Week 2.

but, acutally from week 1.

Our creative dreams and yearnings come from a divine source.  As we move toward our dreams, we move toward our divinity.

from "The Artist's Way".  10th Anniv. edition.

I need your ENGAGEMENT & WEDDING referrals!

Hey all,
I'm BUSTING at the seams for the rest of this year to get my goal of ONE wedding a month!  AND to start booking for next year!!!!!  If you are getting married in 2012...please consider me to take your photographs..and capture your day, the ONLY way I know how - by using my creative gifts. :)

I shoot weddings of ALL sizes, looks, locations and LOVE!

If you have already booked your PHOTOGRAPHER?????? then.....

I am also available for "photo booth" style portraits for your reception!  I always give 100% when working with you and do my best to capture everything you want to keep FOREVER! :) 

If you are still stuck in finding a photographer, check out my work at my gallery:

www.pinklightstore.com

Hope to hear from you!

Something special.

Ok! whether YOU realize it or not...I am hard on myself when it comes to photography...AND sometimes i have expectations of situations - that in most times - they turn out different. :)

CASE IN POINT:  newborns!!!! (and bebes)
I do love taking the time to capture newborns in their environments.  Some would say, I'm a less "proppy" person.  I am a fan of the lovely pictures that folks take of babies in baskets, blankets and goodies like that.  IF the parents want that.  But that is not my first choice.  I tend to take their environment and capture that.  If we get really lucky - we get to do both.

In the handfuls of newborns I have gotten to shoot, I realize just how somewhat difficult it can be.  Cause most times, I either screw up on my part (for lighting, posing) or the babies are just fussy.  I once had a session where the baby would feed and feed and then cry immediately.  He did this for 30 minutes, which turned my 30 minute session into an hour.  BUT I did get that ONE amazing shot that we waited patiently for.

I "worked" for about 45 minutes to get this! lol :)  After the fussyness left, we got this amazing face right before he started getting "sleepy face" - where he wasn't asleep, but his eyes were open and you could see the sleep!!!!
2 Months Old.

With this most recent session, I had hoped for well-rested, well-fed and full happy sleepy baby!
I did get that, but not during the session most times.

To troubleshoot the fussy-ness - I opted to let him just keep laying on his mom...so she could give the comfort he needed while we tried to get some pictures.  I kinda joked..."sometimes the BEST prop is the mom".  I've had this happen several times throughout my career.  There is just something about a sweet calm baby on their mommy! (and daddy too!)  I will walk you through some things I've done....

I just let him lay on his mom - and this was the result! - 1 Month Old

In RARE cases - namely when I have friends that have really really tiny babies....I am able to swing over and visit them.  Mind you, this was my first time in a really really long time to see someone in the hospital!  AND I had tricky lighting!  The baby was not fussy, but in trying to capture that environment- i really wanted to capture this face and in the picture you see the lines & curves of the mom.  One of my favorite images!

Using the mom again, as a backdrop - I get the cuddling and pucker of the 2 day old face!

AND like this picture below - sometimes it is wonderful to have MOST of mom in the picture too!  Especially if the colors are amazing and her look is astonishingly gorgeous.  This is my sister-in-law and my nephew.  Even though he is looking down - I'm simply showing the backdrop (and less proppy) ways to capture various babies of all kinds, no matter the temperament!  You have to just "go with the flow"....

letting mom be a gorgeous background - 4 Months Old

I hope you are all having a wonderful week!  And to all the moms out there! Enjoy your babies!

Jen

The creative journey.

When you get burnt out...and are feeling empty...

Just take some time to regroup, refresh and get motivated to move forward using the steps you know to do. 

For me, I'm going to take some time away from the online world in many ways - and engage the real world around me for a while. I'm supposed to do morning pages (3 pages to just empty myself) ...and also do "dates" with myself to enjoy some time alone AND get creative. 

I'm excited and nervous about this journey - because I know it is life-changing - but I also tend to have this small resistance to change.  But if i can do this for my physical body - i can also do this for my spirit and mind.  It is time to grow up a little bit...and get moving. 

I'm excited for the journeys ahead...and how and when God will speak. :)

remember, go smile at someone today and give them a hug.  There is more to life than YOUR problems - talk to someone else and help & encourage them.  We all need to be interactive!

Peace out.

