As part of our Unexpected Portrait Project, we worked with a local family who really enjoys skateboarding. It seemed like a no-brainer to have them pack up the fam, head over to one very cool skate park and set up the gear. Absolutely the coolest family ever–photographed their baby months back and it was such a thrill to see the whole clan (in matching super hero outfits, no less!). Bea-U-ti-ful children…a crime, really.

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Excited to show these to the family—my artsy stuff won’t be lost on them and I love that!

Be inspired.

Be pro-active.

Allow your heart to be IGNITED.

On the Oregon Coast!

Where: The quaint town of Manzanita on the Oregon Coast

When: July 23 at 10:00 a.m to July 24th at 7:00 p.m.

The investment: $475

What the retreat includes for your investment:

-fantastic meals

-lodging

-a photography workshop

-a collage clinic

-a blending of these two creative mediums

-time for reflection and conversation about what you want in life in the way of creativity

-a one on one talk with Lara and Elida about your plans and dreams

-the chance to cultivate new friendships

-a renewed/refreshed outlook for what lies ahead for you in the way of a creative life

More here.

I’ve had some of you ask me (on my other blog) why I don’t sell fine art prints  on Etsy….

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Well, good question!

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So–tonight I added my first few on there. I’m working on some custom shabby frames for mini canvases to go in. Will post those sometime in the next month.

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Here is one of my fave prints I added to Etsy. One of my lovely friends out East bought a 20×24 canvas of this “tushy pear” and I can’t wait to hear how it looks in her kitchen! Thanks, girl, for buying my art. ox.

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Take a look at the rest, if you have a moment.

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Friends…I’m taking my art in my own hands and shooting a series of images of women dressed in vintage gear.

I’m calling it “Vintage Reverie” . This was the first session…and I was so inspired by how beautiful my model (and friend) was, that I came up with a list of scenarios that I wanted to style and shoot. I’m having an exhibit of these images (in vintage frames purchased at various barn sales) in tandem with Pam, hostess extraordinaire from here on June 4th in downtown Camas.

Yesterday was the perfect blend of…

…gorgeous model (another willing friend)

…beautiful window light

…mushy shabby-i-fied bed

…vintage props I’ve been collecting for awhile.

These are some of my fave images of the year, friends…this woman, Lulu, is a lovely English gal who isn’t even aware of her loveliness and it was so fun to have her view them and see her own undeniable beauty.

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(we had to do a “product shot” of the cute hair accessory my friend and client Erika of Tottie’s Pretties gave me..Cute, huh?)

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I have a small list of models for this series (I definitely have a certain “look” in my head for these shoots). If you think you might fit the bill, email me (lara@larablairimages.com)

…with:

1) a vintage camera

2) a pitcher of dying tulips

3) an old clock

4) a set of plastic horses

5) a bowl of dead ocean creatures

aaaaaand…..some white seamless paper and an open garage.

Hmmmm…..

Curious?

Yeah…I was too.

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I started years ago without studio lights and all of the gear that I seem to accumulate too much of now.

Sometimes you just need to go back to where it all started.

It just so happens that the open shade a garage provides is a fab-u-lous spot for portraits (with some kind of reflector and the sun coming from the side).

I used it because I loved the results…

…and then I got all FancyShmancy and invested in a studio set-up…

took a ton of lighting classes…

traveled to study with the hotshots…

blah,blah,blah…

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But TODAY….

I gathered the gear and headed outside.

By gear, I mean the Big Kahuna, some white seamless paper remnants, and…

items 1-5 at the top of this post.

I grabbed whatever spoke to me…

be it metaphor or just that I thought it was an interesting object.

Even my hub came out and brought his model airplane for me to photograph—after he got done teasing me about lying on the driveway tummy-down on a towel with the Big Kahuna prodding a toy horse…

he’s not laughing now that I printed him a studio-worthy shot of his man-toy

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I digress…

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yes, me digressing…

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a shock…

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Here were the renderings from my driveway rendezvous….

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This one was for my horse-girl, Rach…she wants one in her room. Who knew that Mr. Breyer would be such a good and patient subject?

So, friends…I’m creating something fun—As part of the “Ignite the Heart Art” line of products in my Etsy shop, I will be offering cards (as in watercolor paper with envelopes) of some of my work. I am curious about what LBI images you feel would be best used for such a thing….and possibly as single 8×10 mounted/matted prints for home decor. 

Some of the other choices from a past post are here—

‘would love to hear your suggestions as I wander off down creation road with this idea…me and my ideas…I find such fab ways of creating more computer time for myself…what’s up with that, anyway?

sigh.

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‘Appreciate your suggestions…

~L