10 little monsters made their way around the city. They have ventured off in pairs so that they didn’t feel so lonely. 5 different location… is there one near you? Time to join our Facebook page to get some hints early. If you happen to capture one of the monsters… let us know that they found a starter home.
Follow us on Facebook by clicking here!
Valentine’s Day is now just one more day away, making it the perfect time to celebrate romance! And, while it’s true that I cover romance and commitment daily as part of the wedding world, I wanted to celebrate this special time of year through a mood board to inspire the hopeless romantic that lurks within us all! Whether you want to feel like a beautiful princess on your big day or your wedding lust is more for glitz and glamor, these Weddingstar products are a perfect fit to infuse true romance into your nuptials.
Featuring: from top left { Wedding “Love Bubble” Wands / Red Rose Ceremony Set / Love Letter Printed Silk Flower Petals – Mr . & Mrs }
Featuring: clockwise from top left { Laser Expressions Rose Die Cut Card / True Romance Couple Figurine / Baroque Paper Frames with Table Easel (Large) / Heart Silver Plated Cake Serving Set /“Love Letters” Feather Pen Favor / Elegant Vintage Rose Guest Book }
These photos were submitted by the amazing Jeanine Thurston of Fototails Photography as part of a romance styled shoot this past September! Thanks for sharing Jeanine!!
Hopefully these inspirations have set the mood and your inner romantic has been awakened! Happy weddings everyone – see you tomorrow with a special Valentine’s Day post!
Amazing team that made this all happen:
Susan Dillon OF KITTY MAE MILLINERY & ACCESSORIES
Danielle Banfield of Blushing Bride Colorado
Samantha Koch of LadyCharm Artistry
Styling and flowers – Isabelle Kline Design
Dawn Dash of Great Divide Travel for Happy Thought Ranch
Models: Melissa Schans & Eric Lunsford
Jewelry by Katherine Marie
In a day when we can go to the internet or scour youtube for much needed information, I would like to pose a question. Are we blessed with a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips or over loading our brains with too much information?
It’s easy for me to see both sides with what I do for a living. I can learn faster, and as an artist my style has developed and changed faster because of all the images that pass by my eyes in a given day. But just about every week, I take a moment an pause and think about how much time I may be spending “gathering” knowledge and try to put the brakes on to see how it may be hindering time that I’m actually learning on my own.
Absorbing knowledge or photo-copied knowledge.
I have to enter into this from an artists point of view because that is who I am, so I apologize for using my own reference points and hope you can relate it to your own.
I can look at an image from another photographer, or I can see a certain “pose” that I’m fond of done by someone else – and trying to remember a specific thing like a pose makes me cringe. Every time in the 25 years that I’ve been a photographer that I have tried to mimic an image of another, it is a struggle, it is uncomfortable, it isn’t me. I see some photographers out there trying to “duplicate” an inspiration shot and part of me says they are learning and the other part of me says they are just photo-copy machines. They can make their images look good only because they are copying what they have seen.
Trying to find yourself as an artist.
People ask all of the time “who inspires you” and I think the question that prompts me to look at myself is actually “what inspires you.” What inspires me is how people move, the colors in nature, the personalities of a person, and the study of light and how it bends around a room.
Inspiration boards.
Pinterest – although definitely is an additive endeavor; allowing you to hoard all of this eye-candy of inspiration onto a single page right before your eyes is defeating in personal inspiration at times to me as well. Clients bring in sheets of what they love, but as an artist it can definitely stunt your creativity – you are trying to make your work look like “the board” and then I have to ask.. how much of YOU is in your work?
LOVE OPEN DISCUSSION.
While I personally find it more important in my own growth to study the basics of light, shadows, colors, smells, and movement/interaction to help me find my best work. I would love to hear your thoughts on the instant access of “how to’s” available to us as photographers or artists and if you find it more as an inspiration or push to grow or if spending so much time “looking” and quick learning may defeat the purpose of your own art?
For photographers: When it comes to the actual session and you are creating a portrait – what is in your mind? Are you thinking about trying a “pose” or are you studying your subject how they move, how the light is on them and how you are going to get them to respond to you naturally?
ok… now… your turn.
