okay, so I am all photographer-ed out! I attended the Tots-to-Teens tour on Thursday and it was supper good.  I’m definitely going to take a lot of Sam’s marketing tips to heart for a big jump start to this year! And might I add that Ashton Hallock (from the National Model Search Contest) came to be the demonstration model and he did fabulous! Sam Puc took his pictures in front of audience.  Talk about pressure!

 Then the next morning I was up early to attend the PPC convention special speaker Kevin Kubota.  He had a lot of advice on how to run a business and make it work for you.  I’m sure some of it sunk in! I’ll decide that by Monday. Then I just came from the PPC trade show and guess what!!! I FINALLY FINALLY bought myself a shootsac! Can you believe it! Jessica Claire was there at the booth.  We had a nice little chat and I finally got to try the bag out and selected my cover; the yellow with white polka dots! YAY! Can’t wait to use it. 

I know, I know… I should have brought my camera to the trade show.  I was so excited because I saw a display with my logo on it!!! It was a display for the designer who did my logo and she used it on her sample! Cool!  Totally weird seeing my logo in an unexpected place! Her name is Diane and she’s with Fresh from Burrell Colour Imaging

I had fun… I’m totally getting over a head cold and my throat feels raw. So I will force myself to NOT WORK Sunday and hit it hard on Monday!

Outside is totally gorgeous, the hills are turning green! WOW! Butterflies were flying over my house yesterday; the monarchs where migrating north. It’s almost hot outside… okay it’s actually HOT outside and I’m totally running around my house wondering what to do next because I have to leave soon to go to the Tots-to-Teens tour by Sandy Puc and then early in the morning I’m heading to Pasadena for a PPC workshop! AH!! so I have all this nervous energy so what do I do? I blog! When I really should be doing my dishes!

But I’m excited! Ashton Hallack one of the models from the National Model Search was selected to be a live model at our presentation tonight.  He was one of the top voted models for Los Angeles! WhooHoo! Congrats Ashton!

And here’s something else fun.  I mentioned I was heading to the beach for a “glamorous” model shoot with fashion photographer Matt Haines . Well we had fun and it was an experience! LOL! I enjoyed being the “voice activated lightstand”.  Here’s a shot of just what a ‘voice activated lightstand’ looks like.

And Yes.. it was heavy! But what we put up with for art! Matt did an awsome job and he blogged the whole thing including his fabulous technical details here.  http://matthainesphotography.com/photoblog/archives/570#more-570

Glad I could help Matt! It was fun and I’d be your ‘voice activated lightstand’ anytime.

I’m sure I will remember more stuff I need to get out of my brain but right now I must do dishes and a big ol list of stuff!! Laundry in less than an hour!! YES! OMG!! Okay! Bye!

I photographed this session a little while back but I just have to post some of the pictures because they are too stinking cute. This first one is my favorite. But they keep getting better This one with the dog needs a title.  If anyone has a good one post a comment.  If I choose your title I’ll have to give you an award.  How ’bout a gift certificate to The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf?  That’s my favorite place

Two toddlers and a bottle of “beer” and we had a little drunkn’ show down…. (they walk like they’re drunk anyway right?) 

 On another note, I’m heading out to assist portrait and fashion photographer Matt Haines on a shoot this evening for a sunset beach model shoot.  Sounds glamorous doesn’t it? 

I’ve also received some updates on the Now I Lay My Down to Sleep model search.

There is still time to enter models!  We will accept submissions through March 25th, 2009 and voting will continue through 11:59pm on April 2nd, 2009!  Get your votes in soon because the top model of each city will be asked to do a live model shoot during the city tour happening March 18th for Los Angeles.  Then the top votes for each city qualify for National Judging later.  So get in and vote and there is still time to enter your son or daughter between 18 months and 14 years. 

I’m getting geared up for the Spring YAY! So start booking your outdoor shoots! I’ve already got plans to shoot at the Huntington Library again which is one of my favorite places.  So start thinking about family pictures or spring pictures for your little darlings.

On another note I am always looking to learn and grow as a business and as a person and I had the priviledge of meeting Dane Sanders face to face at one of our CIPPA Meetings last week.  I have read his book Fast Track Photographer and I was delightfully suprised it was more of a self help/self discovery type of book to help understand my own personality and how to be true to myself.  And I was delighted to find that face to face he is a genuine person who makes an effort to take an interest in the people around him.  So Dane, I enjoyed meeting you and your presentation was empowering and ever since I have been working on stopping automatic and not talking myself out of stuff.  And I will make strides in my business one step and a time and enjoy the journey.  Thanks Dane!

Here are a few of my favorites from my session with Asa.  He’s three and we had a very *active* session to say the least! We had so much fun. 

His picture was added to the National Model Search contest benefiting the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep foundation.  The are the other images taken during that session.

Yes, some of these images may seem to be calm and still.  He was actually in perpetual motion.  But that’s why I LoVe photogrpahy.  To catch a fraction of a second and freeze it forever.

Actually we spent the majority of the time chasing eachother in the backyard while he tripped over his ball.  Very funny.  This one is going to hang in the family’s front room. Awsome!

And this was litterally the ONE second he stayed still on the grass.  His expression is just so REAL! I *LOVE* THIS one and the parents are getting a 20 inch print of this for their house! Too Cool!

Sometimes all you get are feet… but I just LOVE IT!

Sometimes you just have to catch them where they fall!! Here he is after a tumble and I was ready. I can see my sillouette in his eyes. That so cool!

The reason I love these last three is because he was becomming impatient so we switched gears and decided to play with bubbles. Then he started showing off to me.  That’s when I really caught the real Asa.  I get all giddy inside when I see these *hehe*

This image is also my favorite. It will hang in my studio space one day.

*Wink**Wink*