All Roads Lead to Yoga

I've discovered yoga just a block away from my little studio. And Jen Ross is the ideal instuctor for me. She is seriously a breath of fresh air. Enthusiastic, passionate about health & yoga but not snooty or too cool for school (her background is actually teaching). I wanted to be friends with her the minute I walked into her Beginner's Workshop last November. And today we started her "catalog" of images. I traditionally stick to weddings, maternity, babies and flowers, but I'm delighted with the way these images came out!

It was in her workshop where I finally realized why everyone has recommended yoga for years! She allowed tons of questions, showed everyone positions that were best for their bodies and explained everything with wonderful clarity and humor. She offers yoga workshops, private sessions, classes in Boulder & Louisville; she is a life coach; and she has a business taking yoga into companies. Interested? Her email is: jenjrossny@yahoo.com

NEW YOU 2008

I've been an active member of the networking group my friend Heather Clark (http://www.callunaevents.com/) started a couple of years ago for late 20’s, 30’s and early 40’s female business owners in Boulder and Denver. Until our first get-together, I had NO idea there were so many cool girls my age running their own businesses so close to me! I have made so many new friends and found inspiration and support. (http://we2e.biz/)

When a group of us from We2e started to brainstorm ways to share out passions and businesses with our community, we came up with The New You Expo 2008: A Whole Life Makeover. We collected essays from a multitude of women describing why they needed a fresh start. We selected 10 women, assessed their situations and needs, and matched them up with several women in the group who generously volunteered their time and services (ranging from personal training, life coaching, facials, chiropractic, acupuncture, personal organizing) beginning in January '08.

The New You 2008 Expo & Gala is SUNDAY, MAY 4 from 2-8pm at the St. Julien Hotel & Spa (http://www.stjulien.com/). And it is going to be awesome! Tons of women from the group, along with cool local businesses that have donated to the event, will be set up for the tradeshow.

There will be several fascinating "breakout sessions" during the tradeshow, including one entitled "Lens on Life: Transforming Your Digital Trash into Treasures" presented by moi! Very nervous. Not comfortable without camera. But the more familiar faces I see, the more relieved I will be. So please come! (This itinerary shot is very small, but I'm speaking from 2:30-3:30pm)

Other good reasons to come (besides seeing me stumble along on stage):

-other breakout sessions like"Style Edit", "De-clutter Your Life & Legs" and "Branding Bootcamp"
-"goodie bags" fir all attendees with lots of gift certificates and fun items!
- $10 haircuts by The Fix Salon! (first come first serve!!)

ACTION ITEMS:

1. Register for the Expo online to save $5 (http://we2e.biz/)

2. Mark your calendar for May 4th, 2-8pm
3. Come to the Expo!

(P.S. We2e meets the third Monday of every month at a new spot in Boulder. No need to RSVP and no cost to join. Be ready to meet inspiring women. If interested in attending, please email heather@callunaevents.com. Please forward this blog entry to any women you feel would benefit from our group!)

Juliet Magnolia Sterling

Have you ever heard a more luscious name? She's as adorable as you could imagine. Juliet is the new sister of John Sterling, whom I also photographed when he was 7 weeks. He is now a little man. (do you remember this image?)

It seems that most moms who run their own business cannot afford to be less than organized and efficient. True to form, Kristina scheduled today's session last February! And at her View & Choose Session, she asked me when the best month was to do their family photos...for the year 2009. Meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out what happened to this week. Somehow it just evaporated...and the same to-do list for Monday is sitting in front of me.

I have the distinct pleasure of working with several interior designers who have the most delectable sense of style, know what they like and are curteous, respectful and sweet. Kristina is among them. Everytime I've visited her home I feel inspired and ready to tackle some little corner of my own home. But for all those not ready to tackle but rather to pick up the phone and OUTSOURCE (my new favorite word), here is her website: www.seekinteriordesign.com. You will love her as much as I do.

Sterling Glenn Hurst

Oh my. I have now officially fallen in love with my job. Again. I connected with Amelia within minutes of talking to her on the phone. And when she & Douglas brought in their 8-week old little bundle, I was undone.
For the first 8 years of my photography career, it was hard to bear the thought of working from a studio. I couldn't imagine it. The very word conjured up visions of lost inspiration, stagnation, boredom...and crappy work. Luckily, exactly the opposite is being born in my little Louisville oasis. I was lucky enough to find a space with tons of window light, and I only shoot in-studio when there is daylight available. Every time a new little person is brought into the studio, we start to play...and new things happen. New images are created that are unique to each baby and their family.
Enjoy a sample of a creative burst! As I was unpacking the boxes of our NEW brochures (so yummy! can't wait for everyone to see them!) stuffed with craft paper, I thought, hmmm, a baby on this paper would be really cute! So when the Hurst family came in and little Sterling woke up from his car nap, we plopped him down. Douglas said, "Oh, our new little package!" I thought about creating a "Portrait Package for Your New Package" but we all agreed there were a few too many p's for comfort. And really too many words all together, but that's another story (check in with me later to hear more about our pricing and ordering overhaul, which will feature "product collections" to make the ordering process more streamlined and cost-effective for our clients. Better yet, call to schedule a portrait shoot!). I adore the image below. I asked Amelia and Douglas to sit and suddenly I saw the quintessential love triangle with everyone connected. Amelia is enamored with baby Sterling, while both hands are placed on her husband. Douglas is enamored with his wife, but cradling Sterling. Sterling...he's just soaking it up, as he should be. My clients are so perfectly considerate. Aiming for the jeans so we don't have a puddle on the floor. Thank you, Douglas! And thank you, Sterling, for a lovely photo op!I don't usually allow dogs inside the studio during portrait sessions. It's just a little too chaotic and messy. But rules are made to be broken (at least that's what I tried to explain to my parents for about 23 years). And Ottman was a perfect gentleman. So perfectly behaved- a well trained dog is a happy dog, as they say. And that makes for a perfect family portrait- Recherche style.

I Can Only Imagine...

...how the world of Christy, Jason & Kate Haden has changed as of this morning. Christy is scheduled to be induced with twins at 8am today! They don't even know if they are boys or girls or both!

Christy and I had breakfast last week and she gave a spectacular argument for waiting until the little ones are born to find out the gender. I always thought I would just want to know so I could try to get my head around who was coming into my life, but she said it is like Christmas times 100. After all, when again in your life will you be able to live with that much anticipation...and let family and friends savor the excitement along with you? Hmm, lots to ponder there.

In the meantime, here are a few photos of the babies-to-be and little Kate Hayden (who I've been photographing since she was 3 months old!! see past blog posts!)