanket for baby photos?! Or snuggling? Or just tossed as a throw in my new office.

That was me using my mirrored doors. Love, love, love it.

And since Jose didn't approve of the feminine ruffles for our master bedroom, I'm thinking of decorating my office with this feel:

Yep. I'm a sucker for ruffles.

Like always, with progress I'll share more photos of the new place :) But right now, lots of lovely boxes are surrounding me. EVERYWHERE. So I'm thinking a rowing paddle in place of that big branch would be pretty amazing. Thoughts?

Stephany + Paul: Scottsdale, Arizona Wedding

2011-10-31T11:36:00.000-07:00

There was more love at this wedding than the number of y'alls in our e-mails. That's right... a Texas bride with her fabulous Texas boots.

The lovely Stacey was there to assist me, along with Jose, who all helped me capture beautiful perspectives of Stephany and Paul's first look.

A group of girls who had me laughing the entire day. Stephany picked some sassy and gorgeous girls to rock these dresses.

The night ended with its cool October breeze at the Housmyer residence. Stephany, you know how much I adore your family. Thank you for sharing your day and family with us ;)

It's a hard life when you're almost 3

2011-10-28T13:14:00.000-07:00

I mean, who makes you go to the park for an hour and a half? Then takes you on 5 trips to the elevator. And makes you try out at least 4 different swings? Play soccer on a mushy ball so things won't break around you? And watch DORA?!

What a cruel world.

Oh let's not kid.

I'm an awesome babysitter.

Especially the giving the kid back part. What a pro! Joshua and I... we bonded on Tuesday afternoon. I ran into my neighbors on my way out and Joshua announced to everyone we were heading to the park. In case they were wondering. However, I had this odd feeling most of them were actually wondering "where did this little one appear all of a sudden...?"

We'll leave them wondering. We're moving out this weekend anyway.

Is it worth it?

2011-10-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

So I wanted to take a small step away from photos and bring you up to date with my current "business" plans.

I am for real, y'all.

I think the message I've been hearing over the past few months is RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T BE DOING. Are you losing sleep? Do you dread your work flow? Are you... burned out? If you answered yes, my guess is that you are playing too many roles in your business.

Right now I'm at a point where I am still growing and establishing the foundation of my business. I would say it's pretty common for photographers to immediately begin investing in lenses (or other equipment) once their business starts growing. Not this girl. I can't tell you HOW badly I'd like to do that, but I'm forcing myself to rent.

Why? Because I recognize that I cannot play the role of accountant, financial planner, technician, and still be sane. Or heck, feel rested. And this is where I have to disagree with the famous Army slogan: Be All You Can Be.

THAT right there is the problem .. with small business owners.

We DO try to be all that we can be! So enter this burden that we suddenly start carrying, the roles that we try to fulfill, and we suddenly have a problem with releasing control of our business. And this brings me back to the same message over and over again:

I won't tell you what to, and not to do... I would simply like to share what I am doing.

I made a list of some of the tasks that I felt would impact my business greatly -- in baby steps. Finances. Packaging. Security.

Future thoughts: Hire or do a business trade with local photographer for album design.

And I hope y'all know I had to REALLY sit down and think about these steps. Start with making a list of goals and what 3, or even 2 things you can do right now to invest in your business professionally. You're a professional photographer -- not a professional accountant. (Or maybe you ARE and if so, holla atcha girl ;). And then, of course, it comes down to what you are willing to invest.

You either a) have plenty/just enough to invest or b) you would possibly LOSE money by outsourcing your top needs.

But this is what it REALLY comes down to...

I want to leave you with what Tamara Lackey asked during her Creative Live seminar. "Would it be worth it if you love what you do, you get more energy and time with your family/yourself, you are happier -- but possibly lose about a couple thousand for these initial investments?" And my guess is, by investing wisely in the beginning (with the risk of losing money) -- you will have a much higher chance of growing exponentially in your future that you will eventually make that initial loss back and some.

Remember, investment isn't only in cash/money. Your time, your energy, your happiness is investment. Well, to me they are. What about you? What would you outsource? Any thoughts on your top 3 needs? Or, what isn't worth sacrificing?

Family Fall Session: Little Red Apples with the Gallegos

2011-10-24T08:24:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I don't know what to expect with families because each one is so different. I'm always nervous before a family shoot because of this uncertainty -- hoping the kids will eventually trust this girl who is chasing them with a camera ;)

But the combination of very encouraging parents, the willingness to act foolish, and a crate full of apples ... you end up with some really beautiful moments.

If you remember the engagement session with Devon, Jessica was actually her hair dresser. She contacted me to ask about a family session and the two of us started planning right away. I asked about her boys, we planned their outfits via my pinterest, and I loved how Jessica was so excited and open to my ideas.

Gabriel and the boys adore Jessica. When a dad is so engaging with his children, I just think about the strength of a family and the Gallegos most certainly have that.

Remember, I said adore? Yep. This photo was moments after Gabriel leaned in and surprised Jessica with a kiss.

A few months ago I decided that I would always make time for just mom and dad during family sessions by asking them to bring another adult to watch the kids. Because, really, the core of the family are the parents... a love that should always be celebrated and not forgotten :)

Dream a little dream...

2011-10-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

Hippy to the Hop

2011-10-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

I'm in love with this wedding palette!

I really wish I was bold enough to share with you something hysterically embarrassing that happened this wedding weekend while I was assisting. Let's just say I was right behind the groom's son walking into the prep room a little too early. Oh, OH, hey... um, let me just step back outside. Ice breaker? Yeah, not quite. But what else can you do but laugh it off? Pretend it never happened until you hear the story being shared during the football game. That's right. A photographer AND entertainer, my friends. No extra charge for THAT!

The rest of this month is full of wedding weekends, including my first fall bride this coming Friday. I'm excited to be a part of the wedding industry here in Phoenix and to grow closely with the other photographers after being here only a little over a year. Speaking of which, I'll have to share some details with y'all on my branding party!

Isn't this image stunning?

I have it on my Pinterest under "Dance" because there might be a dance shoot in my near future. I've been longing to do a themed/editorial shoot. I can't wait to plan one either very soon, or in November! I have a performance tomorrow night if you're in Phoenix at Dance Time Studio :) I'm pretty nervous and my legs are pretty exhausted, so I'm hoping to push through tomorrow!

Let's just say hip-hop is involved. That's right my friends. Hip. Hop. Hippy to the hop like a digi-log frog.

Outfit Chronicles: Plum Fall

2011-10-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

I decided to add a little something to Outfit Chronicles to give y'all ideas for your own outfits: color schemes! This way if you have these particular colors in your closet, you might be inspired to put an outfit together or interpret it your way :)

Top: Plato's closet (remember my thrifty $4 find?! This is it!), jeans: Charolette Russe, necklace + earrings: F21, shoes: DSW, clutch: Dillards make-up freebie

Today I will be prepping for a rather interesting party I am throwing tonight. I've thrown a few parties before, but this is a first. It's a Branding Party -- with an intimate group of photographers that will be all about style, strategy, and ... branding ;) I want to say I "dream" about this, but really... it's a goal for me to one day be teaching about branding.

I took the Strengths Finder test after reading this book (which blew my mind), and one of my 5 strengths is maximizer. Listen to this... I mean, seriously:

"Because of your strengths, you now and then rely on your ability to help certain people find reasons to link up with one another. Perhaps areas of common ground or mutual understanding are discovered only when you are present. [....] You strive to honor everyone’s uniqueness and preferences. Understanding a person’s ambitions gives you insights into the type of support, training, experiences, partnerships, and nurturing he or she needs to thrive."

