This is Talia, the brand new daughter of very good friends, Jen & Marc. Talia was an unexpected 2011 tax deduction, as she surprised Mommy & Daddy with an early arrival ahead of her January 4th due date. Talia let me take a few photos of her for her birth announcement. So, I thought I’d share some from our morning together.

Yes, I included some crying shots. Is that bad? I know Jen isn’t using them for the birth announcement, but I still think they’re funny / cute because it’s real. Like…babies CRY. A lot! You see photos of babies (and this is not a critique, just an observation) and they’re all serene in their little buckets and pails. PUH-LEASE says bucket baby. She’s all “don’t take my clothes off. It’s cold.” Right? I’d be cold, too, even after the heating pad trick.  Anyway, I don’t think I ever blogged my personal snapshots from Jen’s baby shower. Now would probably be a good time to do that!

So, there you have it. Ms. Talia’s life has been pretty extensively documented thus far. She’s a sweet thing who promises to bring her parents and loved ones much happiness. I wish them all the very best!

This week, I’m dog sitting my Golden Retriever buddy, Roscoe (P. Coltrane), which means Roscoe’s mommy left me her car. You know what that means? I’m taking the opportunity to work outside my home office and away from the coffee shop / library options in walking distance. I drove for a change of scenery. I plan to camp out at this corner booth until the good people at Panera kick me out. I’m engaged in a little professional development. Namely, teaching myself SEO and blogging / marketing  best practices. When I checked the professional photographer career box, I had no idea that most of my time would be spent at a computer. Most people don’t realize that. I get “You’re a photographer?!!! That must be fun!” a lot at cocktail parties. That’s a common perception.

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It is fun. I mean…not Terry Richardson* fun. Ew! I do have a flexible schedule, work with awesome people, and get to be fluent in cool photography slang. Only a small amount of my time is spent photographing. A lot of time is spent sitting at a computer administrating a business i.e. just like you. I enjoy editing photos, the creative aspect can be quite meditative, but that’s only a small bit. No one tells you in school that you’d better become an expert in 10 other not-at-all related business sub-topics.

*I would reference Terry Richardson, but Panera deems him NSFW! Yeah. So, now you get “not Terry Richardson fun”

While I bore myself to death with SEO tutorials, trying to fix all the stupidly ineffective and possibly counter-productive things I’ve done to my blog over the last 2 years, I’ll leave you with pretty things to look at. This is a treasury list curated by Alice of Blue Lobster Prints.  She is a gifted and imaginative illustrator with a panache for animals. Her Etsy storefront features whimsical cards for all occasions. I’m lucky to be included on her personal mailing list. In fact, her hand-drawn, screen-printed Valentine’s card from a few years back is now framed and hangs in my living room. I cherish it. Alice and I met when we both worked at Paper Source. She’s in my top 5 list of funniest girlfriends. We have a healthy pen-pal debate over who’s hotter, Ewan McGregor or Micheal Fassbender. For my part, I’m all about Ewan, always have been. Until a recent viewing of Jane Eyre, Fassy looked like the kind of guy who wouldn’t bother to learn your name or (gasp!) spoon. I must concede. If I squint, I can see it. Warning to those who go see Shame, it might dampen established quivers. I’m just saying. It’s not called Shame for nothing. We also have a deep mutual admiration of Cee Lo. More than anything I wanted to be cast on The Voice to convince Cee Le to go live in Alice’s shirt pocket. She’s also a soon-to-be bride. Eeeek! I MIGHT be more excited than her.

