To boldly go where no girls have gone before!

Well, I'm sure SOME folks have gone here before....but WE have not!!! This was our first full all out fun inspirational shoot based off the Original Series Star Trek.  

So after about a year and a half of thinking, waiting, living....we made the Star Trek shoot happen yesterday!!!!  We are getting in RIGHT BEFORE it gets super super super hot...and wanted to take the 1960's original series and do some imaging based on the show and the fun things we love about it.  Carrie volunteered to be our Orion slave girl, Becky our lieutenant and Destiny the Borg. ;0  We started off with all the lovlieness and after we finished out initial setup, we moved into anime eyes and a few other outfit changes.  It couldn't have worked out more perfect...and I have to thank EVERYONE involved! You guys are the folks that make dreams happen. THANK YOU!

Here is today's little vlog real quick!




And here are some teaser images....a more detailed gallery coming soon!

THANKS AGAIN!

Both regular, and anime eyes! + TRIBBLES!

A little bit of ship action.

The Orion slave girl....in her beauty.

Once it got dark, we could create a few dramatic images....since I had made those visors and all that!

Destiny and Becca Jett's creation - they did good for only 2 hours work.

These overlay images are inspired by: "Is there in truth no beauty"

Arch Highlights, plus FRIENDSHIP!

I'm going to start THIS blog with a different take...............

I grew up in parts of Oklahoma, and when I was young I had a few friends I got to hang out with when I was younger.  Katie was one of those girls.  We had sleepover, hangouts and lots of fun.  When I left oklahoma....i was always heartbroken to leave friends behind, but we wrote letters.  And yes, I still have a majority of those letters in a box.  We exchanged school pictures over the years....We talked about random things and life.  I have this huge collection of how she photographically grew as a lady from young to high school and then we just lost contact.  Somewhere between me consistently moving and losing her information...we were kept apart for many years.  I would do online searched to see if she showed up.  I seemed to remember bits and pieces of where she *COULD* live...or where was she?

I found her parents' and brothers' names and searched for YEARS on myspace and facebook.  Until ONE DAY.....I saw on the people search her last name had finally changed (even though she had been married for years).  I looked up her new name and there she was on facebook.  I saw her face and knew INSTANTLY it was her!  I was sooooo happy to finally connect!!!!

Not only that, but found out she had stayed put for quite a few years in one town...making it a little easier to find her now! HAH!!!!!  So needless to say, when I went to After Dark in STL, she was able to come meet me because she lives close to there.  I was never so happy to hear those words...."I'm taking the day off and I'm driving down"!  I had only imagined this day would happen where I could see her face to face and just catch up!  I was EXCITED!  I was in my hotel room and we met, like barely time had passed really since the last time we spoke.  I got to hear how things are for her life and I got to share bits of my life!  Oh....how it would have been neat to know where each other were for our mutual weddings. :) heheeh!!!!

Anwyays....I took a few informal pictures at the Arch (thanks to Katie for taking me!)....and had a lovely lady and local photographer named Kristin Scully come out to take a few pictures of us as well.  I just wanted something really really nice that I could frame and say "wow, THERE IS KATIE!".  I just have no words to how God has connected the dots for me when I didn't give up.  I wanted to see her again, AND I DID!!!!!!  So thankful for that!

Thanks to everyone for my trip to STL - you all made it amazing, learning, challenging and loving.

HIGHLIGHTS from St. Louis!

I have spent a lot of time working these past weeks and months...that I needed to stop and also share the HUGE event that happened in April!!!!!  I went to a huge photography experience to learn, grow, receive and create.  There is something about being around people that truly care for your future and who you are as a person and artist.  I was fully encouraged and EXHAUSTED when i got home! ahahah!!!!  I wanted to show you some of my personal highlights of the event in pictures....

I will highlight some CITY pictures in another post!  These are some of the creative images we made while at our workshops, pods and sections where we tinkered with lighting and styling of various kinds.  Thanks to ERIN who was an amazing coordinator and model for all of us to work with.  And of course, EVERYONE involved at After Dark.

ENJOY!

The amazing Jane! - took her through LOTS of images and stylings! - The anime eyes was my idea!

The enrapturing Erin! from day 1 - it was ON!

Some fun things WE all did at AD. :)  It is a group thing, not a ME thing.

The amazing styling and concepts of Brian Demint - and we got to be a part of it!

I call this Anime Eyes meets HUNGER GAMES! :)

Angela was a little chameleon! Soft and classic one moment, and lil zombie girl the next!

 I'll post BONUS images later....I had a GREAT personal day as well!!!! It wasn't just all work work work!!!!! WOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Engagements at the arboretum!!!!!!

So like I've said...May has been full of amazing folks...and amazing experiences so far!  I never stop learning and growing...and pushing myself!  I'm always surrounded with challenges in lighting!  The arboretum is that place where you feel *challenged* creatively! Because almost every inch of it has been covered with photos or poses and other things that make it ever so popular. ;)

The great thing about working with most people, is they are open for anything!  Pick something you like - and let's go shoot it!!! Adam and Anna were no exception!  They had never been there ever...so it was fun to explore almost the ENTIRE park with them and see places they had not seen before. :)  I tried a few new spots and wondered where the bamboo had gone.  I have to say I had fun with the bushes because you don't normally see them when walking up and down the stairs, but i thought...how about this? :)

It was a shame we missed the FLOWER HOUSES that are starting June 1st.  I still kinda want to go back and do an art piece for them....I'll have to wait til June to do this!!!! <3

Anyways............enjoy the few teaser images from their special moments.