AHHH!! That has now more than ever confirmed this goal (coupled with many conversations with friends and colleagues). Have you ever felt so sure about something for your future?

Anyway, weren't we on Outfit Chronicles? Sorry ;) Hope y'all like the new color scheme implementation! This is something I've been doing with my recent clients and find that it really helps individuals pull outfits together. Have an ambitious and stylish Wednesday everyone ;)

The Sweet South

2011-10-10T09:14:00.000-07:00

One thing you have to know about Jose and I's trip to the cabins is that the experience is created by his family.

His family from Alabama.

That right there is when I feel I am part of the South. If I had to sum up my thoughts on what the South is to me, well... this would be it:

Sweet Tea: You shouldn't be surprised that I drank this every day in Tennessee. No need to ask what Ale wanted to drink. Served from a glass jar. That is done the correct way my friends.

Lush Trees: Maybe it's cause I'm a desert girl now -- but the trees remind me of the East Coast and the changing seasons. A place for the boys to be boys, Alejandra to be a little monkey, and slow hikes to be had.

Comfort Food: Lots and lots of food. Ribs, fried okra, hot dogs, burgers, kale, collard greens (hello Alabama). I had to be rolled out of my chair every night. At some point it's just best to wear loose pants so you don't have to unbutton anything. Yeah, I just went there.

Fishing: Not going to lie, this was a first for me. But guess who hooked her own line with a real worm AND her husband's?! Just imagine two little thumbs pointing at me ;) Perhaps it was my stubbornness, but I could've been out there for hours waiting for one of those fish to take a bite. I wanted so badly to have caught something but those fish were either smart or just not hungry. All they did was nibble my worm. Freeloaders.

Slow: Things just move slowly -- no rush. Though I can't say that about the speaking. I'm still working on the vocabulary of "git" or "lit" (i.e. get and let).

Marrying Jose means that I've married a piece of his Alabama roots as well. Need I remind you of my declared love for fried chicken?

Some things were just... well... meant to be, ~~I suppose~~ I reckon.

The Film vs Digital Talk

2011-10-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago I posted on Facebook this collage of 2 images I took at the Jose Villa Workshop. I asked people to guess which is film and which is digital and why.

I received some really interesting responses -- but the best part is that almost everyone guessed image (a). And for many different reasons.

Some of those reasons were: Photo A looks "more vibrant," "more crisp," or "richer in color." Then a few chose it just because they preferred the composition! Needless to say that A, regardless if it was film or digital, was the favored image.

I'm going to reveal which is film, but first things first.

Whether you were at the workshop, or have read Jose Villa's book, you will learn this about his shooting technique:

Outdoors, he shoots into the sun: This means he backlights his subjects which creates the "warm glow" that "wraps" around his subjects.
He exposes for the shadow: This means he reads for exposure on the darker part of the subject.
He shoots with wide apertures and longer shutter speeds.
He rates his ISO lower: This means if his film is rated for 800 ISO, he tells his camera that it's 400 (this will tell the camera that it's "less sensitive to light, meaning it requires more light to expose properly.")

When someone once asked me "Do you expose for the shadow?" my first thought was "definitely not!" Then, when Jose Villa began explaining his shooting style, I thought "how on earth is the skin tone on his images so perfectly colored when he's exposing for the shadow at midday??"

And this my friends is where you must understand the biggest 2 differences, in my opinion, that I found in film images:

// COLOR + EXPOSURE //

Let's look at the two images side by side again, but this time, look at the sky and the tone differences in both images:

Would you agree that image a) has a rosier tint to the sky? And that image b) looks a little more over exposed?

Photographer and friend Rebecca made this comment on Facebook about my question: "a" looks more like your style- not at all over exposed with a light rose-tint. Since you usually shoot digital (I think!), I'd put that one as digital and "b" as film."

The answer: Photo a is the film one. However, I highlighted Becca's comment because instinctively I wouldn't have chosen that lighting for my bouquet shooting digitally. I typically like to avoid a blown out sky. So in a way, Becca really made my day because she recognized that image (a) is more consistent with my style. Since the sun was up pretty high, I may not have even considered shooting against the sun if I hadn't decided to test the differences. And take this with a grain of salt, it doesn't mean I don't ever shoot into the sun at its peak, but I have to be very intentional with those so I don't have a blown out mess -- especially when photographing people.

Film? No, that's a different story. It BLEW my mind people, blew it, to see what a difference "over exposing" on film is in comparison to digital. Jose Villa says in his book, "People ask me all the time why I shoot film. Is there really a difference in the images? In my view, yes, and the reason is color. I can't get the same color, with the same consistency, using digital capture."

I completely agree. Color and exposure. Let me share another example. Excuse the slightly blurry film photo (image on the right)-- I exposed for the shadow and the meter said 1/4 of a second(!). Clearly my little hands were not stable enough for that slow shutter speed, but that's not the point. Check out the COLOR difference. The one on the left is a digital SOOC (straight out of the camera) with no editing. Same room and same lighting -- slightly different angles:

(all film images taken with Contax 645, Fujicolor Pro 400H film)

Do you see the difference in skin tones? Almost like the film adds more of a green tint. Look at the hair color. Look at the light separation on her skin in the film one.

I'm not here to say film is better than digital. This post is simply to share the differences that I found. While I don't want to jump on the "convert to film" boat -- I have to agree that there are some pretty significant differences that attract me to it. Mainly the differences in exposure. BUT, remember that we are using very specific FILM (chosen by Jose) and these were developed by a very skilled photo lab (Richard Photo Lab).

And if you are a digital shooter, be aware that Jose Villa's technique of "exposing for the shadow" works a particular way because he shoots film. Personally, I found there was much more forgiveness for over-exposing in film midday, whereas digitally, you're more likely to have the "blown out" look. Again, this is during midday sun. I love shooting into the sun during sunrise or a little before sunset and exposing for the shadow.

Plus, it's not about replicating someone's style. It's about defining our own. Jose isn't a one trick pony -- he definitely has a formula (in terms of technicality) -- but his art is in his consistency and quality. He created HIS "formula" in order to achieve a specific look -- you know, the "Jose Villa" look :)

So I leave you with this excerpt from his book:
"This consistency is critical to the fine art approach, and it carries through everything -- the images, the overall style, the products, and the service. Remember, the fine art approach is about creating a cohesive collection of art that works together. It's also about creating an exceptional experience from beginning to end. [...] Distinguish yourself. That's what the fine art approach is all about."

My summary: Film? Digital? Those are just mediums -- vehicles to expressing your vision, your art. Define your style, then learn to craft it consistently.

Thoughts?

This Man of Mine

2011-10-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

Considering the number of times he's been in front of my lens, I'm starting to think he's actually enjoying it ;) But seriously, I love photographing Jose -- I mean, look at him!

Give this man a rocking chair and he will be happy for life...

We spent a week at the cabins with Jose's family in Tennessee. Life was calm, tasty, and sweet :) I'm excited to share the rest of those images with you.

Flying back to Phoenix ... well, that was a different story.

Now, some would say that a 4 hour layover for a connecting flight is miserable -- and well, I would agree. In fact, I don't even remember the flight to Atlanta from Nashville because as soon as that plane started moving, I was OUT. All I remember is jerking awake at the landing. WORST FEELING when you're asleep. It always feels like you're waking up to a crash and are just waiting for the air masks to drop. I knew I should have paid attention to the attendant's skit in the beginning!

However, Jose and I -- we can pretty much entertain ourselves. Call it newlywed love, or call it sleep deprivation, but who knew you could have so much fun at the airport when you have so much time to kill.

