Bon Lou Couture Shoot

Last Saturday was a very fun afternoon. I met Cindy, the designer and stylist of Bon Lou Couture, and brought to life the colors and presence of her dresses. There were four models, so needless to say it was a non stop shoot. As soon as I finished one model, the next would be sent back to my chair for a makeup change for the next outfit. Like being on a runway show :)

Below is Junia, a minny skinny leggy model for Heffner Models - she was fun. Designer dresses are made for size 1 or 2, and there was no doubt she was made to fit these gowns. This particular gown is from silk brought directly over from India, and it was showcased as the finale at the 2008 Portland Fashion Week.





Virgina is a delight to work with - her perfect skin and beautiful features made it easy to create several looks for her. (more pics to come)





Sage was the photographers daughter, she well established, having modeled since she was 12. She is currently finishing up high school, and we share a great love of chocolate covered pretzels. :) She is here, showcasing jewelry that walked the runway at 2008 Portland Fashion Week.



I have many more pictures, but I will have to add them later. Why? I'm off to another shoot!

hugs

Oh Adessa

I met Adessa several weeks ago when I was called to do makeup for her shoot. The photographer was my wonderful friend Chris (http://chrisjernigan.com), and since he knows I've been getting into photography myself, he allowed me to take my own shots from the shoot.



Adessa is this tiny little thing, so pretty and as sweet as can be. She brought along her guitar to pose with, but we couldn't seem to get the rocker feeling with her. She was just too sweet :)



She probably looks like she's just 16 in these pictures, but she's actually a well established lady in her twenties and married! It was a fun shoot, and I enjoyed playing with my new camera :)

The lovely Rashel Marie

I met Rashel for the first time a few weeks ago at a photoshoot. She is such a lovely young woman. So laid back but professional at the same time. Rashel is from Corvallis, but drove all the way up to Portland to shoot. We hit it off so well, and she impressed me very much. Not only is she incredibly beautiful and tall (made me feel like a midget), she is also wonderfully accomplished and intelligent, studying microbiology and other sciences. I love it when I meet models that have a brain :) Makes me feel like I'm not alone (Ha!)





I don't feel that even these final images capture her very intense beauty. I was so happy that she called for another shoot she is having this weekend. I know we will get something wonderful for sure!

A Saturn Style Studios series....

I haven't modeled in months, I've mostly been focusing on my MUA work that I love. But modeling, for me at least, has always been a form of creative expression and release.

Marie Saturn, of Saturn Style Studios, called me last week to "come and play". :) I love Marie. She is so refreshing and uninhibited. I like to think that I will be as graceful and full of life as she is when I am her age. Marie has years of incredible experiences in front of and behind the camera. A day in her studio is a very big treat.

Marie told me that she wanted to continue with a series that she's been shooting for the past few years. "On the Edge of a Broken Heart". These pictures are raw and emotional, showing the different phases of a grieving heart. She asked me, not even knowing all that's happened to me in the last year! I have gotten past the point of so much grief and I have embraced my new life. But this shoot exercised me in pulling from those experiences to create pictures that are full of truth and beauty.

ode to coffee cake

There is nothing quite so good as coffee cake. It has it's own little place in the world. It brushes aside its sugary counterparts, the chocolate torte, or cousin strawberry shortcake. My little coffee cake is not dull like hard scones, or mediocre banana muffins. It has it's own sweet simplicity to it that, if done correctly, puts a smile on my face anyday as a tempting afternoon snack.

I have only recently discovered my love for the cinnamon topped treat. Not that I didn't know coffee cake existed before, but I hadn't really noticed it's lovely texture and simple taste. If any of you know me personally, you know that I do not care for the flavor of coffee, therefore, I am not one of the millions who strides into Starbucks day after day to order a granda mocha latte double whip no-smack frappacino. But while visiting said institution with my dear friend Victoria a few months back, I sampled their simple coffeecake - and was hooked.

Perhaps this should be an essay on the obvious amounts of addictive substance that Starbucks MUST be injecting into their consumables to have created even such a loyal follower as I, but I will restrain myself and enjoy my little square of starbucks coffee cake for now. :)

Happy Monday

Leanne Marshall

I had the most fun and exciting opportunity last week to work with Leanne Marshall, the winning Designer from this years, season 5, Project Runway. (See her work, www.leanimal.com) I had never watched Project Runway before, but Paul and I had been flipping through the channels and saw a beautifully concocted dress and we were hooked. Every week we had to watch, critique the designs and ooo and ahh over whatever Leanne stitched up next. I can't tell you how tickled we were when she won. :)

(I always bring my camera on set just to catch a few cute shots like this...)

Anyway, I was called in last week to do the styling of one of her models and it was such a great time meeting her. She is exactly as you would imagine her. Courteous, sweet, rather soft spoken with an endearing way about her. Even though she was rushing around with a million things in her head planning her move to New York the very next day, there was still her good natured smile and real honest and appreciation for everyone's work that day. The designs we were shooting were gorgeous and so delicately made. I'm so happy for her and all the opportunties that are coming for her. Leanne, we wish you the best of everything! hugs and hugs! :D