There's no easy way out.....There's no short cut home....

I spent the weekend with a long-time friend of mine 2nd shooting a wedding.
On our way home - in all silliness we started talking about movies and inspirational music that went along with some of the cheese of the 1980's.  Now, all kidding aside-  some of those moments did have an impact....lol!!!  But upon further depth you realize there in many many cases a struggle of fighting for yourself, fighting for others and being who you are.

Being who you are, doesn't come easy and it does involve FIGHTING!

The title of this blog is from the song we were playing on the phone during Rocky IV.  Rocky is going through everything in his mind of everything that happened from the moment he became a fighter/boxer up until that moment that his friend was killed.  It shows a good comtemplation of everything that brought him to that place of a decision to FIGHT for what was right.  In the movie - you see towards the end of that moment....he sees his friend falling and sees himself falling.  It is with great respect where I can say - I feel that pain! :)

It is in that darkness and in that decision making that we press forward to be ourselves and keep the passion a-flame to do this mission we have been put here to do.  For him, it was going up against a seemingably unbeatable foe and sending himself through training to confront that foe.  How is this NOT like our fights in every day life?  We fight for our time, visions, dreams, friends, relationships......love

I wanted to move forward today inspired....and I pulled up images from March (right before After Dark)...and pull out a couple of images that spoke to the distorted darkness that we can all deal with.  We feel our reflection is contrasted against the dark and light...and the boundaries we have set upon us does NOT free us - it simply keeps us in a place sometimes of bondage. Your reflection matters in how you see yourself.  You cannot be FREE to create if you have a distorted view of yourself or how you have perceived yourself.  Put on a new pair of glasses to correct the distortion...see yourself for the beauty within...and that darkness....is contrasted with LIGHT.  Make a point to see the LIGHT in your image - not just the darkness.

There is no EASY way out.....(letting yourself go, letting yourself BE - it is worth the FIGHT)
There's no short cut home....(the journey you must walk) 

Peace out.

Model: Carrie Sumner

Lyrics/Song by Robert Tepper, from the motion picture Rocky IV.

AFTER DARK Education - huge blow out, the LAST of the last and embracing new changes.

Dear God, what is Jen talking about now? :)

I'm talking about the little big thing we call AFTER DARK.  A place where I have thrived and challenged myself as an artist and business person.  To grow within and move forward to my future.  I have met people that have changed my life for the better and have accepted me for being myself and my art as unique and completely UNIQUE to me.

I have been encouraged, disappointed, enlightened, enraptured and ENJOYED every minute that After Dark gave me.  I feel that every single emotion I could name I might have felt before, during and after.  I know that they had been announcing the END, but I think most of us know.....

it is only the beginning.

I have to thank a huge number of people that I just can't list off here....I've met great models, designers, photographers, artists and more at this place.  I have been truly taken aback at how I could find a place to feel like I fit into this crazee art world....and push myself beyond my greatest limits.  I truly can be my biggest obstacle.  The obstacle of comparison and the obstacle of fears have plagued me in the past....but I say....NO MORE!!!! :)

I am home after about 2 weeks of traveling - and I have barely any edits to show for it yet...but I can tell that this will be some of my most inspired work yet.  I truly believe that I'm here for a reason and I've met the people I meet for a reason as well.  I'm truly thankful to you all - I know you don't know this - but i am! :)

Thanks to the naysayers & questioners.
Thanks to the believers & the encouragers.
Thanks to the darkness & light.
Thanks to the light makers & shadow creators.

You are inspiring.

New posts to come...and I'll work through them one by one...to share the back stories, ideas & concepts....or not....BAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!

SHOCKING Sidenote: 
I also took it up a notch with everything I've learned.  I literally SHOCKED a few people and inspired quite a bit of laughter and amazement.  I can't wait to tell the stories. <3

I love you guys.
 Images and ART to come.....................

Selfie-Portraits 101: Testing ideas on yourself.

I have been in my own vortex of inspiration today.  Between new things on my horizon and trying to get appointments set with creators...and planning some photo shoots....it has been a whirlwind day!!!!

