Aloha Bound...

Living the good life right now in Maui.. more to come in a week. But for now, I'm going to enjoy on my vacation of doing nothing but enjoying life!!

aloha.

Getting back to my roots...

Steel Toed Boots.
Cowboy Hat.
Brad Paisley.

How could the first night of summer been any better??? So in case you didnt get it, last night was the Brad Paisley Concert!! It was amazing, even better than last year. We sat on the grass this year with a bunch of friends: Me, Dad, Dom, Jon, Christine, Johnny, Jacob and Maddy. It was a blast. Surviving the 107 heat we got to the concert early enough to get good seats, we sat right in the front of the grass we had amazing seats, even better than the ones we paid big bucks for before I think.. well of course besides front row.

He played such a variety of songs it was great, he went back 2-3 cd's, but ahh it was amazing. Here is a collage of just a handful of pictures of the night.

I can remember when I was younger and I HATED country music, but as I grew up I realized that this was just who I was and I shouldn't deny it. Im a redneck and Im proud of it. lol. Plus I think its funny how so many people make fun of people who love country but then show up to a Brad Concert and love it!! I think its the country twang music like Dolly Parton and old George Straight that people get stuck in their heads as to what Country music really is.. but man has it changed.

Overall tonight was a night to remember, and something to make you look forward to next year. Our goal... FRONT ROW!!!

Montecito Campus Tribute

Beautiful. Tradition. Foundation. Inspiration. Classical.

These are just some words that can describe the Montecito Campus at Brooks Institute of Photography. This campus is the foundation of Brooks, it was the founder Ernie Brooks home. It is in the mansion territory, and it certainly is a mansion. This is where I first fell in love with Santa Barbara and Brooks. It was the first stop on the tour when I visited the school for the first time. The views were amazing, the landscape was impeccable and the whole feeling was perfect.So after all these praises.. the school decided to sell the place... WHAT???? It has been in the plans for about a year now, they got rid of all dark room print labs as well as all faculty offices that were out of this campus, and the classes were minimal in the past year, I was lucky enough to have more than a handful there to embrace as many memories from this campus. So yes, the campus is sold, no longer Brooks.. it was a sad day today. The president of our school held a tribute to the campus today with fellowship and speakers. It was actually quite fun, and to spend the last days at the campus while it was still Brooks Institute was fun too. These pictures and memories will stay in my heart forever.

These are some of Marlena and I around the campus

This was the first classroom We had at Brooks...101 Baby :). Oh the memories..First critiques, mistakes, laughters, cries, stress.. looking back on it now.. it was ALL worth it.

SURPRISE....

So the secret is over.. I flew home this weekend to surprise everyone for the million events that went on back home. It was all schemed up about a week ago when I really wanted to drive home for everything including Fathers Day, but I was already coming home the next weekend and with all the traveling I get so tired of driving back and forth, back and forth, so mom suggested that I fly home, we remembered that I had a free Southwest ticket from a year ago and it had to be used by September... so we booked it. I flew in late Friday night from LAX and when I got home I crawled..literally crawled into my dads room so he wouldn't see me then popped up and screamed HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!! He was so surprised.. he kept saying omg what are you doing here. So he loved it. Then woke up the next morning and drove up to Sacramento for my cousin's Jordan's 8th grade graduation and of course to surprise all of them. I walked it and I thought my grandma was going to cry. It was the perfect reaction. We spent almost all day up there just laughing and chatting about life, pretty much what we always do when were together. And I also got to see my Aunt Debby who flew into town, its been a while since we've all seen her, so that was another plus to the trip. We then found out that there was a SONIC on the area.. the best fast food ever!! So of course we had to stop there on our way back.. ohhh im getting hungry thinking about it now. Then on the road...NEXT surprise..we were now on our way back to San Jose to go to the end of my other cousin Melissa's High School Grad party... and to surprise that side of the family, my Uncle Mike and cousin Genna flew into town from PA for that as well..It was a great surprise. Fun to see everyone. On Sunday we went to church, Black Angus for lunch then to the Lugo's for desserts and swim. It was a full weekend of family visits, travel and memories.

A little help from a friend..

The last time I was home I was telling Dayna Hundrieser about a few photoshoots I had to do this session because I knew that she would be so excited about them and maybe want to model for them for me.. and yup I was right. We figured out when she might be able to come to Santa Barbara and model before my assignments were due. So Friday night Jan and Dayna drove to SLO to visit Kendal and then woke up and drove to me today to do my shoots... then, crazy them, drive home later that day, which they did. The first shot we did was a Body Paint. I did something very simple but fun. I had an overall idea but once we started playing with the paint we got more and more creative. I love it when Dayna models for me, she always gets so excited to do whatever I am photographing and then 100% more. She is so creative and our ideas just bounce off of eachother to make an amazing outcome.

The second shot was Fashion without Fabric. They are so many things to do...what should I use. Thats all I thought when we got the assignment. Basically we had to make an outfit to be fashionable but we couldn't buy clothes. We were able to use clothes as a base but no normal everyday fabric could be used or seen. A Plastic wrap dress or a Trash bag wedding dress, or even a feathered shirt.. Well I decided to keep it once again simple and of course cheap and quick and make an aluminum foil dress. And honestly it turned out way more than I expected, and the model was perfect :).

Jan & Dayna...Thank you for taking time out of your weekends to drive down here and help me with my assignments. I owe you two big time. I cannot wait till our girls trip to the cabin!! I love you guys so much..and Thank You again.

Last Time

Today was the last time I have to EVER wake up early to make sure I get into a certain class.
Today was the last time I will ever have to deal with Financial Aid.
Today was the last time I will ever have to register for classes for college....and it feels amazing!!!

Its almost over, all this work, and its over, one more session. Am I ready for the real world? everyone keeps asking. If you don't know already.. im already in the real world. Living on my own, paying rent, working my butt off and the answer to their questions is that I am more than ready, I'm excited!!
Im sick of assignments, im sick of grades, im sick of prep weeks, im sick of Santa Barbara... yupp you heard it right. I'm such a San Jose girl.. i cant wait to be back.

Dont let it get to your head...

That's what my teacher told me today, "Don't let it get to your head" after complimenting ALL my images in critique today!! He's very funny and tells you like it is.. and wanted to know if I was feeling complimented by his comments but didn't want me to get an ego off of it.. even though I kind of did..lol. They were the images I shot of Kyle and Amanda. I was only required to turn in one image of "Intimacy" but I did that as well as 5 other extra credit outtakes...I didn't turn in one of my last assignments, so im trying to get grades wherever I can. But as he was critiquing them he mentioned that if this wasn't the field I wanted to go into then I must be crazy...so it was a VERY uplifting comment from him..especially since I've been creatively challenged this session with thinking up one to many conceptual ideas..I just want to shoot people in their natural setting and this one was right up my ally!!!

soo today was a good day :)

Designer Names

Today I had did a shoot based on Eyewear.. I did two of them even though I was required one. I didn't do one of my assignments that I am no unable to make-up so im trying to turn in extra credit left and right..lol. I know my bad, but before Grad review it was like my life was in one of those mystery houses at the carnivals.. your trying to get up the stairs but they are sliding left and right under your feet, just a crazy life this past session. But its coming a little closer to the end with some assignments I'm looking forward to and loving. I wasn't sure how these pictures were going to turn out because I met my model in class the other day and I didn't know how experienced she was with modeling, but her facial features were amazing and exactly what I was looking for.. she had come to class with our guest speaker and I had never met her before, but I maned up and asked her to model for me.. she sounded pretty excited and I'm glad she agreed.

check them out.....