Friday Inspiration - This Lunch Rox

Todays inspiration comes via Michelle Riddle. She's another mom, photographer that I met a couple of years back. Has it really been that long? Wow.

Anyway, today, Michelle posted on her FB wall about another mom and photographer. Jamie Schultz, who has been taking photographs for some time. But, aside from that, she's been on the top of the list for making creative lunches for her kids. She even has a separate blog to capture all of her lunch creations. It's "This Lunch Rox" and it's a must see if you're someone who endlessly prepares lunches for your child or children.  The name is actually This Lunch Box but with the B crossed out and replaced with an R. Even the name is clever! I think I would want to be one of her kids. She seems like she must be pretty fun.

So, if you want to learn a little from a lunch box rockstar, check out her site and get some ideas to help make your kids lunch more than just something to eat but something to experience.

Here are two of my favorites...





The post from Michelle comes via The Maternal Lens who interviewed Jamie yesterday. This is another fun blog that I've just discovered. I just love all of the moms who are making life so much more interesting by being more than just a mom. It's more than inspiring!

Happy Friday!

Nests

There's something about a nest that I love. I even love the word nest. It makes me think of something warm and cozy. Something that is specifically made to nurture and care for something. I guess that's what it is. The idea that something was made for the soul purpose of taking care of something else.

There have been a few businesses in the last few years that have either named themselves "Nest" or somehow incorporated the theme into their product. Matt even photographed a nest that  was the holder for the rings in a wedding a while back.

The inspiration for today comes from this word. Nest. Sharon Beals is a photographer and someone who is concerned about our environment. She has taken photographs of nests that have been collected over the past 200 years in hopes that her photography, as an art form will "gain appreciation for the builders, and inspire their protection".

She's come out with a book, "Nests: Fisty Nests and the Birds that Built Them". I think it would be a great addition to anyone's coffee table. Here are some of my favorite nests. Favorites for various reasons. Some because they look the way I imagine a nest to look, and others because they don't.

Which one is your favorite?!













 

The Hood Family

Miles came home from school one day and told me he had a buddy at school. It was so cute. That had never happened before. Luke. He's adorable. I've seen his mom here and there at the park and at school. Then, just before the holidays, Luke's mom asked if I would photograph the family for their Christmas cards.

They are a beautiful family and I loved taking their picture. Thanks to Matt who's the areas best location scout, I photographed them at a nearby park that had a variety of settings and turned out to be perfect!

Here are some of my favorites...

So, let's just do this to make things easier. Let's just assume that inspiration Friday's are from Matt. O.K. That seems easier. Then, if there's something interesting that I find, I'll let you know. And Matt, please just know that I love you and thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of the inspiration you provide.

Now, on to business.

This is a funny artist that definitely brings some humor to our everyday life. Considering the events that are happening in the world and the tragedy that has recently struck Japan, I think we could all use a bit of relief. And for me, art is a great way to receive some. I get to step outside of the reality that surrounds me and walk in a new world. One that doesn't really exist but that provides something interesting, something inspiring and hopefully, at times, uplifting.

If you like the couple of images I post here, visit the site and don't forget to check out the blog. The blog is where the image of "The Last Resort" was found.

Enjoy.....Slinkachu!

nLighten Images - Local Love

Working with photographers is always fun. I just love seeing someone else's perspective on life. I have a chance to see the world, or at least an event, through their eyes. It's something I just love to do. I can imagine being there, where they are, and documenting the moment. It's not the same as I would have seen it, not the same as I would have documented it, and THAT'S what I love about it.

I've had the pleasure to work with Robert Her from nLighten Images a couple of times. Each time is an absolute pleasure. Not only because his work is beautiful but because he's a super nice person. And he's local which is a nice treat. If you want to check out his blog, you can do so HERE.

I just wanted to share the album I designed for him a while back. It's a studio sample and my hope...my hope is that it helps him gain clients because he has a gift that people are lucky to share.

Robert, I just love how you see the world. I hope to have the opportunity to work with you again!

The Brooch Bouquet

I'm not sure if you noticed the bride's bouquet in the movie I posted last week about Stinson Beach. If you didn't, you missed it! But, don't fret, that's what today's post is all about.

When I arrived at the beach house in Stinson on Saturday late morning with Miles, I unloaded the car and tried to get settled. The house was a hustle and bustle of activity. People were arriving, others were hanging out and most were preparing for the wedding later that day.

After going on the 'journey walk' with the group to find items washed ashore to add to the beach front wedding site, we went back to the house to prepare. I was walking through the kitchen when Denise came up to me and told me she had a project that she needed me to do. She led me to the dining table where others were fast at work and handed me two stems of artificial hydrangea's and told me I was making the brides bouquet...out of brooches. No pressure.

