Sweet Caroline

Where it begins....

I was friended on a website for photographers and models by a girl, from Amelia Island area, and she was super duper sweet. She is a young model and looking to get work done on her ever growing portfolio. So, we began our fabulous email relationship. Back and forth with ideas and locations. It is always a good practice to meet with people before shooting, clients, models, etc. So, we set up a meeting at Starbucks, my favorite place. I for sure got lost on the way there, but, we had a great meeting and she had some great ideas. Very clear ideas. So, we set up a date for a shoot, and a place, Fort Clinch. Which I had never had been there before, that is a really nice place! Alot of spiders, but none the less a nice place. We ended up moving the shoot further back in the week and then finally it was shooting day. So, me and my assistant packed up and set out to meet at Fort Clinch. Well, being the occasional ra-tard I am, I had no idea exactly where I was, but I knew there would be brown signs! So, what should have taken maybe 45 minutes to get there, turned into almost an hour and a half, as I also got stuck behind a convoy of logging trucks.

So, the concept of this shoot we did was all her idea, she wanted to do something a little more natural than most models would want to. She wanted to make a statement about girls and image. She willingly wore no make up to the shoot, and wore simple subdued colors, very natural and pure. The concept was to let girls, all girls, be aware that they are beautiful, no matter what. Make up and clothes are not going to make you pretty, you make you pretty. Your personality and attitude make you beautiful.

I will admit, this scared me a little bit, and caught me off guard. Caroline is a gorgeous girl, and she can pull off a potato sack. I would never expect a model to suggest such an idea, so this was obviously something close to Caroline, and I went with it. So the shoot went great, I was late....go figure...and we did not have much time to shoot in the blazing heat...but she still did awesome, the camera loves her. And the images are very pure and natural. There is no makeup on that precious face. Once we realized that we worked well together and had fun, we set up another shoot, and we brought on board with us Leeann Soxx onwer and driving force behind MakeUp Your Destiny........

....Bah Bah Bah

So, after much debate on whether I said Wednesday or Tuesday, we met Tuesday morning at 8am so that Caroline could get her make up done. Leeann also came on board to help with styling too. Now, we are all in different counties so it was a municipal collaboration. Nassau, Duval and St Johns. And we all met at my house that morning, and I overslept. And now you should also know that Sweet caroline, is one of my favorite songs, so of course when make up is going on and I have nothing to do, I have to obsessively play it. I have listened to it about 7 times just writing this blog. Anywho, long story long, the second shoot went even better with Leeann on board she was an awesome stylist and the make up looked amazing!! Yo all have to see for yourself! These images are amazing! And, the team we had pulled together was amazing! And my mom came out and helped and had a great time too!! Check out all the images from Carolines shoot! And, remember that anyone can look beautiful with or with out make up, but if you want to add professional make up to your session you can!! And, MakeUp Your Destiny is the best of the best!!!

I will say I am sad that our little Caroline is heading back to Tennessee soon, as she is a student at the U of T up in Chattanooga. But, I better see her at holidays. It was an all around great project ot work on and be a part of. We all got along well together, even after I overslept. I adore these girls, we had good times...

.....good times never seemed so good.



 



The lovely Leeann Soxx, owner of
MakeUp Your Destiny

 



Angel Face

In life you come across many different people and for many different reasons. Some people are good and some are bad, some care and some hurt. But, when you meet people that are genuine, you just know it from the start. Now, Unobstructed Studios has taken on a new campaign to present more positive notions to all our clients, including our daily positive affirmations. And what is more positive than a beautiful baby girl? Exactly. This lovely little girl, Alexandria Raine was born on the 5th of July, and a little late I might add. She was due at the end of June. Her parents are some very nice folks I know and am very fond of. Candice and Billy, I first met, well, I don't even know when! We met through some mutual friends and I would always see them out and about at different places. Well, as life gets in the way of life sometimes, I was finishing up my last year in college and I did not see anyone for awhile, but once I graduated things changed. Candice and her husband Billy were kind enough to stop in at my graduation party and congratulate me on my accomplishment. So, after graduating, I dove head first into making Unobstructed Studios a full time adventure and I lost touch with everyone! I did find out that Candice and Billy were expecting their first child and sadly, I was so busy I didnt even make it to her baby shower. So, I was very relieved when we got together so that we could get pictures of Alexandria on her 12th day of life. Her parents are kind hearted people that will always ask you how you are doing, but also ask about your family. They are genuine and they could not love this little baby girl anymore! She is adorable and has a full head of hair!! To see them as parents is heartwarming and makes me proud to be their friend. Billy is a proud Dad and already Alexandria is Daddy's little girl. I am proud of them and their little girl. I hope that Billy and Candice love their pictures and I am so excited to see Alexandria grow up. 

I could use a hand or two!

Everyone needs help now and then, and the same goes for me! So, to help expedite your photos and precious memories, I have enlisted an assistant! YAY! So, everyone meet Tory, some of you may already know her, everyone meet Tory! She is very nice and helpful! And, she is also smart! I am teaching her a few tricks of the trade and letting her expand her photo wings! We went out and took some pictures today and they are below. She is a very quick learner!! This is marking a new era at Unobstructed Studios, we are getting bigger and bigger and expanding our horizons! We can now offer faster services and turn around times! Bonus!! I hope everyone will take advantage of that! And our current specials too!!

Enjoy this little mini preview from our outing today! And everyone help me to welcome my first every assistant! YAY!

Turn Turn Turn

Every photographer becomes a photographer for a reason, whether they tell you or not. Every action has a purpose and ever purpose has a link back to that photographer. In my work, I reveal alot of myself through my work with others. And having said that, this is the hardest shoot I have ever had. When I was a little kid, still in elementary school, I found out that I had more family than I knew of, I had an Uncle and 4 cousins that lived in California, the land of fruits and nuts. And shortly, I would meet them as they were moving to New York and would live near my family, right next door actually. So, they moved next door to us at some point in my life and then when I was 13 my family moved to Florida. And shortly thereafter, so did my uncle. And so long story somewhat short, through my life growing up I have forged a strong bond with my uncles and cousins. I did my under grad thesis work on a topic that inspired me, because of my uncle and he starred in it as well. So, these pictures below are people that are near and dear to my heart.

Fast forward to the present day and time. My uncle still lives just down the road from me, and his daughter is in California and his son in New York. We talk to each other occasionally but it had been years since I physically saw them. I visited New York three times last year, and didn't see my cousin once. Well, long story short-ish, my uncle finds out he has lung cancer shortly after finding out his son and his girlfriend, were expecting.

This session was hard for sure, but thanks to the unrelenting humor of my cousin, Ed, it was alot easier to handle. This was a lot of stuff rolled together into one day. It was family portraits, it was a couples shoot, it was a maternity shoot, and mind you, Anne, is no where near showing. These are the people I care about and I am glad for everyone to get to meet them. And little update, my uncle is doing well, his cancer is shrinking and he is on the road to recovery. My cousin is, hopefully, soon to be on a diet and get in shape before his baby is born.