Let's just say a little photobooth goes a long way. I feel bad for the people around us. Maybe I don't -- we were probably entertainment for them. We visited the Savannah Candy Kitchen, watched people, made fun of the lady with the CD walkman, and then we decided to visit the international gates. UM, WHAT THE HECK?!

Talk about a hidden secret! There were these awesome restaurants there AND a piano player! We grabbed some delicious brown rice with cayenne chicken, and pretended to have a luxurious dining experience. Towards the end of the night we became more delirious because we were laughing even more on the plane. We snuggled under Delta blankets and watched the X-Men movie they played on the tiny TV plane. Two cookies and a bag of pretzels later, we finally made it home.

Though I can't say I noticed I was ever away from home :)

Help Baby B

2011-09-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

.. I want to share a special project with you all.

Meet Baby B. The thing is, you'll only read about Baby Baca's story... because our goal is to one day meet him/her in person. Lauren and Nick (The Baca's), have entered the journey of baby adoption. And if you know anything about adoption, you know that aside from making some very tough decisions, you are also hit with a scary fee.

I spent a few nights thinking about how Jose and I could help. Like, really help. And then it hit me. I'd like to offer you a gift in return for gifting them. Instead of "mini-sessions," I'd like to offer you all a full hour for a family, engagement, or portrait session for $250. For every session booked (there are only 10 open spots), I will give $100 of that directly to the Baca's. That means that together we can help the Baca's receive $1,000 for Baby B. Let's do this! :)

If you'd like to be a part of this, feel free to contact me by filling this out -- the graphic below will provide more information:

So if you were already thinking about your Christmas photos -- well here's your chance! You can follow Lauren's stories on her blog "Where Are you Baby B?" And one day, I can't wait to meet that precious baby :)

Finding Your Path. Defining Who You Are.

2011-09-26T17:51:00.000-07:00

My heart is so full of love! I can't thank y'all enough for the overwhelming response to my Jose Villa workshop post.

But... I don't want to leave it at the images. I know a few of you want to know what ELSE happens at these workshops, especially meeting someone so inspiring like Jose Villa. It's going to have to be broken down into sections to make everything digestible :)

So where do we start? Simple:

// Finding Your Path.

The weekend before I left for Santa Barbara, I watched a workshop that Tamara Lackey was holding on Creative Live. Her first topic was "Define Who You Are." Only a few days later I was sitting at the Figueroa Farmhouse with Jose Villa and you know what Jose's first topic was? Finding Your Path.

> > Find. Define. Same thing. When you find your path, you can define it -- verbalize it. < <

Before I dive into ANY other topic Jose covered, I want to leave you with these set of questions Tamara posed to her audience. Read these, answer them for yourself. Then figure out how fast/easy/hard it was for you to answer them.

Ready? GO:

1) When these things (your role, profession, geography association) change -- who are you? (Hint: Skills, abilities, interests, talents, insights, beliefs.) No, seriously. Write these down.

2) Find your favorite photo. Answer this: What is the EXPRESSION of the composite? For me: romantic and playful.

3) What are you drawn to constantly and how did you grow up?

-Let me give you an example from the workshop. Jose Villa told us that he grew up around horses, ranches… organic elements and that he began applying this to his photography. Look at his images -- the pastels, the florals, the trees. I mean, his entire packaging was very simple -- clean whites, burlap, and very natural elements. Jose Villa chose "organic" to describe his photography. So how can YOU pick out a word from your upbringing, from your style aesthetic and apply this to YOUR photography?

4) What makes you go dead inside? For me, it's definitely forced composition.

5) What in you needs to be expressed? Don't you love this question?!

6) What have you always thought you could do - but haven't? For me it used to be video editing, but that's changing ;)

7) What are you really, really, really, really good at -- basically comes naturally? (Ex: writing, relating to kids, etc.)

8) If what you "should" do/say is A, what is B?

9) How much of you is a result of others' ideas about you? I posed this question on Facebook and my friend Jenn shared how being a "teacher's pet" or being in the "good kid" crowd influenced her personality and behaviors like being "afraid to try something new if [she] didn't succeed." I can see how this would hold Jenn back from taking risks in her business. As artists, I know we all experience anxiety over what people think. I battled this a lot and still have to fend those thoughts off.

But now it's about deeply understanding who you are because this will shape the message your photography sends (i.e. your branding!). The better we understand who we are, the less shakeable and more confident we become in our business. So get that part down cause branding is next :)

"Don't compromise yourself. You're all you've got." -Janis Joplin

I don't think it's a coincidence that both of these successful photographers started their workshops with defining who THEY are first. Like Tamara said, "technical expertise is assumed. This makes it an EVEN playing field. So what's left? Your vision."

So why do we sometimes try and mold our vision around others'? Would love your thoughts! And thank you again, seriously, for your words. Y'all truly inspire me each day!

Los Olivos: A Jose Villa Workshop

2011-09-25T13:20:00.000-07:00

... Honestly, I don't even know how to start this post. I've deleted the last 3 sentences(!).

Basically, I arrived -- insanely inspired -- and I left with the determination to craft beautiful images as, Jose Villa said, "an art director." But more on that later. First, I'd love to share my images with you.

One of the best experiences? Anna Spence letting me borrow her film camera to take one roll of film! With only 16 frames, I tried to choose wisely. Here are a few of my film photos:

And just so you know -- none of those are edited. None. It completely makes sense why so many are in love with film. Despite all of that, Brian from Richard Photo Lab reminded us that this is simply Jose Villa's medium and not the single way to make such beautiful art. But boy it's hard not to get so excited about it when you see the results.

The models were incredible. It was so hard for me to narrow these images down.

What breath taking styling. The florals, the props, the dresses. Can I just take this crew home?

I love couples, I really, really, really do. But I was definitely in my element with this model. She took direction and just RAN with it. Took it to another level. When I asked her to slowly drop her bolero, she immediately connected the action to an emotion.

Beautiful.

None of this could have been possible without these inspiring vendors:
Figueroa Farm House, Jose Villa Workshops, Jill La Fleur, Mar of TEAM Hair and Makeup, Joel Serrato, Kate of Flower Wild Design, Found Rental, James Cagle - Accountant, Cypress Albums, Fuji Film, Richard Photo Lab, Invitation Suite: Ceci New York, Hair Pieces: Mignonne Handmade, Dresses: BHLDN, Cake: Maggie Austin, Napkins: La Tavola Linens, Calligraphy: Chelsea Petaja.

I didn't only take photos -- I also took notes. Lots of them. I'll be sharing those later :) Thank you for letting me share this dream goal with you all.

Engaged: Devon + David

2011-09-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

She had me at burlap and lace.

Or at least, those are the words Devon used to describe her wedding and I knew this girl was after my photography heart.

Right after meeting with Devon and her (incredibly sweet) mom, the excitement of her wedding kept growing. We talked about outfit ideas and I scouted a location for our engagement session to match the Fall feel of Devon's November wedding. The day came, and I was blown away by Devon's planning and styling. But more than that, they completely trusted me to showcase their love -- for that, I'll always be thankful.

You know I love my details, and I have to thank Leidan Mitchell Salon for the stunning hair and make-up they did for Devon.

What a beautiful couple, huh?

Now this blue eyed beauty is Phoenix -- David's precious daughter. I have to say, David and Devon absolutely cherish Phoenix.

You should have heard me when I was editing. Love, love, love.

Hands down my absolute favorite set...

Devon and David -- you two are something special :) And your families? Adore them.

Hope this made you want to sip a little pumpkin spice latte or snuggle up to someone close. Fall and love are in the air my friends! Happy Wednesday <3

For the Love of Santa Barbara

2011-09-19T11:33:00.000-07:00

Before we get to this...