FAQ: Why Pink Hair?

What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

"Why is your hair pink"?

I used to blend in the background both inwardly and outwardly. I was bashful and fearful about finding out who I truly was. Would I be loved? Would I be accepted? When I started finding myself and what I loved, the pink hair only became a natural choice. Red was too "subtle" for me and hard to keep up. The pink however? EASY! I believe that if you are your own boss AND creative, your looks should add to what you do - not take away. You won't find me just "blending in" anymore. :)

Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

My photography and artwork stands out on its own as a high-contrast color & light filled imagery. I have been given a creative eye to see things that no one else can, including most clients who don't see themselves a certain way! I look into what is beneath and bring out the inward beauty that is there! My images tend to reflect YOU, my client. I am merely the vessel and photography is my tool! :)

See you soon!

Things, are about to get interesting!

Art show concepts.
New creative journeys.
Opening up the floodgates,
freedom is here.
There is a lot more coming in the last part of 2011, than even I know. :)

Stay tuned.

A new journey.

This week starts a new journey....

I'm beginning the book "The Artist's Way".....

I've read the intro....and begun a creative book, but not the morning pages yet....

Let us journey into creative freedom, together!

HOORAY!

go where your feet take you.

HIGHLIGHT REEL:

Here is my NYC highlight reel.

day 1 - i meet a little girl, and i mean YOUNG girl...with PINK HAIR! on top of the Empire State Building!!!!!

DAY 2 - In between our moments of Paul Mole & Central Park....we meet my friend, the designer around Astor Place...before we head to the "Too Much Light" show!  GRAND!

DAY 3 - shenanigans at the Brooklyn Ice Cream factory leads us to a ferry, that leads us to the fan meet evening, where I finally have more than 2 words to say to Chris Wink, after he (and all involved)  came to Dallas and made BMG happen for us down here on the Complex Tour.  I can't tell you the BMMB threads that were started BEGGING for 3 years for them to come.  This is me and the blue man.  And, so true - a founder of wiggling.

DAY 4 - after a quick stop at the Top of the Rock (fabulous view!) - we head over to lunch and then WICKED the musical with Aunt Mary.  A good time was had by all, remember - this is only a highlight.  After that? We went to Brooklyn again, this time Kingston Throop stop.  Holla at me yo.

DAY 5 - We start our journey to Liberty Island and Ellis Island - (i've never done both in one swoop)...Justin ended up finding some of his family in the manifests...while we explored the air conditioned pedastal tour AND inside the main building of Ellis.  It was a hot one.  And here I am, picking her nose.

DAY 6-  our tour ended with a quick walk down Wall Street to finally stop at Tiffany's jewelry store...and marvel at the bling bling and enjoying our final moments here.  Lovely day.  And this is me.

New York City, I owe you one more day.

I always leave there wanting more.  The last evening I was there was wonderful.  I made an emergency LAST MINUTE stop at Screaming Mimi's...and a last minute emergency stop to Blue Man @ the Astor.  In honor of my times going home...I stopped in to see the show one last time before leaving tuesday.  Ah, there is such a difference when you are seeing a fan show v. a regular show.  How I love both.  I love the over the top energy (minus the clapping during music)...of a fan meet show....and the stillness and wide-eyed fancy I get watching them by "myself" to embrace what is so blue that I love.  I love it all really.  I think if they were here in dallas i would spoil myself too much.  Thankfully, they are far away - and are a great delicacy to me...and a treasure beyond words.

15 years ago I stepped into this "off-broadway" show called Blue Man Group...that planted a seed...a seed that helped me to blossom into the artist i am...and into meeting the coolest people on earth that I can share random acts of blue man, and more futuristicly - wiggling. :)

Would you like to see videos? :) 

First, we start with pictures.

one person i've known since 2001....several since 2002.....2003....and on and on it goes.  Some people i met for the first time...and still didn't get to meet EVERYONE.  Much love to you all.  You are always in my hearts. 

some of us "older" fans from the BMMB - i met most of these folks in 2001 and on. 

To see what all I did in NYC - you can visit my album at www.pinklightstore.com - VACATION.
but really, is it a vacation if you run yourself tired? LOL!

I think it was amazing. and I honestly owe NYC one more day. 
I will go back sometime soon and do a few things that I had on my list, that I forgot to do. :)

I <3 NYC.