Sarah at Club Bacy's and Downtown

I drove around downtown on Thursday and spotted several places I hadn't shot before and a few new hidden treasures. Such as the Diamond plated metal wall hidden in the recess of an older building. The plans were made, I would go to my new spots on Saturday and take some amazing photos. The next step was going onto facebook and finding someone I had never photographed before. This is always a challenge because you never know if the person will show up and if they will be as excited as you are to shoot.

I gotta a feeling. Saturday started and the day showed promise. I was up early, my new little rescue pup hadn't chewed my room while I slept, shoes were in one piece and it looked sunny and beautiful outside. I went to the store to pick up some Gerber Daisies I had seen the day before and then off to meet my new friend/model for the day.

Sarah showed up right on time and was as excited as I was to go play and discovery new things. She had such a peace to her that I knew it would be a wonderful experience and day. I have done the driving around taking photos for hours before with Misty and Trevre and it was so much fun so my hopes were high.

Our fist location was the diamond plated wall. We got a parking space right in front of it and it was cavernous inside to work in. From the road it appeared to be a small recess. However there was ample room to set-up reflectors and the flash light on a tripod. Not to mention is was extremely clean. Huge bonus!

The wall and Sarah photographed beautifully. Sarah and I were getting excited about the next location as we packed up our stuff. Then I realized the next location was actually a red wall half a block down. We got into position and the lighting was a bit difficult to work around and then someone started beating on the glass wall. That is when George and Brittney came out of Bacy. A completely unknown treasure laying in wait, 10 feet away and behind a door. We talked outside and they invited us in to look around. Bacy is truly a photographers paradise. It has five floors all done in different themes and colors. Metallic walls that are divine to photograph against. There are pink, gold, purple, diamond and black walls to name a few. The furniture and decorations could be photographed and shown in most of the trendy high end fashion magazines. Sarah went out to get a new outfit and George gave me the full tour. WOW! If I ever owned a full blown Studio it would be similar to this building. Multiple floors all different and my loft on the top floor.

We stayed and photographed in our little Oasis called Bacy's for almost 2 hours. I look forward to going back, setting up lighting and making a day of it.

From there we drove around for a short time and found old red barn doors, glass walls, and a pair of exceptional graffiti walls. We were looking for a short break and headed over to the Farmers market. For those of you who haven't been to the Farmers Market GO NOW!!! Fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts and more. As you walk around they hand out samples of the fruits and vegetables. We had home grown tomatoes red and yellow with a splash of olive oil and salt and pepper, the sweetest pineapple I have tasted in a long time, orange slices, grapefruit, papaya, grapes and more. After our mini buffet we headed to Deep Ellum to wrap up shooting. There is an old building there that I have always wanted to explore and wondered more than once what it was. Turns out it is artists lofts that rents for $1 per square foot and we happened into one of the artists Bobby Chitwood who kindly let us in the building to look around. All of my years of curiosity did not due the property justice.

Every corner had something different from dilapidated windows, old elevators, huge wooden doors, graffiti tarps, shadows and colors everywhere. We even came across an old wooden stump in a hallway by a sun lit window. As we left the lofts, headed to the last stop and exquisitely done green graffiti wall with a piano keyboard and music notes. I found that I was almost giddy from the day, the exploring and the great company. There were photographers everywhere at the green wall and I wondered if any of them had found a treasure or their own Oasis while shooting that day.

On the way out of downtown we stopped at one more solid yellow wall and finished the day with a bang.

The day didn't stop there. I had blown off my butterfly shoot that morning(no complaints) and it was 4:45pm and I was suppose to be 35 miles away at a camera store at 5:00pm with a friend. I called her to beg for mercy, which wasn't needed. She needed to cancel as well instead we went to a couple consignment stores, out for dinner and then to Michael's. I got home about 8:00pm and got everything ready to edit the photos from the day. Remote for background noise, comfy clothes, warm blanket, water, sixlets and my trusty MacBook Pro. I got thru all of the photos, edited them all, and narrowed them down substantially from 685 to 272. I love to edit, I love seeing the photos and playing with them. So, I touched every single photo and got done about 3:00am.

I slept well last night. Going to bed knowing hands down that it had been a great day and I am truly blessed.

Every wedding brings with it uniqueness and beauty and being able to capture the joy and subtle differences is truly a blessing for me.

Jennifer and Oscar recently had the perfect Sedona, Arizona wedding and drove all the way from Chicago, Illinois to make it happen. Jennifer was a stunning bride with her vivid blue eyes and gorgeous dress. However, her beauty went so much deeper than the surface. She is the type person you want to be around and you feel happy in her presence.

The delightful couple stayed in the rustic charm of El Portal one of Sedona's Luxury Hacienda's. Each room is as unique as the views. A combination of antiques, log cabins and a certain down home feel.

The couple had a sunset wedding near Village of Oak Creek at Bell Rock. The sun was perfect in the sky to highlight the contrasts in color on Courthouse Butte, Elephant Rock and Snoopy. Way off in the distance you could see Steamboat Rock in all of its glory. After a short hike up to the first plateau on Bell Rock the small group of 9 formed a circle. The talented wedding officiant and master of organization Karen Lynn shared her beautifully crafted vows with the couple. Karen brings a certain peace with her in all that she does; her presence has a calming effect. You can find Karen at www.sedonaweddingplanner.com.

