Getting my Groove Back...a day outside the box

Today I got stood up by one of my senior ambassadors...AFTER I had confirmed the appointment and drove 20 miles. I normally wouldn't mention this, because that's just how uptight I am, but a lot of very interesting and cool things came out of this day...we were supposed to meet in Carefree, who was having a funky little craft fair, so when it became very apparent that the girl wasn't going to show, I decided to hang loose and check out the fair. I got stopped within seconds by a Gabe, a super cool dude who thought I was one of those people who go around photographing booths. I wasn't, but in shaka brah interest, I shot that booth. And here it is.

Nice clean shot, no great shakes, but definitely not something I usually do. So it took me 30 seconds to shoot the booth, and then another little bit to take away parking lot and add grass, and to take my reflection out of the mirror, and I made a day's wages and the promise of more work, with gratitude. So I was driving home, and it's biker week in Cave Creek, and I thought I might as well stop and check it out. I used to do this kind of thing all the time, but I haven't in probably 10 years. So I just went and hung out with all the bikers and biker chicks, and it was real cool. Here's what came out of that...

Cool bike, huh? When would I ever shoot a booth? or a bike? Or a biker chick, for that matter? but I did it and combined the shots and they look cool, and I feel inspired again.

Lily

I had the opportunity to shoot the glorious Miss Lily today for the Happily Ever After League calendar at Creative Castle Preschool here in Anthem, AZ. She was absolutely adorable. I just wanted to gobble her up. Lily hadn't been to the preschool before, and loved all of the fun colors, turtles, and, of course, the awesome castle that they had in their lobby, so naturally she wanted to run and play instead of hanging with me and my boring lights and camera, but when she came around, she came around in a BIG way!! Her daddy helped a ton, too...he took her wand and was booping her on the head with it, and she's just laugh and laugh. Thanks, dad!! If you ever want a job booping kids on the head, I have a spot just for you!! Kids respond to the darndest things. I'm reminded of my dear friend Julie Widman, who brought her handsome son Bennett into my studio many times, whether for portraits or calendars, or stock pictures. Bennett had a great face and an AWESOME smile, that absolutely lit up the room, so much so that he was my preferred baby...when I had anything that could use a boy baby, he was my go-to guy... but he would only smile if Julie flipped her hair over her face and back. Then his face would light up, and he'd absolutely chortle until the flipping process was complete, then he'd go back to his Cheerios, or whatever else he was doing, until the next flip...and the next...Julie must have flipped her hair 50 times a sitting. Now that's dedication! I think I enjoyed watching her flip almost as much as I loved watching Bennett's smile, and they were both up for anything...one time we took about a thousand baby food jars, opened them, put baby food all over him and and let him go wild. That was a great shoot. Lily, I'm going to be calling you again, woman. And don't forget to bring your booper.