.. allow me to indulge in the beauty that is Santa Barbara.

As soon as I stepped out of the plane (which was tiny and smelled like wet bread unfortunately), the weather wrapped it's breezy arms around me and tried to seduce me to LIVE THERE.

Already?! Oh Santa Barbara, you move fast.

I couldn't stop staring out of my window when I was picked up by my sweet friend Lupe. Everything looked so quaint and Spanish, everyone was walking and riding their bikes, and my skin kept feeling so dewy. I ate the BEST Mexican and sea food.

This is where Lupe lives (my temporary Santa Barbara home :).

Me: Lupe! Wait, I want to get a photo of you before I leave
Lupe: What?! *appears caught off guard but immediately puts hands on hips and strikes a pose* Ok!

Hahaha. A girl that's always ready for the camera ;) Lupe you were the sweetest host!

Facebook page later today = a sneak peek before revealing the Jose Villa Workshop photos next week. Plus, I'll be posting an engagement session that I'm super excited to share this week right before I leave for Tennessee! This girl cannot wait to see some trees and I can't believe I'll be back on the East Coast after a year of being gone. Sweet tea... here I come. What's one of your favorite cities?

I'm home...

2011-09-15T13:24:00.001-07:00

Haven't quite collected my thoughts from my Santa Barbara trip. Or even unpacked my luggage.

But as soon as Jose (my husband -- haha, not the photographer Jose Villa) brought me home, I made him close his eyes and I unpacked everything I received from the workshop. Acting like Christmas Eve, I had him open his eyes and I revealed each gift, one by one. Film rolls, prints, notepads, books, and other burlap-wrapped goodies. He asked me questions ... tons of questions. We ate chocolate, hand picked cherries, and Danish cookies. And before we knew it, it was almost 1 a.m.

I basically passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow, and for the first time did not hear ANY of Jose's alarms go off this morning. As I look around at all of the beautiful items I came home with from Jose Villa's workshop, I dream that one day I'll be staying up late making these crazy, detailed gifts for my own workshop attendees. That they too come home to their spouse, heart over the moon with goals and inspiration and plans for their own business. And if they're really lucky, their spouse will listen intently the entire night, careless of the hours, dreaming with them :)

Her Story: Keira Jennett

2011-09-12T04:09:00.000-07:00

There's not many words that need to be said for Keira's story. I was blessed with the opportunity to tell it. I had never done anything like this before. I mean, record external audio then edit it? Typically I take moving clips and combine them with stills, then add a song as my soundtrack.

But this was too important to not try.

Thank you Keira, for being so, so brave. Thank you Jeff, for entrusting me and challenging me with this project. I hope this serves as hope for the many times we have allowed such lies to taint our heart.

Psalms 139:11-14 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

What to Wear for an Engagement Session.. or Date Night

2011-09-08T16:02:00.001-07:00

...or you know, any time you feel like looking awesome.

So many looks, so many styles, different personalities and different body types. I got lots to show you. My November bride inspired me to find some ideas for our engagement session with a Fall, woodsy theme and of course -- I came away with more than woodsy.

Let's start with: Themes

*Please refer to my Pinterest for the original source of all images

What kind of couple are you?

I called this urban perfection:

You CAN wear jeans -- but see how she completely transformed her jeans into a refined, urban style? Blazer + (skinny) jeans + heels = perfect combo. She even layered it with a lacy white tank! Love me some feminine details.

Another jean cutie:

LOVE that top. What's really smart is how she wore a dark tank top under it to blend in with the jeans so it keeps the shortness of her top without making her look too layered. And that necklace? Perfect use of accessories!

Let's get the guys inspired. I pulled the top 2 looks from J Crew:

Honestly, I think my favorite of those ^ is the bottom left -- the cotton, denim color button up with the rolled up sleeves and skinny tie. The texture of the shirt with the breezy pants just looks so effortless. And I don't usually use the word effortless for a guy.

For Her: simple elegance...

For Him: Effortless (again!!) + Ocean

I'd roll up his pants and show off his shoes :)

And here are ways for the ladies to implement their style and personality through use of colors and accessories. Remember, you don't always have to buy a new outfit.

See how the *Fall perfection* girl on the left took a (relatively) boring sweater and glammed it up with those red shoes and chunky necklace? GENIUS.

Hopefully this has guided you or inspired you with ideas for a date night, your photo session, or for your next mall visit! I created a board specifically for this on my Pinterest so if you want to be updated on the outfits I add, make sure you're following!

p.s. I am STILL looking for the perfect pair of nude heels.

Roar.

2011-08-31T09:50:00.000-07:00

Here we are... the conclusion of my unplanned shoot.

I realize that I failed to tell you a bit about Ana. I'm pretty sure Ana is somehow related to me -- and not because both of our dad's are from Uruguay -- but because we are insanely ALIKE.

The talking, the obsession with food, the love of fashion, and in other less obvious ways. Like the ease in picking up the phone to ask each other the smallest of opinions; our natural tendencies to host people, feed them, and be extremely expressive in our interactions. I can't describe what it's like when the two of us hang out together. Our husbands just roll their eyes and leave us be ;)

Or as Jose would say, we are cut from the same tree.

Whatever the expression, I'm very grateful to have met Ana and that we unite like family :) She rocks her beauty both inside and out.

Don't you love collar bones? Just me? It creates these grooves and curves that, to me, fall in the same category as low backs -- these subtle elements that just roar femininity.

Roar. I like that word :)

Raw, Me oh My

2011-08-29T10:20:00.000-07:00

I woke up inspired. I couldn't get the idea out of my head and in trying to step out of this rut, I picked up the phone and called Ana. "Don't worry about your outfit, don't worry about the location. I just need us to work on your hair and I need some bright lipsticks."

I grabbed these old pair of pink glasses, some lace fabric, and my camera. I was out the door.

With Ellie Goulding playing in the background, Ana and I each held a curling iron to her head as I tried my best to describe the concept in my head out loud. Although to be honest, in my head my goal was simply: focus and solidify my style.

No Plans Shoot -- part I

I couldn't believe that all I had to do was tie lace to a window in order for me to create some of my most favorite images. But you see, it wasn't the lace, the bold lipstick, or even the pink glasses. It was taking one thing I will always have, whether it's in the corner of a bedroom or in a beautiful studio set up -- and that's me. My perspective. And that, that right there is something I insist on growing for the rest of my life. Otherwise I'm left wanting different lenses, different props, and will lose what comes naturally.

Anyway. I just really want to encourage you all to do what comes naturally to you and know that you can make magic anywhere. It starts with being true to yourself. Thanks for letting me share this with you :) I'll be posting the second part next! In the mean time, I need to go lay down. I think I'm getting sick and need some serious rest =\ Happy Monday you inspiring people you.

Thrifty and Consignment Fashion

2011-08-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

I'm not gonna lie -- I don't have the magic that others do in finding clothing articles at Goodwill to put together an amazing outfit. Or the patience. But I do have the patience for consignment stores like Plato's Closet that buy back stylish, gently used clothes.

The biggest tip I can give you (because these stores can be overwhelming and crowded on weekends) is to pick the locations in upscale neighborhoods (i.e. higher end neighborhoods).

My first stop was Plato's Closet. Ugh. You have GOT to have patience for this place. Sometimes I just skip sections (too much going on) and go straight to the jeans / dresses / and formal area. They have gazillions of sleeveless/tank tops so it's great to find your basics here and then you can spend a little more at your favorite department stores. For the fall/winter they also bring out a ton of sweaters, button ups, and even jackets.

