Worthy Weekend

Some big things have been going on with us at Voir L'Amour Photography!  Last week we had a session that we got to "sit in" on, as second shooters, and we attended a meeting at Kettner Daylight Studio with the Youngrens and Janis Foley as hosts to Gray Photography from Nashville.  We're still needing to work on our attitudes towards just jumping into conversations with new people, so we didn't meet everyone there, but we're definitely getting better as time goes on.


Now onto today:  It's early afternoon on a beautiful late March Monday in San Diego (read: slightly colder than the rest of the year, and mixed clouds in the normally bright blue sky) and I'm in the "studio" AKA our living room.  I've got my trusty camera by my side, and I'm ready to go out on 2 different sessions today.

One is just for me, my personal work of wandering the city and learning about it and about what attracts me to living here in San Diego.  This hasn't really led my photography in any new or unexpected directions, but sometimes I learn something about myself in my meanderings, and some times I just learn to have fun absorbing a space and time and not worrying so much about what I "should" be doing, or how much more fun I could be having somewhere else.

The other is an engagement session that my friend Tina has set up, and I'm fortunate enough to be second-shooter for her.  We've done 3-4 of these style sessions thus far, and I'm really glad to have the experience.  It's definitely one of those situations in life where you might know where you want to go, but you don't know exactly the way to get there, or how much there is to learn along the way.  She has been very inspirational, and hanging out with her and her incredibly driven mindset could not have come at a better time.

Here's a shot from yesterday's session (same situation described above, with myself and Chelse as second-shooters/assistants) with the wonderful couple that hired Tina to shoot their wedding.  Chelse and I are going to be doing the photo-booth at their reception, so check back with us in about a month for some of those photographs (once we can show them, of course!).  These folks were super fun and cute, totally witty and yet classically San Diegan in demeanor.  Lots of fun at La Jolla yesterday!

Deidra Marie Session AND a new computer!

Hey folks out there in make-believe land! This is Chelsé reporting live! From my new Macbook Pro.

(Thus, gracefully explaining the large gap between posts.)

In the meantime! We shot with a lovely little heartthrob named Deidra Marie in her cute vintage-esque clothing and voila! This is the shot! (From me at least)

I absolutely loved the editorial styling of this picture. Once I saw the moment, I knew I had to preserve it. <3>

Deidra was such a doll to work with! Very willing and understanding! This is in fact! At my favorite little gelato place Vero Gelato. She is having the "Nutella" (Hazelnut) Gelato, but I, oh yes. You must and I mean MUST try the Verrochino Frosty with Spumoni. Don't ask! Just tell the clerk at the counter and smile. FOrk over $4.75 for your little cup of heaven (and always, splurge with whipped cream) and take a sip of deliciousness. Mmmmm. =}

Thank you, sweetie, so much for meeting with us and having gelato. =D

We're running specials!

It's been said that specials are a great way to begin. We're been running with two, trying them out and thus far, no response. I'm not sure if I'm just not marketing them the right way or if in between all of the other ads, they're just being filed out so quickly that no one really sees them.

Or maybe it just doesn't seem like much of a deal to the CL crowd! After all, there is a vast number of photographers who are willing to shoot for free, so why pay anyone anything? Bah! Humbug.

Although, Anthony and I have been doing a lot of shooting for free building our port, and giving the best quality we can because why skimp it? Always, top-notch, right? Of course! (you must be muttering to yourself.) Why would anyone ever give anything else!

*cough*

So here is our first special:

Riding a Bicycle

For my whole life, riding a bicycle has been a constant.  My mom rode across the state of Iowa when she was pregnant with me (only 3 months, don't worry, it was safe!).  I didn't ride a bicycle of my own right away, but I was only a few years old when my fantastic parents plopped me down on a trike and then a bicycle.

The times in my life when I haven't ridden regularly have lacked something.  Being on two wheels, whether powered by my legs and/or gravity, or by the wonders of internal combustion, always clears my head out in a way that almost any other activity just can't replicate.

Today was the first time I have ridden with my girlfriend in at least a month.  Far too long, but it reminded me how much I love riding, and how glad I am that she shares that interest with me.  Cutting through traffic on the city streets, silently keeping up with the cars that are working so much harder as we easily glide down one block to the next.

She stole my wheels, and gave me her pink wheels to put on my blue bike.  Fashion faux pas or a sign that two wheels really do make everything fun?

Learning, a day at a time.

Anthony here.

Some days, I feel as though I have nothing limiting the amount of To-Dos I can do, not even time.  The ball keeps rolling even if I step away to update my Facebook status or get a laugh from Youtube.  Some days, like yesterday, seem to drag on and on without any actual progress being made.

To change it up a bit, I hang out with my friends and do a bit of low-level networking.  Touching base with folks I've known for quite some time.  It gets my mind off my as-seen-by-me failure of a Wednesday, and puts it right back where it should be: the present and the future.

I will keep trying.  I will keep finding more people to shoot.  I will continue to get better at just connecting with people.  I will remember the progress I have made and not dwell on the fact the business formation hasn't gone exactly to plan.