I get the comment often “I don’t know how you do it all!” Well, let’s be totally honest – I don’t – at least not “all” and rarely do I get to the “most” level. I am a mom of 2 beautiful boys ages almost 5 and a 6 year old. They are just over 12 months apart. Because they hear me say on a daily basis “I wish I were an octopus!” Jace now tells me at least once a day “Mom, I wish you were an octopus” – and so the story goes.
I am a wife, a mother, a business owner, a woman in her 40’s dealing with things that all 40+ year olds have to deal with. I have friends and family – and on a daily basis…. I CHOOSE MY BATTLES. Although it is mostly a saying, every day I need to choose what I need to spend my energy and efforts on – and anything that requires work I label my battles. Really it’s not because any one thing is bad, and I guess a more appropriate word would choosing my tasks… but with two ninja children around me BATTLES sounds much more exciting – doesn’t it?
~I work every day. I say I take Mondays off… but honestly – I don’t.
~I love my children every day. But honestly… sometimes they drive me up the wall (ok, every day at least once a day).
~My house is a series of piles – then I straighten up the piles and then they grow back.
~I am thankful for my Facebook friends, because with having little or no time to “live” outside my routine at this stage in my life. It allows me the “catch up” if only for a “like” or a quick message… at least we know we are thinking of each other.
~I DREAM HUGE. While I wish to accomplish everything I set my mind to. I don’t. But that doesn’t stop me from dreaming because that is the part that is the most fun anyway.
~I’m about as imperfect as they come. With life & family… most days I am a firefighter. I have to deal with the most pressing thing or the hottest “fire” on my list.
In my life. 200% effort means I get 80% positive results, and that’s still above a C average on the report card in my head – and that has to be good enough.
It’s an exhausting life. It is a life filled with anxiety and stress. It is a life filled with high-highs and low lows.
MOST IMPORTANTLY. I never get bored, and I have an exciting and event-filled life. So I claim a successful life. Besides… when I fight to get my kids to bed at night, and I wake up in the morning to hugs and kisses – It it the best part of my day. And so the cycle starts over every day going faster and faster.
Let’s just say it’s official. Girls are different than boys. Now I know what you’re thinking – that is no new concept, but I’m telling you – no matter what the differences I thought there were before… yesterday was proof positive.
Understand that I have two boys, I grew up with two brothers… I KNOW BOYS. If you’ve been following along at all the past year we have had a lot of tutu sessions through the studio and I’ve had many parents asking for a “boys” day. So yesterday we had our first official boys day at the studio. It was the most fun I think I’ve had at the new studio… and today… well, I AM EXHAUSTED! I can tell you the decibel level is about 100 times more than on a tutu day when you get a bunch of boys pass through your doors. Lets make it clear… boys ages about 18 months-9 years… about 15 boys within 6 hours.
I CAN’T WAIT TO DO THIS AGAIN!!! So as much as I’m enjoying a quieter day with my ONE boy at home today, it was an absolute blast and I would highly recommend it if you have a boy or boys. SO MUCH FUN and so much energy – and from what I’ve heard so far, the boys are talking about it still today and telling everyone about their studio “camp” day.
To any new photographers out there. Please do not WORRY about the competition. It is way more important to create what you love, not what someone else loves. You will rise to the top much faster by being true to yourself and only comparing yourself to what you were yesterday – with your eyes continuing to look at how you can improve yourself tomorrow.
~Jeanine Thurston
Sometimes you need one of those creative days when you can just shoot what you want how you want to. It helps when you have some amazing people to work with too. Viqui Westenhaver from Skye Salon and Spa whipped up an amazing hair day for Jill Scott – who got to be model and MUA for the day. 
Thanks for the fun ladies and getting us all out of a “cleaning” day! lol
So this is a sneak peek at Karen’s creations for our project coming soon! Check out the details on our Happy Camera Monsters 1.0 . But we are so excited to get these into some happy hands and make some smiling faces!!!
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING GREAT.
My mind was a jumble of thoughts on my way home from the studio one afternoon. I had a million ideas in my head. One of which was some art that our very own “Jenny” had posted about a friend of hers. Now, she has told me over and over how talented her friend was… and sometimes it takes the right time and place for that to connect to you personally or professionally.
Back to the drive home…. I had one of those awh haaaa moments when if I didn’t tell someone I would bust so called Ms Jenny to bounce some things off of her – particularly about her friend Karen’s art.