I walked away with this:

Purple top was $4, shiny gold top: $6, and denim romper: $10. I believe I tried on 12 things. Including salmon colored pants. Stop judging. What can I say, I'm open minded.

This last place was by accident. Err.. kind of? We actually went to My Sister's Attic which is consigned furniture, but Jose (I SWEAR!) told me I should check out My Sister's Closet while we were there. To be honest, I wasn't in the mood to spend another hour scavenging the isles for savings, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to take a look inside.

When I walked in, my first thought was "really?" Really -- as in -- why have I not BEEN HERE BEFORE?! The place was immaculate. Clean, fresh, and stylish. And just so you know, I was hungry. When I'm hungry, it gets bad -- just forget shopping. So I literally did one quick walk around the store just to admire and that's when I saw this polo, striped, button up ($11) calling my name.

After grabbing that (no dressing room needed for a button up!), I walked by the shoe section and these shoes... oh my. The lady beside me eyed them a little too late. They were already being laced up on my ankles while she watched in a corner, hoping I'd put them back. I checked the bottom of the shoe -- $12.50 -- SORRY! These suckers are coming home with me!

Before heading to the check out line, I saw this luggage strap bag for $10 and thought: new laptop bag! And of course, Jose was eyeballing me practically saying "hungry, huh?"

But come on... look at these shoes. Funky, COMFY, perfect little heel, and perfect little price.

i.e. Success my friends. I paired these shoes with ripped shorts and the polo button up for a preppy meets funky look.

Don't be fooled though. Working from home means I don't actually get out of my PJ's until I'm forced to go out in public. And that's when my cute button up suddenly feels like the devil's sweater.... 116 degrees!! What was I thinking? Back to my zebra striped tank top and boxers it is.

Zebra striped? I kid you not.

What's your craziest pijama concoction?! Happy Friday :)

Good Enough

2011-08-24T09:57:00.000-07:00

I came across this quote on Rosie Hardy's blog and it perfectly sums up something I've been wanting to post about...

"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers."

Have you ever felt so inspired by some (thing) (one) that suddenly you feel less worthy?

I have. Sometimes I have to leave my Google Reader closed because I'm too exhausted to desire the inspiration. To do what everyone else is doing. Sometimes I feel left behind, like I'm watching this amazing party bus just drive past me -- watching laughing faces from the windows.

But this is the section that I loved about that quote... "we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers."

We have to use our discomfort and our fear to propel us. This means.. do something.

How? Well first, ask yourself: What am I really good at?

Sit down and truly dig deep to find something you feel very confident about. Are you an absolute natural in front of kids? Amazingly consistent? Have great understanding of composition/geometry/color? Using props? Making people feel comfortable? Telling stories? Unshakable faith in God?

Pick one. Now, hold on to it.

Because we can-not-do-everything-that-everyone-else-is-doing.

I am so guilty of this. Let those that are amazing at prop photography be amazing at that. Allow those who are incredible at web design be what they are. Because in the end, anyone can have photoshop or a baby cocoon -- but they don't have you. So if we continue to waste time buying resources to make us into others, we will hardly amount to be the greatness that we can be. Strengthen who YOU are. In other words, focus on your strength -- that one that you know is truly YOU -- then challenge that trait to grow.

These photos are my testimony. I eliminated clothe-styling, a location, and props. I took a moment of feeling unfulfilled and tested my story-telling ability. And I cannot wait to share the results.

Thank you party bus for leaving me behind sometimes.

Outfit Chronicles: Coral Skirt

2011-08-22T09:08:00.001-07:00

So I wore this skirt here but I wanted to show you the skirt in its original form. There's a thick black band on it, and in this last outfit, I folded part of it over, then covered it with my belt because the black would've thrown the outfit off. But here it is in it's non-manipulated form, paired with black!

Would I look really crazy if I pounded on the door upstairs in my robe to complain about the construction noise going on there? Yes? Hmm. Well you're not helping my situation.

Just so you know, I am still working on my "posing" blog post. It's actually a lot more challenging to compact all of that information into a nice little guide. But I'm working on it!

top: random flea market find in Honduras, skirt: Express, shoes: Rack Room Shoes, necklace: F21

Hope you're having a great Monday!

p.s. Does this photo take your breath away as well? What a stunning dress. I love, love low-backs.

Dream Goals... and Swayze

2011-08-19T08:56:00.000-07:00

So... a couple of nights ago Jose and I were catching up on my favorite show So You Think You Can Dance.

Then we got to this number..

As Tadd is taking his shirt off, here's the conversation that follows:

Ale: Doesn't he look like what's his face from Dirty Dancing?!
Jose: *questioningly* Patrick Swayze?
Ale: Yeah!! The build of his body reminds me of him. You know what I mean?
Jose: *slight pause* Nope... can't say I was analyzing Swayze's body during Dirty Dancing.

*silence*

Ale: -busts out laughing- Oh baby, *tries to cuddle* I wasn't analyzing it either.
Jose: *pushing me off* Excuse me, I'm trying to watch Swayze over here.

Needless to say Swayze is not a welcomed conversation piece in this house ;) Though the night did end with Jose attempting a very great Dirty Dancing lift to get me off the couch. Take that SYTYCD.

On another note.. for those of you that read my excitement over Jose Villa on Facebook and thought "Jose who?" Let me clarify...

Those images, my friends, are by one of the photographers I MOST look up to: Jose Villa. Hands down, if someone asked me who my favorite photographer is, I would say Jose Villa.

I found out about a workshop he is having in California and I immediately e-mailed the link to Jose (my husband :) with the words "workshop dream come true?" While part of me questioned whether I was ready, the other part of me screamed "what are you waiting for?! Get up and go!" Over a fancy IHOP dinner with friends this week, they completely encouraged me to do it now. Now's the time.

I guess I felt that this moment was bigger than me. The workshop is NEXT month and part of me couldn't believe I was that close to meeting someone who inspired me that much. That I hadn't earned that chance yet. But I realized that it's not chance. It's opportunity and I have the choice to take it or leave it. I mean, isn't that the epitome of what I believe? Taking chances? Risks? To be defined by the courage and strength of believing in yourself and not by the mistakes you make along the way?

Absolutely.

And with that, I bought my seat. I found out I had bought the last seat for this year's course in Cali. So Cali, get ready, cause here I come.

How to Create a Gallery Display

2011-08-18T08:37:00.000-07:00

... well, how I did it. These were the results of our labor..

The rules were that we couldn't tape or nail anything on the walls because the display was happening in a historic (gorgeous) church. So I had a 7x7 foot space to work with and display my photos. They gave us the idea of using a large piece of wood to nail our photos on and that is ALL I needed to get my brain fired up.

STEP 1 // Plan the design.

My original idea was to cover the wood with newspaper/book-pages then draw frames with coral paint for a nice pop. Funk + Classic/Editorial... remember, Kate Middleton and Gwen Stefani? ;) I wanted onlookers to feel like they were walking into a piece of my studio/office (i.e. consistent branding). And suddenly, that's when the chalkboard idea hit me. What if I painted the wood with chalkboard paint and drew the frames with chalk? That would be like displaying my website in person. I asked Jose and some friends, and they all loved the chalkboard idea.

See, this is us at Home Depot picking out the wood. Jose can foretell this is going to be a painful weekend...

STEP 2 // Shop with inspiration.

(source)

I took this picture with me to ALL the vintage stores. It made me shop very specifically. I wasn't replicating it, but when I picked an item up, I would ask myself "will this contribute to the design I have in mind?"

STEP 3 // Design!