I took a deep breath and sat down amidst people twisting and tying and taping. I seriously had NO idea what I was doing. In fact, she told me there were instructions online and I was so nervous about what I was doing that I completely forgot about them. Thankfully, Stephanie and her husband Asa along with the bride's sister Shelly had the production part of the project under control.

The brooches were amazing, and there were a ton of them. Tracy had sent an email out the week before right after announcing the elopement, requesting all of us to bring a brooch to contribute to the bouquet. I seriously didn't put two and two together because I had never seen a brooch bouquet before. The process was so interesting. Shelly, Asa and Stephanie were taking each brooch and individually adding floral wire to the pin and twisting away, turning each one into an individual "flower". Tracy shared that she had collected brooches from her relatives and friends. She had some from her grandmother's and a very special one that was worn by her fiance Jason's mother on her wedding dress. How amazing is that?! She even had a brooch from her car racing uncle who lent her a Formula 1 "brooch". Awesome.

As I sat and crafted the bouquet I could see the beauty grow. I added each one individually, looking for just the right placement. I needed to round out the bouquet so that it wasn't too heavy in any one spot, and some of the brooches were HEAVY!! I wasn't sure at first how it was going to turn out, but after all of the broaches were placed, we added the finishing touches which pulled it all together.

Maya came to help form the small beaded "petals" that were to go around the main bouquet. I then wrapped the stem of all of the elements together with floral tape and added the thick golden ribbon just under the floral top. Then I wrapped the thick main stem with another golden ribbon and finished it off by wrapping a thin string of beads that twisted from top of stem to bottom. A final purple ribbon tied around the upper base, a brooch pinned at just that spot and...voila!

The end result....AMAZING!!

For DIY instructions, visit Fancy Pants Weddings!

Friday Inspiration - Portraits

I know that most of what I shoot and what the photographers that I work with shoot are families. Regular people. Brides, grooms, babies, kids, moms and dads. For the most part.

But, I've always been drawn to a great portrait. I mean, who isn't?! A portrait that says something about who the person is. Maybe just in a subtle way. Maybe in a way that's unexpected. Anyway you flip it, taking a great portrait is an art. Especially when photographing people who are in the spotlight.

From what I hear, photo shoots of famous people usually don't last very long. There are tons of people on set and they have a limited time to sit for the camera. I think that's why I have such a great appreciation for great portrait photographers.

A while back, probably a couple of years or more, I stumbled across an article in a magazine about Peter Yang. He's taken pictures of...the list is too long to even start. I'll post a couple of my favorites here but I suggest taking a peek at his site. If you're into that kind of thing. And, if you are, let me suggest my favorite page, it's his "about" section. You'll see why. ;-)

PETER YANG

Stinson Beach - Extravaganza

I've been silent over this last week and a half. Not silent in real life, just silent here. I've had good reason though! Not that my typical reasons for being silent aren't good enough, like spending time with my two crazy boys or doing laundry or working on album/book projects. But, we were fortunate enough to spend the first weekend of our recent mid-winter break with some great friends at a beach house in Stinson Beach, CA. The occasion was the 40th birthday celebration of one of our closest friends who decided to span the party over the course of a long weekend instead of just one day. And what a celebration it was!

This particular group of friends have known each other for quite some time. I would say most of us have been friends for over at least one decade, and some two or more. We are an eclectic group. Artists, photographers, a lawyer, and a hair stylist at one of Marin's finest salons. A personal trainer, a CMT and nutritionist, a captain who sails the high sees and a chef and first mate who accompanies him. There are astrologers, a few technical wizards, some who have just enough money to live on and others who don't even have to work. And somehow, we all stumbled paths, most of the time at Burning Man, and wound up friends.

And, in the spirit of who we are, free spirits, two of the friends, our captain and first mate, shared with everyone the week before the event, that they were going to elope...at the party! The birthday jubilee turned into an elopetastic extravaganza and wow, it was amazing.

Personally, I was excited to photograph the weekend. I mean, this is an amazing cast of characters and to capture it all on film...so much fun. I've been playing around with the video feature of the Mark II over the last year and I wanted to push myself this weekend. I wanted to see what I could do integrating stills with video. Matt and I shot the wedding together and I have to say, again, I just love shooting together!

It took me a week to produce this movie, including many hours of editing, uploading and downloading, all in between life and work, but I'm so excited with the result. I just love how it turned out. The music is awesome. Underworld performs the first tune, "8-Ball", and Nitin Sawhney performs the second, "Mausam". I asked Matt for some music for the video and he didn't even hesitate. He just knew these were the perfect songs. Oh Matti, how I love you.

I know the movie isn't perfect, but for a first attempt, I don't think I did half bad. So, if you have a minute, or close to 15, sit back, relax and enjoy the show!

Just in case you don't have the time to watch just yet, here are a few of my favorite stills: