Photo Shoot with Amy of And How! Imaging

Posted on April 5, 2015 by Crashing Nightingale

The lyrics, “I get by with a little help from my friends,” rings true for this recent photo shoot with my gal pal, Amy. She is an established photographer and owns her own photography business with her husband, And How! Imaging. You may be familiar with their work since I’ve blogged about photo shoots with these creative people. This time the camera was turned on Amy and I was the photographer. Amy is very knowledgeable and oozes talent in her own work.

I recently enrolled in the New York Institute of Photography and I’m currently taking an intensive course in portrait photography. So just like any school program, this one has photo assignments after each unit. I asked Amy if she would be my “willing model” and she agreed to my delight. I had a specific assignment to accomplish with these photos. Amy was such a natural (as I knew she would be) and below are a few photos from the photo shoot. Amy has been a big help with giving me great photography advice. If you’re getting into a hobby or field, it’s always nice to have someone you can bounce questions off of and to give you the dos and don’ts. I’ve truly gotten by so far with Amy’s guiding hand while I’m in school.

Trying out a little tintype editing. I hope some time down the road learn the real deal 🙂

Snowfall in March

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Crashing Nightingale

There’s something about snow that seems so magical. It covers the earth in this silent and glistening blanket. Although I am not a huge fan of cold weather, I do love a good snowfall. The kind you wake up to and it seems to make the earth quieter. It’s one thing I miss about living in the mountains.

Recently, my little corner of the earth received a hefty dose of beautiful snow and I told my husband we were going outside to play in it later. He may have been reluctant at first (he’s from California where the sun is always shining) but once we were in it with the pups, his hesitation melted away. We grabbed our camera and released the hounds (our two dogs) and had a merry time photographing this rare occurrence of this weather in March and where we live.

Below are the photos. As you can see, we wore our fancy plaid 🙂

Black are my steps on silver sod;   
Thick blows my frosty breath abroad;   
And tree and house, and hill and lake,   
Are frosted like a wedding-cake. ~ Robert louis Stevenson

Like Brooms of Steel  
The Snow and Wind  
Had swept the Winter Street ~ Emily Dickinson

Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,
  That does not bite so nigh ~ William Shakespeare

Replicating a Replicant

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Crashing Nightingale

I’ve always been a fan of Science Fiction (sci-fi). I was an avid X-Files watcher in the 1990s and the Alien movies starring Sigourney Weaver are some of my all-time favorite movies. I liked the prequal to Alien, Prometheus, even though I read it didn’t live up to it’s hype but I still enjoyed it.

So when my friends of Uvudu? Imaging brought up the idea to me to do a Rachael/Blade Runner-inspired photo shoot, I couldn’t get “hell yes,” out of my mouth quick enough. Blade Runner is the king of the sci-fi world and Rachael is a queen of sci-fi icons. This movie is classic, timeless and brilliant. I wrote about my love of this film and Rachael in an earlier blog here.

Rachael has such a specific look; the hair, makeup and suits she wears. We went with the infamous black suit since it is the one she is most known for. I will confess, I was a little afraid her hair would be a challenge. Which it was but I was up for seeing what I could do. I have a vintage 1940s black suit which wasn’t hers to a “T” but her look in the movie is modeled after the 1940s. I found a great youtube tutorial on how to do her makeup and voila! I transformed myself into Rachael.

We shot the photos at the photographer’s home. Below are the photos of the final product:

(Deckard) “You’re reading a magazine. You come across a full page of nude photos of a girl.”
(Rachael) “Is this testing whether I’m a Replicant or a lesbian, Mr Deckard?”
(Deckard) “Just answer the questions please.”

(Rachael) “You think I’m a Replicant, don’t you? (silence) Look. It’s me with my mother.” (Rachael holds out a photo but Deckard ignores it)

(Rachael) May I ask you a personal question?
(Deckard) Sure.
(Rachael) Have you ever retired a human by mistake?
(Deckard) No.
(Rachael) But in your position, that is a risk.

Photo Series: Heart Shaped Box

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Crashing Nightingale

“Photography is more than a medium for factual communication of ideas. It is a creative art.”
~ Ansel Adams

Photography has always been a creative outlet for me. In the journalism world, I discovered quickly how this and photography are like peanut butter and jelly. Photos and articles go hand-in-hand. I always had to be two-in-one when I freelanced because it wasn’t always feasible for me to a) pay a photographer when I was doing a freelance job or b) find one that was available when I needed photos. So I just picked up my camera and became my own.

I decided to dive more deep into the world of photography. I just have way too many ideas and I’d like to be more of the “Captain of the ship” and bring these ideas to life myself. I’ll be doing photo series and sharing them on my blog. The photo series are inspired by everything: emotions, colors, seasons, places, things…the list goes on. Basically, anything that stirs my heart. 🙂

I had fun with my first series! It was a one-woman show, as in, I set up the camera, set the camera settings, tried to work with what lighting I had that day (I currently don’t have lighting equipment so natural light is my friend right now), styled myself including hair and makeup, pulled in a few props for some extra fun and did the photo post-production work.*I do want to give my hubby credit for helping find something to prop up the tripod a little more.

So without further ado, here are photos from my first series called “Heart Shaped Box.”

