Saturday, September 24, 2011

Snapshots

This is a very tense time for my family.
If you believe in God please keep us in your prayers.
If not just wish us luck.
To keep my mind off of things I've been editing and planning away. 
Here are a couple of photos I've taken out and about.
A beautiful flower shop on Long Island when I shot with a beautiful singer songwriter named Ariana Dilorenzo
Chad getting ready to leave to Belgium 
Olive tree cafe's chalk board tables
Walking around enjoying time off
Home cooking


Friday, September 23, 2011

The end of an era

This is a big week for my abulea (Grandma) 
It was my dogs birthday on Monday. She turned three and abuela realized my dog was getting old and was saddened by that fact. 
She had a couple of doctors appointments, dancing with the stars started and the Yankees are going to the playoffs.
The biggest event of the week is happening today at 1pm.
Today, after 41 years, the soap opera All My Children is coming to an end.
My abuela has been watching pretty much all 41 years.
When she came to America from Puerto Rico, it was the first show she ever watched in English. It quickly became a sort of class for her. She learned everyday things from the show such as "coma" and "love triangle" She followed the story of Erica Kane (also known as Susan Lucci...but even more well known as Erica Kane)
Susan Lucci has been on the soap from day 1 and is still on the damn show. 
 (She says she had no plastic surgery but lets be serious)
My abuela loved her. I say loved because when I was 8 I saw the great icon on my plane on my trip back to New York from Florida. I only knew of her as the woman my abuela watched on TV every single day. So being the child that I was (who just learned how to make heart shaped balloon animals I might add) I went up to her and said "Ms. Lucci, my grandma really likes you, you're beautiful" and I handed her a balloon. A fucking tiny heart shaped balloon. Why did I do this? I don't know. It seemed like a good idea. Anyway, instead of being gracious because I was an 8 year old and just sucking it up she gave a half smile and kinda dismissed me. That was fine. What wasn't ok was when I got to my parents, who were right down the isle from her in the terminal, I looked back over to her and she was throwing my balloon in the trash. She saw me looking at her and she didn't even care.
Bitch.
After that Abuela referred to her as a "Pendeja"
Don't know what it means? Look it up.

Anyway to make this move a little faster.....
All my children has been a really weird thing for my family. My mother's wedding dress was from the show. It was big poofy and very 70s but totally in fashion at the time. My sister, cousin and I always had to endure having our eyes covered during the love scenes when my abuela use to babysit us. My family ended up supporting me with my photography after I took photos of a girl on the show. It showed my parents I was dedicated and hard working. I know, I know but hey at least it happened.
It happened in July 2010 when Rachel and I went out to Los Angeles together. We got the chance to shoot with Natalie Hall who plays Colby Chandler. It was a lot of fun and we got some really beautiful shots. Here are a couple of mine:


After the shoot she took us to the set of All My Children. We got to meet some of the cast and hang out in the sets and even watch a scene being filmed. It was fun. 
The police station

 Krystal's house

It was a fun experience.
41 years and it ends today.
Congrats to the cast and crew and a big thank you for making my grandmothers life a brighter for the past 41 years.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Bathed in Light

Look you guys! I'm keeping up with my blog!
So I just was lucky enough to have my next editorial published in Reverie Magazine.
I'm so happy! I was in such a funk, I can't even really explain it. I just got lost and felt disconnected from my art. I've heard a lot of artists go through that though so I guess it isn't a crazy thing to go through.
I was just really really hard on myself which sucks.
BUT HERE I AM NOW
Relaxing.
Just finally relaxing and not stressing over my work. It will come naturally and I just need to make myself happy and stop worrying about everyone else (except hair, make up, wardrobe, model and agent. They have to be pretty happy with the shoot too) 
You get my drift.
These are they photos that made the cut and a couple of behind the scenes photos too. There are also some outtakes that didn't make it. There is also free food at the end of this.

Behind the scenes
Other photos from the shoot...
So there is no free food but if I could give you some, trust me, I would. 
CREDITS:
Make-up: Gayle Carbajal
Styling: Rachel Thalia and Natalie Kucken 
Model: Alecta Hill @IMG
And a super special HUGE thank you to Shir Levy and the Levy family for letting us use their beautiful home for this shoot. 

More stuff coming soon...

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Fashion week!

I hate fashion week. 
It's such a shit show. All of my friends run around and get really cranky and most of the time end up sick. I'm sure it could be a lot of fun going to after parties and tons of shows (which even then seems stressful to me) 
I just get frustrated because I want to start planning shoots and agencies just kind of shut down bceause 90% of their board is on the runway.
(And they look great while doing it so congrats girls and boys. Seriously) 
I don't know. I guess I just don't drink enough of the Kool-aid to really love it.

But that didn't stop me from going to a show.
I went with my absolutely incredible team, Joey Oso, Gayle Carbajal and Kerry Gibbons
We saw the Native Son show at Pier 59. 
It was my first show and it was pretty interesting to see how it all went down. It was 11 am and once you got inside to the main show there was a bar with champagne vodka and orange juice. You could enjoy one or two or all three at 11AM. It was glorious. 
Anyway, the show started and the clothes were really great. Beautiful boys walking up and down the runway while you heard every camera snapping away. There was even a man, in a very brightly colored shirt I might add, who was taking photos with his iPad. It looked pretty funny amongst all the SLR cameras. 
Anyway, it was fun the clothes were great, the guys were great and the drinks were great. So I guess it was a success. Cool.
PHOTOS


Oh hi
This guy (I'm sorry I'm singling you out!) fainted when they were all standing. Poor thing. They need to feed and hydrate these models!
iPad guy, photo courtesy of Gayle Carbajal