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New York Portraits : Jenny Sun : Anytime
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W e met in Sydney, Australia. At The Workshop to be precise. She immediately struck me with her kind disposition and her ability to connect with so many people at once. Jenny was quietly outgoing and embraced everyone who surrounded her, encouraging friends and peers alike. At the end of The Workshop, she told me she planned to visit the United States soon and she wanted to schedule an Anytime session.
Fast forward to two weeks ago: I received an email from Jenny Sun and she proposed flying me to New York for her photo session. Yes, it was short notice and I had to rearrange a few things, but this type of adventure is how I want to build my life. To have the ability to pick up and go. And live.
Jenny, you are amazing. Times seven. To the tenth power. Thank you SO much for sharing your life with me. You're incredibly talented and changing the photo world in Australia, but--more than that--you're an even better person. I can't thank you enough for allowing me to capture your essence in the Big Apple. |
| Okay, for the record, it was freeeeezing. As in I wore a sweater, two jackets, and gloves. But Jenny was fully committed to getting the type of photos she wanted....a girl after my own heart! |
| One thing I didn't expect shooting in New York City was the most insane and beautiful reflected light coming from nearby buildings. I seriously could shoot in that light, on that street, in that weather, every.single.day and never get tired of it. Ever. |
| To thaw Jenny for a bit, we walked into a nearby cafe and ordered warmth in a cup... |
| After a quick change, we headed out into the streets again... |
| I love urban settings and grit....couple this with good light, and I'm in photo heaven. |
| Here's Jenny making a parking garage look pretty... |
| Here's Jenny thinking I'm hilarious...I mean, com'on...I really am. |
| Many, many thanks to Amanda Nistor of Ruffled Blog (to the left of Jenny) for being a wonderful guide, stylist, and overall fab support, and Michelle of Makeup by Michelle for a wonderful job on hair and makeup. Lastly, thank you, Jenny, for being so fabulous. |
    
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Fiona Andersen : New Zealand Photographer
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A few months ago, I was contacted by a complete stranger. Getting such emails is a normal occurrence, but when she proposed organizing a workshop in her home country of New Zealand, I paused. I have no idea what made me respond...what piqued my interest...what made me so interested in this particular proposal. Perhaps it was merely her humor, her self-deprecating wit, or her unwillingness to take no for an answer, but we set up a time to chat. As most blog readers know, I just completed the New Zealand workshop and Fiona Andersen did more than I could have ever imagined.
I blog more about the event later, but the day before The Workshop we walked around Christchurch scoping locations to shoot, so we also decided to have a quick Anytime session for Fiona. We had a blast getting to know each other better and photographing her beauty, both inward and out. |
| I saw this random alley and could've shot here all day long the light was so pretty... |
| Fiona, you're gorgeous. Really, you are. |
| I'll end on this note since it's a little fierce, and I think she looks fab! :) |
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Beverly Hills Anytime Photos : Anna Brewer
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I saw her from a distance and I knew it was her before my mind registered her flashy smile. The Starbucks, the heels, the purse. It was Anna and seeing her made me laugh. For no other reason than Anna's personality is comical, yet completely understated. Her jokes are dryly proffered and she keeps a straight face while spiking a punchline. She's fastidious, organized, and timely...and one of the sweetest people you'll meet. I first met Anna via her sister, Angel Swanson of Events of Love and Splendor, as they've coordinated more than a few weddings I've photographed in the past couple of years.
When Anna told me her role at Events of Love and Splendor was changing to a lead coordinator and booking her own weddings, I was thrilled! She's garnished a ton of experience working with Angel and to know she'll be taking on clients of her own is such wonderful thing for her! What made this news even sweeter was Anna asking me to shoot photos of her to update their website. I was honored and I bubbled with excitement! We met in Beverly Hills yesterday and roamed the windy streets for a little fun.
As I've probably stated too many times before, having a personal photo on your website is a vital component to business growth. If you're a professional photographer and you don't have a photo on your site, shame...shame...shame on you! Fo real. I'm calling you out on the world wide web. Having a photo conveys who you are more than a 1,000 words, so set up a camera on a self-timer, call a friend, or con your toddler into snapping a picture because it's one of the best things you can do for your business! :)
Here's the lovely Anna as I saw her in gorgeous Beverly Hills light.... |
| It was so, so windy yesterday...I'm not kidding...it was hard to walk down the street! Though it made things difficult sometimes, the wind was a little fun to play with... |
W e met a few couple years ago. And I mean 'met' in the loosest of terms. She was a blog reader, and I was...well...me. Alicia contacted me to shoot her wedding, but she informed me she'd been following my blog for a while, so she was ready to book. That was it. No questions asked, no uncertainty, no doubt. Just Please-shoot-my-wedding-and-thankyouverymuch. She sent me a link to her wedding website, which chronicled her love story with Steven, and I knew we (all three of us) were a perfect match. It was love at first site. (Yes, that was a play on words).
The more I got to know Alicia, the more I liked her. She's a sparkplug, funny, and self-deprecating...all the things that make me feel all warm and fuzzy. Last year, she let me know she was pursuing photography professionally and I couldn't be happier for her. I have no doubt she's going places and going to do amazing things in the industry. When she asked if I'd be able to photograph her for launch of her new website, I was honored. No, really, I was. I was pretty much sure she'd be tired of me (and my annoying laugh) after her wedding, but, nah. We cool. And I'm happy to announce she still likes me...especially after I photographed her yesterday. I had to buy her dinner afterward to win her affection, but I prevailed the victor. It's amazing what Mongolian BBQ will do to a girl! :)
Alicia, you (and your strange love of kittens) rock my world. I can't wait to see all the amazing things you'll do! Stay humble, work hard, and everything will fall into place. Love you! xoxo...J* |
| Alicia had a bag of tangerines in her car, so I thought they'd make a cute prop in the shoot...a splash of her personality, and a splash of color never hurt anyone! |
| Alicia's husband, Steven, bought her a new computer. She named it, Nigel. |
| Ooooh, and Nigel's never looked better... |
S he folded her clothes neatly and laid them in a closet, placing them the same way she might have had the pile been a baby. Delicately, slowly. Valerie turned and laughed, betraying nervousness and slight excitement. It was her one-year wedding anniversary and she planned to surprise her husband with boudoir photos. There in the Mondrian Hotel in Hollywood, Valerie melted into a gorgeous model, brimming with light and confidence. I have no doubt her husband, Phil, will enjoy her anniversary gift to him.
I was thrilled to work with Valerie again...I photographed her Day After session at The Viceroy Hotel last year and it's always a pleasure catching up with clients. She just graduated from law school and I'm certain the legal world will be a better place because she's in it. Val, much love to you. Thank you for spoiling me and reminding me how blessed I am to have clients like you. |
| Many thanks to the ever fabulous Tanya Bures for Valerie's amazing makeup and Tommy Cyr for hair. |
2013
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