“Many people who excel are self-taught.” ~ Herb Ritts

“Birth certificates show that you were born. Death certificates show that you died. Photographs show that you have lived.” -Unknown

A Few of My Favorite Things

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Crashing Nightingale

Well hello, December! You slipped up on me quite quickly! My intention this year was to get a head start on my holiday shopping. I have started a little but have a lot more to go. But I have my nice (and maybe naughty ;)) list made which is half the battle!

So I’m sure I’ve mentioned in other blogs and on my Facebook page that I love supporting independent businesses. My husband is an independent business owner so I see the hard work that goes into owning your own business. Let me just say, it’s not as easy as it looks! You are your own everything….Public Relations, Marketing, Creator, CEO, Assistant, Human Resources, Finance..the list of departments and job titles goes on! And a lot of times it’s rolled up into one person. So my point about this is why I love supporting an independent business owner. Whatever business that may be. I know my money is going towards someone’s business that they love and put their heart and soul in to. They can have an actual shop that I can go to or a virtual one. Both work for me.

So without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to some of my favorite “things,” which are places or people I recommend you shop with!

Vintage or vintage re-production clothing: I love it. And something I spend lots of my monies on. My heart races when my eyes make contact with a 70+ year old garment. I mean, come on, it survived so many years and here I am holding it! So one of my favorite places to shop for these things is Sugaree’s located in historic downtown Murfreesboro, Tenn. This adorable shop tugs at my heart strings. I truly feel like I’ve stepped back in time like I’m a 1950s woman having a shopping day. Staci Higdon, the owner, carries an array of fashion lines including BB Dakota and Stop Staring! Clothing. She also carries many accessories such as jewelry, vintage hats, vintage gloves and shoes. You’re sure to find a gift for someone and probably walk out with something for yourself.

My next introduction got the spotlight last summer when I wrote a blog about it. Live True Vintage is an East Nashville, Tenn shop with good intentions and amazing vintage items. I follow Live True Vintage on Facebook and Instagram and Tammy Pope, the owner, posts the treasures she finds and I’m constantly having to practice restraint from not wanting to immediately go there and buy it. Her shop is very charming and she carries TONS of items; men and women’s clothing, hats, accessories, posters…the list just goes on. Do yourself a favor and go ahead and put this business on your go-to holiday shopping destination. Another place you’re bound to walk out with a gift for yourself too. Hey, treat yo’self!

Number 3 on the list starts our journey into the virtual realm. That’s one thing that’s convenient about the internet; you can buy and sell across the globe. Parlor Tattoo Prints caught my eye the first time I saw the owner’s designs. This woman creates the most exquisite artwork. Some designs speak to the old school tattoos that you’re grandfather had inked on him in WWII and some are straight from your favorite movies such as Edward Scissorhands or The Shining. Either way, you’re likely to find that perfect picture for your favorite someone. I bought one for my best friend for her birthday and it was a hit. I’ve always love artwork as a gift too.

Next up is another creative designer that creates the most darling ties that have a hidden surprise. Shannon of Truly New Vintage creates peek-a-boo ties that are the bomb! She takes a tie and adds a pin up girl to the underside of the tie. So when you see someone randomly smiling as they are standing there looking totally professional, you can guess they may be wearing one of these cheeky accessories. She has an assortment of pin up pictures and ties to choose from so that you can come up with the perfect gift.

My next introduction is a destination gift. Natchez Hills Bed and Breakfast is the best gift for a little get-a-way. This quaint and peaceful place has all the right stuff. A nice place to sleep, great amenities, beautiful scenery and best of all, wine! This place is located in the heart of a large wine area in Tennessee with the Natchez Hills Winery being one among them. The owners are the nicest people that you just can’t help but feel like you’re at home when you stay. Don’t live in the middle Tennessee area? Check out what your local area has to offer in this realm.

To continue the destination gift ideas, why not present your beloved with a ticket to an event, concert or festival?! Whether it be a one-day, weekend or week excursion, plan a trip to an event. Know someone that loves music? Make their holiday by gifting them a ticket to a concert or festival. Or maybe you know someone that is into a specific genre or area and there is an event taking place that specializes in this. Guess what, that’ll be a crowd pleaser too. I love taking mini-trips so if someone bought my ticket to an event I was planning to go to, they’d be number one in my book. The memories are the gift that keeps on giving. Here are my two recommendations for 2015 events. The Nashville Boogie Vintage Weekender & Car Show taking place May 1 through 2, 2015 and the Summer Wine Train Social presented by Muddy Roots Music departing on July 18, 2015. Both are taking place in beautiful Music City, Nashville, Tenn. Don’t live close by? Well, we have an international airport you can fly in to. 🙂

To top off my list of holiday shopping recommendations, I must insist you look into photography. As in contacting a professional photographer and getting a session as a gift for someone or even for yourself. It’s a timeless investment and worth every penny. A lot of professional photographers offer gift certificates so don’t be shy to ask. Much like a day at the spa, a photo shoot is a pamper session as well. Makeup artists and hairstylists are often included in packages so all you have to do is show up and let the professionals do their magic. Don’t know of any? Search in your area and read reviews to get a feel for it. You can view their website to see their work and make a decision from there. This may be an uncommon gift but I assure you, if you give that special someone this as a gift, you’re sure to be loved for life. And the plus side? Photo shoots are fun!

My recommendations for photographers that I’ve worked with and love to death are La Photographie Nashville, And How! Imaging, Blast ‘Em Photography, Shannon Brooke Imagery, Retrospect Nashville and Uvudu Imaging.