So it begins the Photography forward project.
FEBRUARY 14TH, 2013… yes, we are starting this on Valentines Day. 10 custom created pieces of “domino art” will be dropped off at various locations in Denver & surrounding areas. This each piece of art is called “Happy Camera Monster.” Each piece of art is a little different, a very custom piece of art – and I have to say – they alone should make you smile. They will all be numbered and will be attached to a card with exact details and information too.
In a nutshell. On February 14th, 2013 I’ll post some hints to locations where they will be… or an un-suspecting person may just happen upon one. If you’re watching our blog and facebook pages you may just get a jump on being the first to get to a location.
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YOUR BONUS: If you are one that finds or is gifted one of our Happy Camera Monster dominos, call us at (720)566-9770 or e-mail jennyb@fototails.com and you will get a free 1 hour studio portrait session at our Denver, CO studio. Catch is… to get the session you have to bring the domino to your portrait session so we can take one image with the domino.
CHILDREN’S TREE HOUSE BONUS: If you choose to purchase any prints from your session, with your first online print order we will donate $10 to Children’s Treehouse Foundation of Denver. To learn more about Children’s Treehouse Foundation please click here to find out what an amazing organization they are in helping families dealing with cancer.
THE PAY IT FORWARD BONUS. At your portrait session we will take one image of you with the Happy Monster Art that you have. Now… after your session, we will put that piece of art on a new card for you to pass along to anyone you know for them to use for a free portrait session. The catch? It always has to be someone new, you can’t use a Happy Camera Monster more than once yourself – but you can pass it to whomever you see or know that would love a portrait session for them or their families.
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Over the coming year we will be keeping track of our Happy Camera Monster dominos and are hoping that they make their way all around the Denver area or maybe even to people just visiting.
As you can see our Happy Camera Monster Art is currently in progress with the very talented hands of Karen Windness! I can not WAIT until they are all complete with their cards, and I’m even more excited to start dropping them off at locations in a few weeks.
Every time we get one of our Happy Camera Monsters pass through the studio we will share a photo and blog post too!
Jalapeños seem to taste good in just about anything. It’s the little bit of hot that can make a ho-hum dish or snack just explode with flavor. And well… cheese just makes anything taste good in my opinion. Poppers are just an amazing snack for game days or a side dish to a main meal. Now… add sweet potato to this… and I am in LOVE.
2 Large sweet potatoes peeled, cut into thirds – boiled and mashed lightly with a fork (keep them a little chunky)
8 Jalapeños cut in half from stem to tip
1 tsp. black pepper, fresh ground
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
4 oz of Mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup of crumbled Queso Fresco
1/4 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Cut jalapeños in half from stem to tip and gut them with a grapefruit spoon. Place them on a cookie sheet.
Mix mashed sweet potatoes with black pepper, garlic salt and Mascarpone cheese.
Fill jalapeño halves with the sweet potato mixture.
Take broken off chunks of Queso Fresco cheese and push into each jalapeño and then sprinkle the tops with shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
Pop them in a 400 degree oven for approximately 7-10 minutes. or until the cheddar cheese is melted and slightly golden.
If you have some guests that want a little extra pop of “HOT” then take one Serrano pepper and cut into thin slices and place one fresh piece on the top of each popper!
We will be working closely with Children’s Treehouse Foundation in the coming months. I wanted to take a minute to tell you a little about their foundation. Please feel free to visit their website for more information as well at Childrenstreehousefdn.org
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January 2013
4 WEEKS OR YOUNGER (PREFERABLY 2 WEEKS OR YOUNGER)
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We currently stocked up on some amazing little newborn hats and props and can’t wait to get some little babies photographed with what we have. We are starting a new little newborn hat & prop line (via Fototails own Jenny Bonfiglio). If you just had a baby or know of anyone having a newborn in the next few weeks, please have them e-mail jennyb@fototails.com or give us a call at (720)566-9770.
This casting call is for in-studio only and we are located at 1045 Lincoln Street, Suite 301 in Denver, CO. We would love to hear from you and please pass along to any of your family or friends that have a new baby or due really soon.
For model shoots, the sessions are at no charge, and you will receive a digital slide-show set to music…
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Jeanine Thurston 