VLOG 26!!!! - things and a phaser

So, I got something in the mail today!

I'm prepping for my "original" Star Trek shoot fun day....just for fun, creativity and laughing with friends.  I love stepping away and doing additional projects that just are nostalgic AND fun for me.  My friends are super super super excited about this - as we are going to re-create at least 2 characters and have some good times.  I believe we make memories and have fun...there is nothing too much more awesome than that. ;)

Thanks to everyone involved so far! See you soon!

Teasers from JANNA AND PAUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are some super teasers from the Weatherford Wedding!!!
woot!!!!!!!!!!!

There were a lot of fun memorable moments....and i'm happy to say...we accomplished almost everything we wanted for the couple that day!  There was only ONE image i could not create, because the room was locked and we couldn't get in :( :)

But either way....BEST WISHES to the couple as they head off to their honeymoon!!!!

Oh happy day!

The bride's son broke down into tears....saying his mom looked like a princess.....

Some fun images we stopped to make during the day!

I really loved her colors of this wedding...and I can't wait to dive into their images to create!

A very fun FAIRE wedding with dragons, seahorses, elephants and love!

Here is my 2nd ren faire wedding of April!  This couple was super super cool and also had a few creative requests as the wedding day went on!  Very soon I realized since they had a dragon guestbook and a dragon CAKE....I had to incorporate something super unique to ONLY THEM - so when we found the little garden with trinkets and fountains - I grabbed a picture of them w/ the dragon wings. :)

You can see the teasers here below - but there is ONE MORE big piece coming for them!  I was commissioned as part of their package to CREATE a movie poster!  I have already begun the process since they are huge movie buffs.  (as am i!)  I'm taking inspiration from some super iconic posters and mish-mashing something JUST FOR THEM!  I can't wait to share it....

In the meantime, please enjoy a few snippets and details from their day!  I think Vanessa looked quite amazing (as did all her girls) and Jason and the guys also!  Everyone had a lot of fun and we had some fun pictures come out from it all. :)

ENJOY!

It's all fun in FAIRE and love!!!!!

I had the HONOR to photograph this wedding!!! I was soooo fortunate to find this couple and rather, they found me and made my day a fun-filled wedding extravaganza!!!!!

Our day was spent at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival

I was striving to make images for them in all the sense of good family portraits as well as some super-creative fun things around the fair!  We had a BLAST doing so.  I wanted to share one of the images I was really really happy with as far as location/look.  I think there are so many different details to a faire...and once we stopped near the chainmail store - I thought to myself...WHAT CAN I DO HERE?

I tried to shoot through it and could not get a focus - it was too tight-knit together...and my camera couldn't handle it.  But as I walked around it, I noticed the particular garment could work another way!  So I "draped" them in chainmail per say. :)  I hope you enjoy these teasers from their wedding day!  There were a ton more - but i'm always obsessed with the couple by themselves and having fun.  Yes, we did have fun!!!!

Enjoy the FAIRE through our eyes!!!!

This is wedding 1 of 2.  The next one will be up in a few days!!!!

Congrats you two!!!!!

Kenley launches her PINK LADY line!!!! - and SUNRISE in Montauk!!!

Oh what a day it was!!! We had a great time celebrating Kenley's launch of her new line for the PINK LADIES!!!!  My friend Garret was attempting to parallel park as I jumped out of the car and walked around the block!  There she was! ALL PINKED UP!!!! It was super fun to see the store Slapback and see all of her cute little clothing in there.  If you are in NYC or traveling there, go stop in!!!!  I made the journey to BROOKLYN and wore my lovely cake topper dress!!!!!  She made clothing inspired by a lot of the styles and characters of the movie "Grease"...you have to see how carefully tailored they are!  Everyone there was modeling them and I was able to get my own scarf and Kenley tshirt! :)  ENJOY THE PICS!!!!

Also, earlier that morning I had a quick trip to Montauk for that "romantic" moment for myself...from the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.  Thanks to JOE for taking me out there - we stayed up all nite and caught sunrise. LOL!!!!  I came back to Queens at about 820am....and overall Saturday was just amazing.  I can't wait to get back there in August to finish what I started! WOOT!!!

Here are some pictures!!!!

To see/buy/purchase:  www.kenleycollins.com
And check out the Slapback store in Brooklyn! :  http://www.slapbacknyc.com/

A stolen moment in the mirror!!!!

Jetzain brings gifts!!!! :)

Kenley singing at her party - rocking out to STREET BOSS! - Jetblack Bullseye

Gorgeous moment, pink lady, window light! :)

HERE is my *VLOG* of the event!!!!!

Huge thanks to JOE for driving me to Montauk the morning before the Pink Party!  This was a cool, surreal moment....it could have been the lack of sleep or the dreamyness of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind".......enjoy! And here is Montauk!

MEET ME IN MONTAUK!!!!!

Sunrise in Montauk Point

My first sunrise on the East Coast.

Thanks to Joe G for driving me there! It was surreal. - I felt Eternal Sunshine.

The road that went forever.

Here is my VLOG of the sunrise moments in montauk!!!!! ETERNAL SUNSHINE!!!!!!