A girl and her dog.
August 1st, 2010I enjoyed this woman and her dog, Lucy, so much. What a special person with a very close relationship with her pooch.
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Hearts ablaze…
July 28th, 2010
“It is only when we silent the blaring sounds of our daily existence that we can finally hear the whispers of truth that life reveals to us, as it stands knocking on the doorsteps of our hearts.” (K.T. Jong)
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It seems that we might not even be aware of the daily blaring sounds…I know that I can fall deaf to them by way of routine and familiarity. Those whispers (I call them “stirrings“) are so,so soft…barely flickering their light or tapping gently at our hearts as we go about our madness. I was excited to lead this retreat with my inspiring pal, Elida…but I was also open to some revelations for my own creative life.
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It seems that through teaching we can touch a part of ourselves without going after it with a overzealous desire to fix everything. I was saying words to my new found friends I needed to take in myself and truly believe them…knowing that I would never give an opinion regarding what action to take if I didn’t wholeheartedly wish it for my own creative life.
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So…suffice it to say that the two days we spent were far too short…
the company and conversation was beyond amazing…as was the food (still digesting a ridiculous amount of hummus-among-us)
and I really wasn’t ready to return to reality.
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I am really looking forward to some plans Elida and I have for future retreats and day workshops covering similar topics. Through some “fallen-through plans” and a weekend that seemed to have a lot of would-be attendees tied up (thank you, ladies for writing me anyway), our small group was perfect…intimate and sweet—wonderful for a maiden voyage in the magical little hamlet of Manzanita on the Oregon Coast.
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Day one began with some major blabbing about poking that creative muse and getting her out to play…tips on what we need as females to carve out time, space and permission (or so we think–haha) to get down to it. Elida and I bantered back and forth about our own journeys and ups and downs and frankly, got pretty candid…and it felt absolutely right because these women were in all stages of life and ready for a change…ready to grow some wings…and sometimes growing wings involves trusting that it actually can be done in big transitional stages in life without everything falling apart.
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Then…
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down
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camera
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business
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and there was a big ‘ole lesson and some shooting time…In the cottage’s garden and then on to the beach. What an absolute blast!
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Who knew a little garden would have so many treasures to focus that 2.8 f-stop on?
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Portrait-taking in funky (meaning “icky” and dark) light is my speciality and I had fun teaching the ladies some tips and tricks. I love hearing that “ahhhhhh” when women with cameras “get it”. Music to my ears. I shot each woman with a secret plan to have an image to send them after the retreat and they all got to shoot each other. They are ALL so lovely!
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‘Even got a portrait of me blazing down the beach looking for that perfect sunset spot…and posing in my favorite cottage trellis…one day I will own a little beach cottage like the one below.
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The beach at sunset…oh, how I love the West coast…the sun coming up over the ocean on East coast mornings always seemed so wrong to me…I love the reds and pinks at sunset and this evening did not disappoint.
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Tell me if I’m wrong, Elida family members…but I’ve seen this look before, haven’t I? Very funny! I absolutely love this woman and was so privileged to teach with her…she is an artistic talent beyond measure and has the most generous of hearts, willing to share all that she knows to change women’s lives….big smooches, E!
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What is it about the feet thing? My studio manager, Mary, always teases me about my foot festish…I really don’t have one (SWEAR!), but it always comes back to the darn toes in the sand…
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Okay…can you tell which toenail is missing? Mr. Pinky had an “incident” with the ottoman and the ottoman won. Painting the random bench warmer toenail underneath with red is always a joy…lucky it wasn’t the big one!
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Beach portraits are special around here because the beach is two hours away. I relish any up-to-the-sun-setting shooting time I can get and to have five willing subjects at my disposal was lovely, lovely.
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Bar-none..my fave image of the weekend…Elida was saying something funny (naturally) and we were all feeling something greater than ourselves…and that awesome beach…and the wind…and the good shots…happy camper, says I.
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Thank you for such a wonderful time, friends…I am excited to hear about the new adventures you’re committing to…don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.
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(next post, you see some collage action with Miss E…the girls rocked it)
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OX.
Hearts ignited…
July 26th, 2010
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Okay…so much to share about the “Ignite the Heart” retreat and so much to do today that does not (sadly) involve blogging.
I’ve got a lot of work catch-up–but, hopefully tomorrow I’ll fill you in on one INCREDIBLE weekend with some INCREDIBLE women.
The Three Stooges
July 21st, 2010I was excited to work with this “gaggle” of Boxers because I’m writing a section in my Amherst Media book about photographing dogs in groups. It was as much fun as I knew it would be—-especially when the dogs are “siblings” and used to fighting each other over toys. I really enjoy working with Boxers in general—so much personality in these dogs.
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Sniff friends
July 18th, 2010
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These faces just make me happy, ya’ll…I love , love this job. It never seizes to amaze me how great I feel after working with a dog and its owner.
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It
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the
best!
Something fabulous/Something disturbing
July 15th, 2010Fabulous:
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For our new addition, Fauna, we were given a dog carseat. To say that I had never thought about this is an understatement. I guess I’ve always had bigger dogs who sit in the back of the car behind a gate. Fauna, our new tiny little chihuahua princess, has the danger of flying through the air like a chew toy. This little invention is a life-saver and we love it~
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You can get it here.
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Disturbing:
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Extreme Poodle haircuts on TV…
…yikes.
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‘Nuff said.
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Happy Weekend, friends!
~L
The Pixie Project on the Today show
July 14th, 2010
Girlfriends matter.
July 13th, 2010A landmark UCLA study suggests friendships between women are special. They shape who we are and who we are yet to be. They soothe our tumultuous inner world, fill the emotional gaps in our marriage, and help us remember who we really are.
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By the way, they may do even more. Scientists now suspect that hanging out with our friends can actually counteract the kind of stomach-quivering stress most of us experience on a daily basis. A landmark UCLA study suggests that women respond to stress with a cascade of brain chemicals that cause us to make and maintain friendships with other women. It’s a stunning find that has turned five decades of stress research — most of it on men — upside down.
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The rest of the article is here.
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As for my own girlfriends in my life…thank you for providing something so immeasurably important that I cherish during this “growing up” phase of turning 40. I appreciate the fact that you love me despite my many quirks and faults and hold up a mirror to me sometimes…love you for it.
~L
p.s. I have a new obsession! Check it out here.
Voice from the past
July 11th, 2010It’s always fun to hear from an old friend. Especially ones that have moved far away across the globe and have returned for a brief visit. The last time I saw this couple below was pre-kids and it was so fun to see the whole family together in all of their glory. I think travel and worldly awareness does wonders for child-rearing. These kids were great! (and flexible)
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They’re off globe trotting again…hopefully their kids won’t be driving by the time I get to photograph them again. It was such a treat.
Parade of Dogs
July 8th, 2010Gotta love the Northwest…more dogs in the Manzanita 4th parade than humans…just how it should be!
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First things first—the guests of honor were celebrated….
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….and then the day went to the dogs….
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I never tire of seeing these lovies all dressed up for the day!
Happy weekend~
L