I'm not even going to tell you how ridiculous this was. You see, we only had the weekend to do this -- but if you are considering doing this... DO NOT USE SPRAY PAINT! Why the heck were we using it? Because chalkboard paint takes 3 days to handle. We didn't have 3 days. Chalkboard spray paint only took 24 hours, but there were some ugly moments in between.

Anyway. We Jose finished the chalkboard and then I laid out my design on it, including the antlers as a centerpiece on the frame and scrap wood from Home Depot to use as shelves (painted in coral).

Jose created templates for the photos with cardboard because this man does not fool around with straight lines.

I found hand drawn frames online and we used those as inspiration for our own frame design.

STEP 4 // Use your resources!

People feel they are limited by money and can't create anything unique. Not true! I called friend and stylist Alex Evjen from AVE Styles to borrow Alexis -- her mannequin. Those things are not cheap and it is a beautiful prop. I also contacted Butter Toast Boutique and she lent me some vintage gowns. Although I didn't end up using them because I didn't trust the chalk on the board against the fabric, I still had the option. Other places let you rent items too, or you can offer to place their business cards on your gallery if they sponsor you with furniture. Make it work.

STEP 5 // Stylize

But stick to YOUR style! Reflect your business. Public displays should always be an opportunity to carry out your branding and tell people more about who you are. You don't have to have antlers, and chalkboards, and mannequins. Just remember the love you pour into something will become an investment. Is it worth it?

So we set up and felt so blessed that it all came together in the end. Again, my husband poured so much love into this with me.

I completely forgot to take pictures when the gallery occurred! I'm mid-way through blinking, but Jose got this when the night was almost over..

And I am forever grateful for the support and love from my amazing friends. Shout out to Nick and Jeff for hauling that wood through our building's elevator! We are some lucky people.

Phew. And that's that!

Cost of wood = ~$35
Cost of spray paint (6 cans) = ~$30
Vintage store total (accessories, including antlers! :) = ~$50
IKEA funky branch lamp = $40

Let me know if you have any questions about any of this. Just use what you have and dream big... it'll all work out :)

Motion Shoot: Eli Housmyer

2011-08-16T10:26:00.000-07:00

Oh this baby. Actually, this FAMILY! From the baby shower to Eli himself, and this October I will also be photographing Zach's sister's wedding! I met with my bride Stephany and her fiance last Friday and the entire Housmyer family is just sooo loving. I joked that I'm becoming their family photographer but really, they just make me feel like family :)

After debuting my first motion shoot, this will now be my second!

(make sure it's loaded all the way & select HD if viewing large :)

Hannah... um, stunning momma!

I'm so lucky that people like the Housmyers let me into their lives to record these memories.

Tonight is the gallery showing at Phoenix One!! I seriously can't wait to share with y'all the final results. Amazing what you can do with some paint and wood. And antlers of course ;)

Inspiration + Exhaustion = No Sleep.. or Pancakes

2011-08-14T22:22:00.001-07:00

We managed to finally make it to bed around 2 in the morning last night. I know. It's like we're back in college.

See, I've been blessed with the opportunity to showcase my work at a gallery for Phoenix One -- a city-wide worship gathering for young professionals in their 20’s and 30’s in Phoenix. So when I was told I had a 7x7 foot space to work with, there were bombs of ideas going off in my head.

Unfortunately, this was all in a matter of a week which somehow turned into we-only-have-5-days-and-paint-won't-dry-fast-enough-oh-my-gosh-what-am-I-doing week. Ever had those days? Chaos.

This is where I pulled some of my inspiration from....

(credit: here, here, here, and here)

I hit a point when I thought about everything I had to do, everything there was left to do, and I just wanted to crawl into a hole. With pancakes (what? I was hungry too). But my husband didn't let me. In fact, he drove to a vintage store with black knees (from spray painting) just to help me decide on my props. I had been in there for an hour and imagined little artists in my brain having a strike from inspiration overload (yes, they probably had cute little signs during their strike).

No seriously, he had to (as he so eloquently put it) "rally the troops in." He walked into the store, took 1 minute to walk the entire place, and said "alright, keep those 3 things and let's go." Let me just throw my hands up and say that I don't know whether it's a man thing, an engineer thing, but it's an ability I don't have.

And this was our weekend...

A little peek at our labor.

Honestly, this whole blog post should just be one fat THANK YOU to Jose Vidal. He is a spray paint warrior. Black knees, swollen/numb thumb, and too many wipe ups to count. On top of that, he's dealing with a girl who at times would say "that looks way too symmetrical." Makes a man want to twitch I'm sure.

But today he is at work on only 4 hours of sleep and I needed you guys to know how lucky I am. Because at the end of the day, my inspiration and designs are empowered and uplifted by the help and support of my husband. We struggled, we cried (no wait, that was just me), and we even laughed. Probably deliriously. And now it's almost done. We set up this afternoon and tomorrow is the gallery!

Phew. Let me know if you have any ideas on what I might be doing ;) I plan on having a give-away after the gallery!

I'm on Facebook! + Guest Post

2011-08-12T08:51:00.001-07:00

Yep. This little lady finally has a Facebook Page specifically for Imaginale Design!! And let me tell you, there's going to be some pretty ridiculous surprises I will have in a couple of weeks going on there. So hopefully you'll grace my page with your presence and like it :)

You know how I'm always talking about platanos? No? Then we're not friends on Facebook. DO IT :) Anyway, many people have asked me what the heck they are!! So when Kristen from In Sweet Violets asked me to do a guest post on platanos (cause who really cares about photography when we're talking about food here) -- I just knew I'd be doing your taste buds a favor. If you like bananas. Cause they're practically brothers. Otherwise you might hate them.

And that post is up! All about platanos. What they are, what they look like, and how to make them. Plus, some fabulous posts by Kristen herself. If you guys try this for the first time, PLEASE let me know. I love hearing about people's adventures in the kitchen. Happy Friday :)

Wedding Hair Inspiration

2011-08-10T07:55:00.000-07:00

My new installment of wedding finds starts today! And I'm starting with one of my favorite things. Hair :)

Braided up-do...

(link)

More braided do's

(link)

Long, down-do's

(link)

Romantic do's (love wedding head band!!)

(link)

Romantic bun...

(link)

Simply stunning.

(link)

short hair too :)

(big veil, dark wavy hair, medium wavy hair)

(link)

This was my wedding hair.

Any favorites? I think the stunning up-do with the white flower is one of my favorites.

Motion Shoot: Leah & Ariana

2011-08-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

These are my thoughts for Imaginale's future...

Pieces of motion + still images from a session = special storytelling. Motion Shoot. Basically the motion would be an *add on* to the portrait session (children, engagement, bella, etc.). Not full film and not your average slideshow.

What would this look like? Glad you asked, cause I've been dying to show you!

(make sure it's loaded all the way! :)

Such a fitting song cause that's what I want to do... turn the whole thing upside down :)

Outfit Chronicles: Retro Nautical

2011-08-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

It's funny how I've purged my clothes SO many times due to moving around and I just wasn't able to let go of this sweaterish-vest I got from Plato's Closet a year ago. I tried pairing it with different outfits and they just wouldn't work. Then finally, this baby made his debut....

.. with flying colors! The vest and high-waist shorts are what give this nautical outfit the retro twist.

By the way, have y'all ever tried mixing lipsticks? Well, that red lipstick (Estee Lauder -nectarine) up there (first photo) is from my great friend Stacey and I coated it with the other metallic pink lipstick (from CVS only $.99!) to give me the color I'm wearing in these photos. Great way to tone down bold colors or just make up your own ;)

vest: Plato's Closet, tube-top: H&M, shorts + necklace + earrings: F21, shoes: DSW

Is it too late for the "equestrian" classic look? I'm getting drawn to fitted, blue & gray button ups and am dying for a blazer right now. Phoenix, throw me a bone! We just need it UNDER 100 degrees so I don't look like a complete fool wearing a button up with rolled up sleeves.