‘Somewhere Beyond the Sea’ by BlueLobsterPrints

Modern Fiber Art Soft Sculpt… cornflowerblue… $100.00	Blue Coral – Large Watercolo… RiverLuna $40.00	2 Jointed Flitch in Sustaina… grayworksdesig… $250.00	Print from my Illustration 5… calamaristudio $10.00
Offering No. 23 – Handstitch… odelae $65.00	Sandpiper and Coral Button S… leeandlatimer $5.50	Lighthouse Rustic Nautical d… Raceytay $25.00	Recycled Chenille Sea Urchin… ParkerBrownTex… $60.00
Australian Pelican totem ani… HandyMaiden $32.00	Demeter Pearl Earrings ShopClementine $15.00	Flight 8×12 Fine Art Print ModernToile $20.00	The Maiden theaterclouds $18.00
Green Sea Urchin Shell fogandswell $38.00	Natural Driftwood Slab Air P… OceanSwept $26.00	Leafy Sea Dragon – archival … amberalexander $20.00	wooden humpback whale waldor… outsideeverywh… $10.00

Last week, I photographed Anna for a developing project of knit patterns…more on that later.  Photographing the model of a sweater is different than taking someone’s portrait. It’s a fine line between the two goals. As Anna is the young daughter of friends, I tried to capture a few portraits along the way. Anna has an enigmatic face revealing almost no self-consciousness, a trait I hope she never loses. She’s a natural beauty, caught here in her coltish years.  I thank you, Anna, for bearing the cold weather like a pro. You’re a total sweetheart. And a big, big thanks to Anna’s parents for graciously permitting Anna to model.

Hey all,

I hope your weekend has been awesome. Mine has been. The holiday party Friday was super fun mostly because of the dancing. During A-ha’s “Take On Me” I mimed the entire video, complete with a shoulder to the wall to escape comic book jail. It was an inspired dance move if I do say so myself. Today, though, I had a chance to photograph at a Kennedy Center luncheon before a performance of The Nutcracker. I have a super short turn around on these images so I don’t have time to blog about this now, but check back this week; I’ll use this image to explain a little about photography, specifically focal length and how it’s used to capture images. By the way, this image is straight out of the camera, only a little bit of sharpening. No Photoshop. Wanna learn how? You’ll have to wait! ‘Til then.

]]> http://www.moderntoilephotography.com/2011/12/kennedy-center/feed/ 0 http://www.moderntoilephotography.com/2011/12/seeking-feedback-bogo-free-gift-wrap/ http://www.moderntoilephotography.com/2011/12/seeking-feedback-bogo-free-gift-wrap/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:52:29 +0000 Brandy http://www.moderntoilephotography.com/?p=2656 I’m using this downtime from wedding season to improve my blog. So far, the changes to the site have been pretty minor. I’ve included menu links to my Etsy shop and Facebook fan page. Some things were done on the back end to improve SEO optimization. As a reader, I’m interested in your opinion on presenting images. Please tell me in the comments if you prefer images to be blogged like this,  full-sized images requiring you to scroll down or like this, lightbox style with one full-sized image and the rest as thumbnails.

Blogging weddings involve pulling images together to tell a cohesive story, much like designing a real album for print. The process is pretty cerebral, and one I enjoy almost as much as the photographing. Anyone who knows me can attest to my being painfully deliberate at times. It’s not unlike curating art behind your sofa, choosing throw pillows or a statement necklace for an outfit. Some images are given visual weight when they’re presented as a diptych (two images side-by-side) or even as a triptych (three images side-by-side). It’s a process which is why I don’t blog everyday. Also, if it’s a wedding I’ve 2nd shot, out of professional courtesy I don’t blog those images until after the principal has done so.

Don’t Forget: my Etsy BOGO sale runs through Friday. Order one print and get another free. Ask nicely and I’ll even gift wrap it in pretty kraft paper and pool satin ribbon! Vintage Parisian post cards not included!

It’s almost time for my hair appointment. Friends were almost evenly divided on an informal Facebook poll, with Britney dark just ahead of Super Blonde. Britney dark, of course, inspired by Ms. Spears’ wackiduzy Blackout era. I’ve decided to take their advice. I’ve done really dark before and loved it, but I’m wondering if it’s too safe…I’m bore which always puts me in the mood for shockingly dramatic. It becomes harder and harder to achieve shockingly dramatic when you grew up with a hairdresser for a mother and nothing save a Skittles palette seems like a bad idea.