The ceremony was momentarily paused while the bride was reduced to tears from the emotions of the day. At the end of the ceremony the happy couple kissed while the parents and family clapped. The bride and her family took a few moments to compose themselves and the father of the bride joined her with tears of his own.

The atmosphere of the group surrounded by all of the Red rocks was inspiring and a joy to photograph. As the family left for the reception I was given a short time with just the bride and groom to capture some cherished photos. The bride endured the cold like a real trooper.

The reception was held at Cucina Rustica a premier restaurant if you are ever in Sedona. The food is mouth watering, the atmosphere captivates and the service is top notch. My self I am a very picky eater so, sampling dishes like fried olives, celery bisque and decadent pasta was not in my nature. I tried each dish with hesitation and LOVED them all.

Each room in Cucina Rustic is named for the surroundings including the Taverna Room, Garden Room and three others. The restaurant has its own outdoor Grotto where the air is filled with the fragrance of jasmine while surrounded by the sounds emitting from the Florentine fountains. It is reminiscent of dining alfresco in Italy.

The wedding party enjoyed appetizers while we performed a sand ceremony, signed the marriage license and did a mock cake cut. The cake was a creation of Cakes by Linda and was delicious!

There are times with a destination wedding that my time with the couple would end here. As I walked out of the room I was filled with excitement knowing I was about to have an amazing dinner at Cucina Rustica, I was just appointed their Premier photographer and I would be doing a Day after shoot of the couple the next day.

The day after the wedding the couple dressed in their wedding clothes and we were off. First stop was the Red Rock Crossing for photos at the stepping-stones. In the background of the stepping-stones is a perfect view of Cathedral Rock. You are on the stones with the water rushing past you and towering behind you in every photo is Cathedral Rock painted in vivid yellows, red, orange and copper colors. The Rock is silhouetted with a crystal blue sky.

From there we were off to Los Abrigados and Tlaquepaque for additional breath taking photos. Your unforgettable Sedona experience must include spending time at internationally renowned Tlaquepaque (pronounced Tla-keh-pah-keh), Sedona Arizona's Arts & Crafts Village. Nestled beneath the shade of the sycamores on the banks of beautiful Oak Creek in Sedona, Tlaquepaque is the most distinctive shopping experience to be found in the Southwest. Authentically fashioned after a traditional Mexican village, Tlaquepaque, meaning the "best of everything," has been a Sedona landmark since the 1970's. Its vine covered stucco walls; cobble-stoned walkways and magnificent arched entryways give you the feeling that Tlaquepaque has been here for centuries. Tasteful galleries and unique shops live in harmony with its lush natural environment where giant sycamore trees stand in testimony to the care taken in preserving the timeless beauty of the Tlaquepaque grounds. It would be hard to find more beautiful surroundings anywhere to create a shopping experience like no other. Its now bad for photos either.

We ended our day back at El Portal for a few family photos and photos of the couple with their two dogs that made the trip with them.

I wish Jennifer and Oscar the very best in their new life and hope it is filled with precious memories, joy and love.

I finished the evening with a stop off at the Barking Frog Grille for a quick bite before driving home.

Horsing Around

This year I am keeping a gallery up and running of previous horse photos and new ones from this year. I have been asked if the photos are for sale by several people and to be honest, I have been slacking. So, the gallery is live and the prints are for sale.

I use a professional lab for the canvases and prints and the quality is amazing.

The link is below and the password is: horse

http://www.studioseleven.com/pickpic/gallery/splash.php?gallery_id=168

Baby Brighton

I am friends with Rebecca who just happens to be Baby Brightons Grandma. Rebecca has been discussing the chance of doing photos of Brighton when here was here visiting Grandma's house for Christmas.

I had been looking forward to capturing his joyful bubbly personality and photograph his curious expressions and mild irritation with the hats grandma got for him.

My joy faltered slightly when I only got 3 hours sleep and needed to be at grandma's house at 8:30am for the photo session. My mood quickly changed as I held that sweet boy and watched as he looked at me and wrapped his fingers around my fingers.

He spent the entire shoot being a true joy to photograph. Too add icing on the cake his mom and dad really loved the photos and now want to schedule a family shoot on their next visit.

Snow Bowl in Flagstaff, AZ

I wanted to take a second and thank Rick at Aspen Sports and the folks at Snow Bowl for the day of fun snowboarding and riding the lift.

A group of us made a day of it and I actually stayed on my feet for some of the ride. Really its true!

The Arizona Snowbowl offers 32 trails serviced by 4 lifts for skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels.

Goals for 2010

One of my personal goals for 2010 is to get better at updating my sites and blogging photo shoots and events. With that being said, I have made a list of vendors, officiants, locations, resorts, couples, clients and all of the other people I have neglected to Thank and blog about. I will start out 2010 by listing you and your events. It will be a recap of 2009 and a great start into 2010.

So, lets start with RavenHeart Coffee. They are my home away from home when I am in Sedona shooting weddings. They have extremely reliable Internet and allow folks like me to sit around all day and night using their resources for free.

They also have delightful hot chocolate and a diverse assortment of work.

So, if you see someone in the corner wearing all black, pounding the keys on a MAC pro book 17 and taking up most of the table. Its probably me so, stop by and say hi.