Tomorrow: hopefully I'll have my post on 'posing' ready to go up. Second, I am going to start doing a "For the Brides" post once a week! Those will probably be short posts on cute finds for brides :) Imaginale Design is officially opening up to the wedding industry so I thought it would be fitting to provide my future brides with inspiration :)

Last: how was your weekend? We went and saw Crazy, Stupid, Love which had some really hilarious moments. But when can you go wrong with Steve Carell? Then on Saturday night at 9 p.m. we spontaneously went to a coffee shop and shared a chai latte. And just talked :) Then Jose dreamed that we had a little girl and named her Samantha Montgomery. Samantha Montgomery friends. That's my Southern husband :)

Glimpses of My Family's Past

2011-08-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

I love, love looking at old family pictures. A lot of it has to do because all of my family's old photos are from Honduras so it's even more intriguing to see those.

One of my mom's cousins...

Breath taking. Her beautiful knee-length braids with the overwhelming bows, her stance, her attire, the strong lipstick on her little lips. I love this photo.

My grandma with her five daughters. My mom is the one with the shades -- insanely skinny! Apparently in that particular time it was better to be plump and full, so she actually would eat bananas after every meal to try and gain weight. Then she said she moved to the States and after successfully gaining weight she realized what was a la mode in her country wasn't the case here. Ha. The irony.

And last is this beautiful photo of my grandfather in his youth.

Looking at it fills my heart not only because of the image itself, but also because of my grandmother's handwriting on it.

When I went home, I decided it was time to take formal photos of my grandmother.

And honestly, I don't have the words to tell you about this experience. In So You Think You Can Dance they told one of the dancers that sometimes they feel she can only communicate particular emotions through her dance. You know, when words simply fail you as you try to describe what you're experiencing? This is one of those moments for me -- photographing my grandmother.

I'm putting together a special piece for her so you'll have to wait a little to see the photos. But I can-not-wait to share this insanely special experience with you!

Don't you love how you can share in someone's life through photography? Augh. Hands down the best part of being a photographer. Happy Friday everyone! :)

Bellas: Lauren Maduzia Revisited

2011-08-02T22:57:00.000-07:00

All of these photos were taken on our high school property in our failed attempt to get inside. You see our high school, a performing arts school, was rebuilt two years after we graduated into a HUGE and beautiful building. They kept the historic sections and just added on to it, making it three times the size it used to be.

Neither Lauren or I have seen the new inside. All we could do is stick our face against the glass and point to the spots we could see.

Creepers.

Beautiful! And those shoes?! Match my website perfectly ;)

Worrrrk it...

The following three are some of my favorites...

Gorgeous! But it doesn't surprise me :) In fact, I'm going to be writing a post on posing using specific examples from this session with Lauren.

p.s. A HUGE thank you to everyone's amazing and encouraging words on my website re-launch. Honestly, you all are such an inspiration to me. I appreciate every single one of you and each of your comments fuel my passion even more. Thank you, you ridiculously amazing people you :)

My Updated Site is Officially Up!

2011-07-31T22:48:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting this entire summer for this day and I'm THRILLED that my little old website got the face lift it's been needing.

So I present you... my newly updated... Imaginale Design

(This is your cue to go! Then come back :) To get a visual of how excited I am, picture the koolaid man busting through walls and yelling "Oh yeah!!"

.....

I'm sorry. That was wrong in every right kind of way, wasn't it?

So my updated site has new photos...

(You'll be seeing more of Ms. Lauren Maduzia later :)

... as well as a new color scheme! It is not a drastic change, but definitely the rejuvenation and consistency it needed. I'll be sharing with you my design process and what elements I decided to eliminate.

So what do you think?! :) Note to self -- designing for you is ridiculous.

Outfit Chronicles: Featured on Phoenix New Times Blog!

2011-07-27T23:27:00.000-07:00

Who knew this little girl on the right wearing an outfit that looks like Beetlejuice dressed her would one day be featured on the Phoenix New Times Blog talking about... fashion?

If my mother pulled that off on me, then my little girl should be alright. Anyway, I'm honored to be on the Phoenix New Times Blog!! :) Titled "What Are you Wearing?" I was interviewed by Hannah Hayes on my fashion outlook and influences. So go check it out first, then come back!

Go on. I'll be here waiting when you're done.

Did you go see it? Okay... so I decided to do an Outfit Chronicles based on the outfit I wore to the interview...

Top (actually a dress) + necklace: from boutique in Spain, belt: Buffalo Exchange, skirt: Express, clutch: freebie at Dillards make-up counter, shoes: DSW clearance!, earrings (not visible) + bracelet (actually a necklace): F21.

Jose asked me "Kate Middleton is one of your style icons??" Weeeell... look who has opinions on fashion now.

I'm referring more to Kate pre-Duchess, when she didn't have professionals dressing her (but clearly I'm still drooling over what the pro's pick for her). In actuality I answered that question as "a combination of Kate Middleton and Gwen Stefani." It's not so much her style of clothes (English Modern Country) but the way that she and Gwen Stefani wear their clothes. They make it look so effortless and both couldn't have more different styles. If anyone can make "reserved" look feminine and modern -- that's Kate. Gwen makes punky boyish-style look feminine.

Whether you display it through delicious red lipstick or through dignified, tailored attire -- there's something about highlighting feminine elements in fashion that I absolutely love.

What artists' style do YOU admire? MY COMMENTS are fixed! Try them out -- you can post anonymously now too :) I see you grinning... creepers.

Blue Eyed Interruption

2011-07-27T08:25:00.000-07:00

I interrupt your daily whereabouts with this blue-eyed cutie... Nicholas Broc Cordova, Jr. He wasn't supposed to be in front of my camera, but well.... he was there, staring at me with that beautiful face, and how could I resist?

He probably wanted to say "why didn't you warn me? I'm not ready for my close up!"

Oh but he was.

Moral of the story? If there's a baby near my camera.. you've been warned.

I have no self control.

:)

Bellas: Jasmine Vidal Native Fashion

2011-07-25T07:51:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you've noticed that this has been the summer of Native American wear. And seeing as how I live in the desert... this has been quite fitting.

We went with two looks for Jasmine. The first is a more edgy, punkier Native American interpretation:

And the second -- a softer, bohemian interpretation:

I wish you could see the bottom right one in print. I ordered a metallic print and the colors are amazing -- one of my favorites!

What has been your summer clothing selection? I've been all over coral and recently getting into bright nail polish colors. And by bright, I mean neon. Go ahead, judge. My husband already did! Which will be opposite to what I hear is making a comeback this fall... KHAKI. Say what?

I might be making that up. Let's hope so cause khaki and I are like Spice Girls making a reunion tour with N'Sync. Just not right. But possibly interesting.

Your thoughts on khaki? Hope you enjoyed our rendition of Native American fashion. Happy Monday!

Girls, girls, girls

2011-07-22T08:31:00.000-07:00

I just got back last night and I can't believe I'm BLOGGING! But it's a quick one to give you insight on the ridiculousness that are my friends from back home...

Can you fathom what we were like in highschool?

Try it.

Way.. and I mean way too cool.

I wish I could say we were small town girls who took the midnight train to anywhere. But no. We're just friends who love the smell of wine and cheap perfume.

OKAY. Journey just came on my Pandora station.

The point is that I would take a train and go anywhere with these girls.