I have been winding down my evening with some creations that SHOCKINGLY became very very fun.  I am designing a moldable prop for a shoot on Monday...and in doing so I find that TESTING ideas on myself is typically the best way to see how something could be improved.

I can tell you right off the bat....ohhhh boy - this is going to be interesting! :)  The shapes come out great and so does the metal - but I still have some tweaks on the props to make them semi-perfect.  I would love to say I'll do less photoshop - but some things I just can't always fix "pre". :)  Let's just say - I'm learning a lot.  Not bad for 3 days out from deadline. :)

So here is what I started with:

I am taking this in my bathroom - no glasses - no hair....and just trying to play with face stuff.  Now, my model will be super cute but again, NOT ABOUT ME, i'm just the test subject!!!!  I thought about moving my hand around the face - but previous shots were like "meh" at best.

The props I'm using made it a tad difficult in post because there was still a lot of light in the rolls.  Here you see I've darkened some stuff and added an overlay of the rolls again...to try and make it a tad more interesting.  I wanted to see......WHAT IF? 

Moving on downward...I took myself to another photo and tried to see about my one eye and how i could highlight that.  In doing this - I'm also really removing "me" from the photo and I'm just looking at this character.  I changed the eye color and let the skin stay a tad on the yellow side.  This one had NO lightroom done to it - I opted to use FILL instead of the other method to see what would happen.

You know?  There is a tip, tool and technique for a lot of stuff...but you gotta figure out what works for you and the image.  I'm happy with this...because not only did i get the rolls to look kinda cool - but I added one of my textures from the Creative Live journey in the seminary!!  I have to say, it turned out REALLY WELL.  A great ending AND starting point to new ideas. :)  

TESTING IDEAS ON YOURSELF:

---you get the ideas hammered out quicker than say the DAY OF your shoot.
---tweak the lighting, the props and post-editing to see what will work.
---bring about NEW ideas, different than what you started with.
---helps you SEE yourself differently (removing "you" and focusing on the character)
---and then? more fun for everyone! - if you are comfy in front of the cam, your clients will be too :P

My 2013....."review" ????

I had sooooo many amazing things happen for Pink Light Images this past year.  It has only made me more thankful for being alive and creative for 2014.  What will we do next?  What will we learn next?  SO much fun to be had in this year!!!!  I always take it day by day....and walk through the inspiration with a full heart.  For January, I'm on a hiatus to get re-centered and re-focused on the dreams-goals-visions that I truly want to aspire for this year.

Maybe, you are wondering WHY wouldn't I do this over the holidays?  Well, because there is no down time! :)  If you are not shooting images, you are running around for family events.  As much fun as it all is....you don't get quality time with yourself to ask, seek and KNOCK on the doors that are in front of you.  I've been dreaming big...and living big within.  It may not always show on the outward, but I can assure you my thinking and believing has increased HUGELY!  I am EXCITED to share what is to come with you all.

You are all helping me take dreams to realities...every moment we are connected.

Thank you!

Before I get to my next publishing....I wanted to share what I shared with Brooke Shaden on her
 "year in review".  

I was SO HAPPY to include my checkerboard image with the floating legs/tights.  It was something I had been dreaming about for a while. I love mixing "like" ideas and making something fun out of it.  The skirt was made of hands that I had fashioned from an idea from a display hand from the craft store.  Funny thing was - when I packed it from Green Bay...one of the fingers snapped off!  I had to re-create the finger to make it a complete hand.  It was quite fun and funny.  The flooring took me back to ART CLASS where we did perspective drawing and learned how to make something look far off, like maybe u would walk to it.  :)  So, all in all - it was encapsulating the things I do love about art in general. :)  The memories of my drawing background and the future of my pop-art-like branding and work. <3

Here is the bigger version!

Thank you to EVERYONE that is helping to make my dreams happen.
I don't forget a single person who has ever helped me!!!!

THANK YOU!

Happy 2014.