I never thought I’d compliment Evan Rachel Wood for anything due to the residual Marilyn Manson ick factor, but I just can’t quit her. She is my ultimate hair crush. Just look. I just tried inserting these images into this post and it went all stupid on me, so these other blogs probably had to pay for the images. Sorry, you’ll have to click.

Wrapping an oversized baby shower present when you forgot to run to Paper Source in time and don’t know the gender? Think quilt. This was two full size sheets taped together, seaming in the center. Cover the seam with a flat bottom, flat bow. Flat knots take less ribbon. Tie with a vintage post card you happened to have picked up at a Paris flea market and you’re good to go….

What? You don’t stock vintage post cards from Paris? Now, I’m totally going to judge you. Kidding.

This is for my friend Jen’s shower tomorrow. Our mutual friend, The Future Mrs. Darcy, is in town with her new baby, Fiona. Some Honey Badger humor inspired me to write her a new nursery rhyme last night. It was hysterical to me, but got me shushed by my husband who was trying to sleep.  Feel free to sing it your children.

Honey Badger is my friend, is my friend, is my friend.

Honey Badger is my friend until he eats my face.

Now I have a real problem, real problem, real problem.

Now I have a real problem cause I ain’t got no face.

Speaking of crafts: I went to NYC to see the Martha Stewart show tape. Here are some images I shot while there.

Today I head to NYC with Rachel from Architecture Babble. She landed tickets to the Martha Stewart Show taping tomorrow. Look for us in the very pink audience on the Breast Cancer Awareness episode. For the bus ride up, I’m bringing with me a new book called Record Collecting for Girls: Unleashing Your Inner Music Nerd One Album at a Time by Courtney E. Smith picked up at a weekend trip to Kramer’s. Plus, I scored some excellent restaurant recommendations from my foodie friend, Mandy.

Here are some quick shots I snapped this weekend in and around Dupont / Georgetown.

Here are images from last Friday’s launch of the book, Hidden History of Alexandria, D.C., written by Michael Lee Pope.  The event had a great turn out and kicked off a very busy weekend with another wedding and an early a.m. portrait session. Today is about catching up on editing and listening to Duran Duran.

There’s a new Etsy listing and I’m excited because I just had the original matted and framed to hang in my new house. It has a very retro feel appropriate for the Mid-century row house we now own. Shot at night on a vintage camera during a long exposure, it’s now been digitally scanned making it the newest / oldest addition to my Wanderlust series.

So, I’ve been a little radio silent as I painstakingly painted ceilings and did a little non-dominant free-handing. Who needs tape?  All our stuff is now moved in. Unpacking continues. During that process we had an earthquake and a hurricane threaten us. Phew. I can’t believe nothing broke during the earthquake. I had a glass lamp sitting precariously on the edge of the kitchen counter to help paint the corners. I also had all my framed art leaning on the walls. Nothing broke. Chalk it up to 1955 construction.

Friends keep insisting on photos. Here are a few quickly taken on my iPhone in between coats of paint. I promise to do a proper staged shoot a la Apartment Therapy, with a real camera, when all my art is hung, rugs are straight, and accessories are just so. Until then, please forgive the poor quality.

In the top image, you’ll see the living room had a flat, yellowy tan shade of blah. Why flat, I ask you? I chose Lyndhurst Gallery Beige in satin for the walls. It’s a substantial warm-grey neutral that accepts everything. Ah. I love it soooo freaking much. The kitchen received a bit of hot-orange persimmon color. Not too much, just a little. It’s such a happy color. It was around hour 25 of painting that I talked myself out the chevron pattern on a 25 foot wall. Maybe I’ll revisit that idea again in the future. For now….I simply can’t. My resolve weakened. I’m getting too busy to undertake the scope of that project. I will be second shooting a lot of weddings this Fall with Debi Parker Photography. Also, I’m working on upcoming blog posts featuring some recent weddings and yesterday’s fashion shoot for Fibre Space with the lovely Daphne. Stay tuned.

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