Photographers must also be comedians.

I am not into this kind of photography...

It's over saturated, over exposes, and overdone!  The pouty face, the cold eyes.  I know this girl.  this is the opposite of her personality. It just feels like its trying too hard.

In my portraits I want their personality to shine.  Doesn't she look sincere?  Thats because she is!  See she is my friend and she was genuinely smiling because I had made her laugh.  

Which brings me to this idea that photographers have to be comedians to get good portraits. 

Because when you make them laugh you get faces like this. 

Or like this. 

Portrait photography without personality is just flat.  These shots are some of my favorites because they show exactly what they should.  Erin is simple and genuine, Holly is edgy, and Brittney is still a little kid inside.  

Dandelions

Because I was a weird child, I refused to make a wish on dandelions when I was a little kid.  Why?  Because my dad told me that Dandelions were weeds, at about the same time that we learned in my science class that some plants have built in ways to travel through the wind to spread their seed....like dandelions.  

I put two and two together and thought that by blowing on dandelions you are spreading weed seeds!  Then I imagined that the way that this idea of making a wish on these weed flowers was started by a creepy man who wanted to sneakily make all little children blow their wishes on weeds and spread them like wildfire.

Is that wierd?

"children!  Blow on the dandelions and all of your wishes will come true!"

"Okay creepy man whatever you say"

...and the rest was history

Mallory Nutt

I was flattered when my friend Mallory Nutt asked me to take her headshots for a play she was auditioning for.  Mallory and I talked about how it's so easy in college to lose sight of things that you love to do because we get so busy with school, and jobs, and activities.  Sometimes you have to fuel that other part of you that is not all about resumes and finding jobs.  Its okay to take pictures and be in plays for fun. That is what keeps us sane.  So I took pictures for Mallory, and Mallory used my photos for her play audition, and we were both better off for it. 

I am not afraid of heights, but I am afraid of Vampires.

Do you ever have fears that you know are ridiculous, but couldn't explain?  I have a few which I am sure are due to an over active imagination. 

1. The squirrels at SMU. 

Okay, seriously do you just walk under them scampering in the trees and not think what if they fell out and bit you like the attacking bunny in Monty Python??  No?  Well I do, and its terrifying!

2.  Vampires.

It all started with count Dracula in Sesame Street, a few bad dreams, and the rest is history.   To this day I sleep with the covers pulled tightly up to my neck because my little girl mind rationalized that if I covered my neck the vampires couldn't get me.  Now they're everywhere!  vampire shows, books, music.  I don't care if they are nice vampires, they still suck blood, and they are still terrifying.

3.  Cotton.

This is not really a fear so much as a pet peeve.  The worst is when you open a new medicine bottle and there is that super fluffy non-contained cotton, and you have to pull it out past the shards of aluminum that covered the top of the bottle.  I would go on but its too painful.  I refuse to even open them, thankfully I don't live alone so it isn't really a problem yet.  I shudder at the thought of having to do it alone.

The Curious Case of Bejamin Button

This weekend while visiting my grandparents, for fall break and recovering from illness, I watched "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" with my grandma.  The movie is about a boy that is born looking physically old and becomes younger with age.  The movie goes through Benjamin's whole life from his strange childhood being looked after by a woman who was a caretaker for an old folks home and took him in after he was abandoned on her doorstep.  

Being a hopeless romantic, I loved the magical story of Benjamin falling in love, and the chain of events that lead him away and then back to her.  The movie reminded me a lot of the movie, Forest Gump.  It had a narrator, the whole movie was a flashback, and told lots of mini stories.

Overall I thought that the movie was sweet, and worth watching, although really long.  The perfect movie to watch on a rainy day when you are a little under the weather.

Wait what?

I am writing a paper about Salmonella for my CF class, and discovered that Salmonella was discovered by a scientist named David E. Salmon.

Salmon

Salmonella

Salmon

Salmonella

Wait what?

Continuing the Quest, Shop 2: The Pearl Cup

The Pearl Cup is located on Henderson, I saw it mentioned in D Magazine as one of the best lattes in Dallas and figured it was worth a try.  
When I arrived my first impression was that it was a complete turnaround from The Crooked Tree.  With a mod cement floor, stainless steel sign, and sleek lined furniture The Pearl Cup was definitely a modern hangout.  This would be a great place to hang and study, with free wifi, caffeine, and chairs that weren't so comfy that they make you fall asleep, what more could you ask for??
The menu offered some light bites like hummus and pita, or paninis, as well as a full bakery case featuring coffee shop classics like black and white cookies.  I was mostly interested in the coffee though, so I went up to the barista and asked what the signature drink was.  He told me about their award winning Pearl Latte, and I was in.  I just wish I knew how he did it!  It was smooth and creamy with just the right touch of sweet.  

Verdict:  Best latte in Dallas hands down, cool hangout, not far from SMU.  I will definitely be coming back.