Emma Lauren Photography: 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.