Falling in Love

Art can be emotional, raw and challenging. I love to see clients and potential customers react to my photography. But what happens when the tables are turned? I got to find out during our recent trip to Mexico.

I have a problem with resorts. Something just seems wrong about utilizing a poor town's finest resources for the sake of a vacation. There was something else that bothered me in Mexico: a painting. The second I saw it, I felt a switch turn on. This is what I want my life to feel like, I remember thinking. This is what I want my body and my home and my future to feel like. THIS is art.

It was love at first sight. I had to have it.

Enter the crisis of purchasing art. Is it worth it? Can we afford it? Can we afford not to own it? I almost choked on the price...and after a few days of discussion and sleepless nights, I decided I had to invest in another artist's work, something I believe in and that evoked such a strong reaction in me.

Now that the painting is home with us, it continues to challenge. How can we best display it? Are we ready for a new coat of arms for our home and our family?

All of these questions, thoughts, and emotions point to the beauty and power of great art. Something to chew on as I go through an artistic life.

My Little Brother's Wedding

Things have been such a blur with travel and work that I haven't been able to catch you up on my trip to the South. North Carolina was gorgeous. Even better, it was the site of my little brother Gabe's wedding to Melissa, my new sister-in-law. Above is a shot Jay snuck of me during the ceremony!

What a gorgeous (and intimate!) wedding. I got just enough space to experience the thrill of my brother's big day and soak up how handsome he was in full uniform. After the ceremony, we drove to a quaint old town and take pictures of the happy couple and I'm excited to share these shots!

Behind the Scenes in Mexico

Within15 hours of getting back from NC we whisked off to Mexico for another family wedding. This time, I acted as stealth shooter (God forbid I should attend a wedding without camera in hand!). It was a treat to return to my early days in photography...getting sneaky with the lens and truly staying behind the scenes.

And here's a couple images that Jay took of me with my three gorgeous sisters at the wedding!

Magnolia Plantation

Jay and I spent the day at the famous Magnolia Plantation just outside of Charleston, SC. Enchanting, mystical, humid, and totally refreshing.

Notes from a packed calendar...

Talk about life on the go! I have been extremely busy and life seems packed with all sorts of goodies!

Our inaugural stint at the Paris Street market was fabulous. Our booth was full the entire day of people oohing and ahhing over the images. Many were relieved to learn that not only will we be at the next market date on June 7^th, but our canvases are available for purchase online. We're looking forward to the next event...and to bringing our vintage frame collection along!

The NewYou Expo was so amazing. My presentation "Lens on Life: Turning Digital Trash into Treasure" went well, garnering positive feedback and inspiring a new plan to offer editing workshops starting in June for a limited number of participants. I'll only have five participants at a time...they'll bring their laptops and digital images, which I will help them edit and improve with Photoshop. If you're interested in a resource list from the presentation, email studio@recherche-photography.com ...we'll get it to you as soon as I am back in town.
After a year and a half of planning, it was extremely emotional and inspiring to see all the women pouring into the event, meet the amazing and strong women entrepreneurs who are so passionate about their businesses, and celebrate the makeover participants. I wish I had required that my entire family and all my close friends had attended this. I choked back the tears during the gala portion...I’ve been so close to the process that I’d almost forgotten what these ten women were up against one year ago and how far they’ve come with the help of so many in our group who volunteered their services, their time and their hearts to lift these women out of the mire, to empower them and put them back on the path of engaging life. (P.S. Can you believe that all of their shoes are from Croc's new line??? http://www.youbycrocs.com/)


I'm writing this post sitting on the porch of a B&B in Charleston, North Carolina. Below is one of my favorite shots from an old neighborhood I walked through yesterday afternoon after we arrived.
I've had a lovely southern breakfast (here's Jay sitting at our table waiting for his strawberry pancakes!
We're getting ready to head to the Magnolia Plantation Gardens. It is at least 80 degrees, everything is green and blooming, air is thick and fragrant, birds are chattering away. More updates soon...