Dose of Doggy: Izzy the Pound Puppy

 Izzy's from tha' streets. My friend, Nicole found Izzy at the pound a few days ago. When Johnny and I were introduced to her we nearly cried! I LOVE it when a lost pup finds a good home, and her and Nicole are perfect companions! Yesterday Izzy starred in her first photo shoot. I'm sure there will be plenty more to come. 

So here's some cuteness to fuel your weekend. Hope everyone had a happy 4th!

Dealing with Fear: It's All in How You Look at It.

Fear. It's been a larger part of my life than I'd like to admit. Since I've moved to California, quite frankly, I've been beating it's ass. Two major moments of clarity oddly enough have happened on my friends' sailboat (read other epiphany here). Also oddly enough that first picture I will title, "Bird Shit Rock" is a perfect metaphor for the strategy I've found works best for rising above fear and enjoying your life: It's all in how you look at it. 

We went for a "sail around the marina" for Jonathan's birthday. The boats in the marina float on calm waters. Lots of charming sites too: beautiful yachts, goofy house boats, screaming seals, leather faced orange boat-living people. It's thoroughly entertaining, and completely manageable anxiety wise. It was chilly that night, but we had pizza and champagne and warm coats to cuddle up in. Before I knew it we were very close to exiting the serenity of the marina and entering the motherfacking Pacific Ocean. The panic kicked in. 

This wasn't the plan! Uhhhh Cap'n,  it's lookin pretty choppy out there! I'm gonna get sea sick! I'm on a boat.... I'm trapped on this boat. The water is too cold to swim back! We're all gonna die. I don't know how, but we are...going.....to DIE!

Right before I peed my pants I noticed the exit of the marina is lined with a rock wall where hundreds of birds sit to sip in the sunset. While enjoying the view, they like to poop. Ya know, like birds do. The white mess has completely Jackson Pollocked this massive pile of rocks....and it's kinda beautiful. You get what I'm saying? The doo doo is beautiful if you forget it's doo doo for a second. I forgot we were floating out to sea and frantically started snapping away with my camera and when I looked up we were rocking on the open Pacific. 

Woe. I'm not scared. It is breathtaking. This looks like a vintage OP tee shirt. My friends are awesome. I'm drinking champagne. On a boat. Happy birthday babe. I laughed out loud. 

The idea that I probably wouldn't have gone on the sail if I knew we were going out to the ocean because I was "anxious about it" is ASININE.  GAH! I'm a whiney baby sometimes! So many otherwise amazing moments in my life have been obscured in my mind by my anxiety. But the fix is to just look at the moments differently. Live in the now as much as humanly possible. And when you do get scared, let yourself go there for a moment and snap back to reality. 

The beauty of a sunset (or a rock covered in bird excrement) will always be there to remind you that it's worth paying attention to the world outside of you as opposed to obsessing over thoughts or fears fabricated in your mind. 

Do YOU have a bird shit rock? Something that should've been ugly that turned into a beautiful experience?

And for your listening pleasure, A SONG to match this post. 

Brick and Sasha

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Ever since a quick trip to Dallas I've been off my game. Furthermore, my new camera was out of commission for a few days. I'm back now though. Until the next post, here's some adorable puppy photos I snapped back home. 

Grace

So, my lovely and talented friend Emma decided to do something really brave: tell a particularly personal story via short film. It's called Grace. She found an actress, Teneale Clifford to play herself (Emma) at 14. She asked me to help with wardrobe, and shoot some stills for the film. I was glad to do so seeing as I just got MY NEW CAMERA FINALLY OMG. We spent the last day of the shoot in Leo Carillo over looking the Pacific Ocean. 

What charmed f*$king lives we lead.
Here are some of the shots.

Hawthorne Skate

It was hot. It was crowded. It was the most fun I've had shooting in ages. I got to assist my bud Patrick on the opening of a skate park in Hawthorne last week. It was so nostalgic watching all the skater dudes and dudettes. Transported me back to high school. Chucks, Vans, skate punk, decking out your gear with stickers and permanent markers. (I've never seen so many Black Flag/Bad Religion T's in one place. It made me happy). I didn't skate myself, but I sure did think skater boys hung the moon, and sat my ass on many-a half pipe after school.

Lemme tell you: the skate scene in LA is fucking LEGIT. These kids were chomping at the bits to get into the park and skate their asses off. Also, Pat and I both were surprised by how polite everyone was. All the experienced skaters were helping out the ones that were there to learn, saying excuse me if they bumped into one another, screaming and clapping when anyone landed anything impressive etc. I was a little timid... worried they might think the photographers were in the way, but they were happy to 

show off for the camera.

Just so ya'll know this guy's tattoo says "what the fuck, fuck shit up." Sick dude. 

Luke and Lily

I love these moments because they're genuine ones. 

Yeah, that book says "Dating and Seduction". Some how she got a hold of it, and some how she opened it to that page, and some how I captured the exact moment. I love it when that happens. 

Dramatics

Have I mentioned that I love shooting actors? Well, I do. I spent last Saturday morning at The Aldridge House on Swiss Avenue (the Hamptons of Dallas) playing Vanity Fair photo shoot with the fabulous actress, Jenny Ledel (her husband, Alex Organ hopped in for a few as well). See, the reason this lady is fabulous is 'cause she does it right. And when I say right, I mean she embraces her dramatic side, and really isn't ashamed about it one bit. I showed up and homegirl had her own hair and makeup artist (Samantha Rodriguez), and a slew of dresses borrowed from The Dallas Shakespeare wardrobe. Several were made specifically for her when she played rolls like Juliette. 

Really... could a photographer ask for more?! Beautiful light, great talent, newly-wed-lovebirds etc... Our efforts paid off. Whachu think?

Very special thanks to Anastasia Munoz, who bummed me cigarettes, took hipstamatics, fluffed dresses and kept up morale!

xo!

Brenna and the Proper Husbands

A few weeks ago my songbird gal-pal Brenna asked me to help her with her band's promotional photography. I jumped at the request since all three of these people are dear to me, insanely talented and such a pleasure to be around. If you haven't checked put Brenna Manzare and the Proper Husbands, do so this instant. Featuring Adrian from Oso Closo and Jed from Rondo and the Rocket Summer the band packs hefty local punch. The first time I saw them, it was their 2nd show. There was no baby giraffe wobbly walkin' on the stage at all. She grabs her balls microphone and goes for it. Super soulful. Love them.

Casey Smith kindly offered us The Wherehouse as location, and Amber Elkins helped us with styling. We spent the morning vogueing to 90's hits. (Luckily the company I kept shared my deep affinity for such important groups as UB40, Boys II Men and so forth). Also we found out Adrian can hit the high note in "Man in the Mirror". We promptly filled our bellies with Mexican food and margaritas afterward. 

Here are 3 different vibes. I dig on the triptych. 

Which ones do you like?