California Country ~ Behind the Scenes Session

On Wednesday we videotaped a "behind the scenes" session in the Santa Cruz Mountains. You may remember the call for models I placed on Facebook awhile back... It was fun seeing the different applicants, and it was hard to select just one! I ended up selecting this sweet gal, who is a self described "tomgirlygirl", a tom-boy with a little girliness thrown in. I felt for the locations we chose she'd be a perfect fit!

She was so wonderful, and we had such fun!

This horse (named Tapatime) volunteered for the session as well, and he even got his own model release!

(The halter is my mare's show halter and we just happened to have it with us.)

There's something about girls and horses that just calls to me.

Although she hasn't spent much time around horses, this tomgirlygirl was a natural!

This is a little sneak peak of my "minions".  For this session I ended up having two assistants for reflectors.

They did such a great job, I had to take at least one picture to show the set-up.

(The video should show more, and I can't wait to see it and share it with you all!)

But until then I'll share a couple more images.

I so LOVED these cute shoes, I really like the image in color,

but the location and cute boots kept pulling me towards something more vintage. 

And so I just had to comply! The images we captured will look amazing in one of my folio boxes, and I can't wait to see them in print! Wouldn't this make a cute card too?

Beach Inspired

I've been wanting to do beach images for a while, but needed someone who was willing to humor me in the cold and wind.  The goal was to actually have the waves crashing closer to us, but the rocks were much too slippery from the sea weed and the wind way too strong for that to happen. But that didn't stop us from getting some gorgeous images all the same. As much as I love the vibrant colors in the first image, I'm drawn to the soft dreamy quality of the Black and White. Which one would you choose?

Behind the Scenes Video

I've been itching to do a behind the scenes video, and finally got around to compiling one from the Mother Daughter Session I did earlier this month. I hope to post more of these going forward, as it is such fun to see the reactions of the girls during the reveal of their make-up session. 

This was my first attempt at iMovie and the first time I used my new iPhone. 

I hope you enjoyed this little behind the scenes sneak peak!

Decoration Day

Growing up my Grandmother referred to Memorial Day as Decoration Day.
Whenever it arrives I have a vivid memory of piling into our car and journeying on the dusty gravel roads to pick up my Great Grandmother
so we could decorate the graves of those who have gone before.
(She lived in a one-room school house, but that's another story for another time.)

Beautiful patriotic arrangement at Breitbach's Country Diner in Balltown, IA. (2012)

I must have been young, as in my memory I am looking up at the towering figures that were my elders.
The cemetery we went to visit was in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by large trees and tall grasses.
I fondly remember my Grandmother, my Great Aunt, and my Great Grandmother walking along the lane ahead of us as they carried their floral tributes.
(Which often included peonies from their gorgeous gardens.)

The photo above is my grandmother at my age (on the left) and my Great Grandmother.

  My Great Grandmother made her own clothes, often out of pretty cloth flower sacks,
she also wore the prettiest prairie bonnets with ruffles on them!
Her hair was longer than her waist but she always wore it up and tucked in under her bonnet.
Unfortunately I don't have a single picture of my Great Grandmother in her signature bonnet,
or when her gorgeous long grey hair was down.  I am truly grateful for the images we do have,
and on decoration day look fondly back on the memories of those who have gone before me.
Have a good weekend!

                                                                                                                            ~ Suzi

Smiling Happy People

 I have been going through my images lately while backing them up to a new hard drive, and I so enjoyed seeing some of my past clients I thought I would make a fun collage out of a few of the images and share them with you as well. There are so many reasons people choose a professional photographer, from head-shots to family portraits.    As I expand into contemporary glamour and include make-up and hair styling options in my packages, I can't help but get excited about meeting even more wonderful people and their wonderful pets, and of course capturing more images of my wonderful clients as well!

A Great New Lunch Venue

If you follow me on Facebook you may have noticed a gorgeous salad and wrap I had at a new restaurant that's opening up in San Jose called Chef Mo's Cafe.

Some of you may recall I used to have my photo consultation meetings in her gorgeous victorian as well.

Now that it's open for lunch, my displays have changed, and are no longer samples of the different mediums I have for sale, but instead they will be gorgeous wall collages that are available for purchase.

The images in this collage were taken last July in Iowa. It was 104 degrees and humid that week, and absolutely miserable, which explains why you don't see anyone out walking.  I love all of the green hillsides and grasses, and was drawn to the railroad tracks.and rusty fence lines   These are the hillsides of my childhood and are what I think of when someone says Iowa, versus the endless flat stretches of corn most people experience from traveling I-80.  I am hoping the patrons of the restaurant will enjoy this glimpse of Northeast Iowa as well.

Of course, the hills of my adulthood are also displayed, this collage is of some of the gorgeous vineyards in Northern California.   The young grapes were captured in the Santa Cruz mountains, while the gorgeous fall colors were captured in Sonoma.  I even have a cluster or two featured from a Livermore vineyard.  I just love the colors and textures of the vines, and can't wait to see this on display!

The last collage I have created for the space consists of flowers from my garden.  (and a visiting ladybug too.)
I am looking forward to seeing these in their new home, and thought I would give you a sneak peak as well.  (These are all screen shots from my order.)

I hope you will find an excuse to stop by Chef Mo's for lunch, her food is amazing!

(The above is a massaged kale and mango salad with Indian spiced chicken salad, and ginger lemongrass tea.)

She's right next to Devine Grind Coffee shop on North Second and Devine. (Where I also have images displayed!)

I will be sure to let you know when my collages are up, but please don't let that stop you from stopping by! 

She's open Monday-Friday from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, and be sure to let her know Suzi sent you!

Did you get a bouquet today?

 I was growing up we always went out and picked some "May Flowers" today, and gave them to our Mom, neighbors, friends, etc.  

If time allowed, that usually meant tromping through the woods to find wildflowers!  I fondly remember picking pretty bouquets of trillium, columbine, blood-root (it stained your hands red when picked), Dutchman's breeches, violets, buttercups, wild geranium, and Sweet William.  Pretty weeds and grasses sometimes found their way into the arrangement as well.  If we were lucky we might find a Morel Mushroom or two! (Although they usually wait until Mother's Day to make their appearance.)
Today I combined some roses with a few flowers I found in my yard. (Lavender and iris.) I also combined a cute gift voucher as I'm partnering with a local florist to deliver a bouquet of roses (and pretty filler) on Mother's Day. It's a pretty sweet deal, if I do say so myself. Since I didn't have any flowers from the florist yet, I made up my own arrangement for now. The white iris are actually fragrant, and compliment the lavender quite well.   There are also a few pretty white day lilies in the mix too. I can't wait to see who'll be getting flowers and photos this Mother's Day! Yeah for May!