Happy Friday :)

Babies: Kent Lewis - Revisited

2011-07-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

I might as well start calling you Auntie because you will be seeing Kent just as much as I will. First as a slightly smaller baby, and now as a slightly bigger baby who is looking more and more like a little man. And can you begin to imagine when he starts walking?!

Honestly, I'm honored to be able to capture this journey of my bestfriend's baby, watching his personality develop alongside his two front teeth. One day he will actually be a little man. What?! :)

I'm gonna go ahead and just say what you're thinking. The jeans diaper commercial baby has nothing on Kent.

And in case you were wondering....

... you can't take him home with you.

I tried.

Love you baby boy! Hope that brought some toothless smiles to your Wednesday ;)

It's hard to be humble when...

2011-07-18T06:46:00.000-07:00

The night was ending and Brittany pulled her car up front to load it with our equipment. Confetti decorated the ground that only seconds before had been surrounded by guests waving goodbye to the bride and groom. Right as we began to walk out of the ranch, a family member yelled out to us "bye y'all!" I immediately repeated it quietly with a huge smile... bye y'all. That simple goodbye was like sweet tea to a Southern girl. Things that will forever remind you of your home town.

When we stepped outside with the bride and groom and I saw that purple sky, my heart wore her Texas boots proudly.

At Brittany's side for this wedding we indulged in each other's company, laughing, dancing, and busting our butt for every shot. Finding that sign at the end of the night only made it more perfect.

So cheers Brittany! To finally working together, cupcakes who refused to live, eating with your hands, and of course... to Texas. Purple skies, humidity, and a particular charm.

Happy Monday y'all ;)

Under-Do Your Competition: Focus. Style. Confidence

2011-07-13T06:49:00.000-07:00

Not typically what you hear, right? But it's really brilliant and I need to share it with you. What I won't be sharing with you is this humidity. I thought walking into the bathroom after Jose's hot showers would prepare me for Texas again, but by the looks of my misty face... not so much.

So back to this brilliant concept. It was all from the Freedom PASS Tour I attended in Phoenix last month which was slap-your-dog good (cause really, when is slapping your momma ever good?). Promise Tangeman's presentation is the one I'll be sharing with you -- you can thank my awesome note-taking skills later.

There's 3 points to break down:

// Focus
// Style
// Confidence

// FOCUS: Back to the whole "under-do your competition."

(a) IDENTIFY YOUR STRENGTHS. Focus on what's important and let clutter go. And by strengths -- be specific and not use things like "I'm creative." For example, I would say a couple of my strengths are styling and story telling. So how can I capitalize on this? How can I display this in my business? Outfit Chronicles. Nothing to do with photography, right? Wrong. I want people to understand my style, connect with it, and be able to trust in my abilities. This will transfer itself into my photography and it will also tell my potential clients what to expect. Ask yourself these q's:

-What are you most confident in?
-What are you most passionate about?
-What do you want to do MORE of? (or heck, what do you want to do LESS of? If you don't want to photograph families, then don't post families on your site. Focus.)

(b) KNOW YOUR TARGET MARKET. Speak each other's language. Describe them. Create a profile for them. What do they do? What are their values? Promise gave us Sarah Rhoads' target market: "People that highly value artistic expression." So try taking that statement and fitting it to your own business. People that ________________.

// STYLE. 1.) Create a personal profile. Write anything and everything about you. 2.) Check your laundry -- no, seriously... check your laundry. What visually represents you? Colors? Is there a consistent theme? Use 3 words to define your fashion style.

--- I'm not going to lie, defining my fashion style (versus my photography style) is so difficult. This was the trickiest question to answer during the interview I had on Monday. Jose says I'm an "emotional" dresser. Emotional and feminine. Hysterical. Unfortunately, that's why I can't exactly articulate it -- because I DO open my closet and pick an outfit based on my mood which can range from feeling spunky, flirty, or simple. But I suppose that can be interpreted as story telling too. With my clothes :) ---

I digress.

// CONFIDENCE. Display your confidence in your business. How do your strengths and style currently play out on a day to day basis?

-Are you displaying that confidence in your website? How can you do this exactly? Let's look at Jasmine Star's website. Her strength is her writing. Promise designed her website and incorporated this strength throughout her entire site with an editorial flair. Did you get that? Editorial flair. Jasmine is speaking a specific language to her target audience by the style of her website.

Brilliant. And that was Promise's presentation. Now sit down and answer those questions for your business model.

Now you'll have to excuse me.

I have an amazing grandma who is waiting on me to get off this "thing" and spend time with her. Not to mention the U.S. vs. France game that is playing in every TV in this house. I love being home ;) Hope this has helped those of you pursuing photography or any small business!

Outfit Chronicles: Newsboy Suspenders

2011-07-10T22:38:00.000-07:00

It felt like a t-shirt and jeans kind of day. Unfortunately I can't ever just do t-shirt and jeans. Blame it on my mother or ... just because that's me ... but it's who I've always been. In fact, sometimes my problem was finding ways to dress myself down. I often worried that I would stand out as the girl who was dressing rather stylish for a very informal occasion.

And that was my fear... standing out too much. Being the odd-one-out. Drawing that kind of attention makes me suddenly want to hide or... blend in. Ironically the idea of blending in goes against every fiber in my body. I talk a lot, I love to tell stories, I like to dress with purpose, and I voice my opinion.

Things that inevitably single me out sometimes...

And that's what this journey of Outfit Chronicles and fashion in general has been to me. To literally put myself out there, yes... single myself out, and discover my tastes and styles. To embrace them. Don't get me wrong, this has involved quite a few disasters too. But even those disasters and awkward phases have made fear less... intimidating. The fear is still there, but it looks a lot prettier in heels ;)

So like I said, it was a t-shirt and jeans kind of day. I grabbed Jose's suspenders, my plaid Journeys, and a pair of earrings. Yep. My kind of t-shirt and jeans day.

suspenders: Hot Topic, t-shirt: CNN center, jeans: Zara, shoes: Journeys, earrings: boutique in Dallas

Having these thoughts today because in a few hours I'll be interviewed for the Phoenix New Times blog(!!) -- chatting about fashion :) And what the heck am I going to wear?!? I feel honored to be interviewed and wish I had the magic of articulation that Jose has. See, I teach him how to photograph and he teaches me how to articulate. Like peas in a pod we are.

Happy Monday! Wish me luck! :)

Gettin' busy on my website

2011-07-08T08:05:00.000-07:00

It's Friday!! I can't believe it. Jose and I have been researching and visiting town homes, condos, houses, and apartments that are for rent. We love where we live, but city living is pricey and we want to start saving aggressively for a home.

There's this one place we enjoyed and has a LOT of space for a great price, but the landlord got a little crazy with the paint. There are seriously 6 different shades of paint going on in that house! And it doesn't even coordinate. At all. You guys... violet paired with green, brown living room, turquoise rooms, and a few darker blues here and there. Jose said she was a very meticulous painter. Really? Meticulous? See, I was thinking more along the lines of color blind...

Anyway! I've also been working on my website non-stop. As I was updating my portfolio I came across these two photos of Alexander and I could NOT decide which one to pick for my website!

A)

or B)

Should I go with the surprised, hilariously cute one, or the adorable pouty one?

I know I've mentioned I've been working on my website and I wanted to give you guys a mini sneak peek of what's in the works. I'm not re-doing my site, I'm simply refining it, updating it, and cleaning it up to suit my style more. This involves a little color change too:

That's a piece of my new website background. I'm loving this color combination and feel it suits me a lot more. Playful, refined, and a little bit of funky ;) I just have a few more things to clean up and I'll finally be able to share it!

We'll be looking at more places this weekend and then I'll be packing for Texas. What about you?

Happy Friday!