I'm a photographer now?!

Hello everyone!

Well i have a fun announcement... i'm diving into the world of photography!

Don't worry, i would never forget my first love of makeup and beauty! But i do love all facets of the fashion and beauty industry which has lead me to take up the camera!

I know i still have a lot of learning to do, but for the last month and a half I have been studying and studying aperature, ISO, and all sorts of other fun terms i never paid much attention to before! I have a new camera, with new fun goodies to attach to it (lenses, flashes, etc).

Here are some shots from my first shoot (and yes, i did makeup and styling as well)

I got the idea from a magazine tear sheet of a Oscar De La Renta gown. Ok, so my final shots have absolutely not one thing in common with the tear sheet other than the fact that i'm looking down at the model! HAHAHAHA. But it sparked some ideas. And i knew i wanted a gown... um, but i had no access to a gown. That's when my brain went to tulle, and I decided to make a brown tulle ballet skirt. FYI - sewing a tulle ballet skirt is not as easy as it looks!

My dear and darling hubby.... we have no leaves in our yard (or didnt at the time). Especially in our back yard. I wanted bright colored and beautiful fall leaves... so i sent him on a mission to find some. THe best ones he found were at a another house in a neighborhood (mind you someone we did not know). He knocked on the door and asked if he could rake some of their leaves for his wife who asked for brightly colored fallen leaves. The man laughed a bit and said rake away. And so he did. Didnt he do a good job? I heart my art department. :D

Oh - i suppose i should talk a bit about the makeup, huh?

I started off using Dinair Olive Beige airbrush foundation for a smooth and flawless fresh face.

Next I added some of the bronze Stila Smudgepot around her eyes and then smoked that out a bit using MAC's sable shadow. Her eyes were then also lined with a thin line of black to intensify the black mascara i'd be adding on her.

Blush is GARB by mac and her lips are Boss Brown (my favorite mac shade of prolongwear lipgloss).

Next up, we switched up the shoot a little and changed wardrobe and makeup.

This "bamboo forest" is actually in the backyard edge of a house for sale very close to mine. We just borrowed it for a moment. :D I actually do like the house even though a bit smaller than ours, and would buy it for the large property lot if we could sell our house! haha.

Here is a close up shot so you can see the makeup a little better....

I used MAC pigments (golden lemon, electric coral and shadow in steam) to create the eye look.

Her lips i juse added a little bit of myth lipstick by mac to tone down the existing lipcolor.

Here's one more shot...

I'm very proud of myself! I know that i still have a bit to learn, but i'm getting there.

Stay tuned!

Morgan's Wedding

In late summer, I was fortunate to work with Morgan for her wedding. Let me tell you, this girl is so sweet, but very fun at the same time. And she is hip to the latest trends thats for sure! She wanted feathers in her hair (i have been gathering info for a post about feathers and should have that up later this week.... consider this my introduction!). Feathers in hair is a very popular concept right now! And with white or ivory feathers, it's just gorgeous on brides!

Here is a rundown of our get ready followed by some awesome pictures of Morgan and her hubby. All photography is by Jeff Hall Photography. His business is set up in Greenville South Carolina. He has an amazing eye and captures weddings in such a fantastic style! You really should check out his portfolio, whether or not your looking for a photographer in Greenville!

Here's us getting ready. I'm not sure what I was looking for. Morgan looks bored. Ah, well it was early and I dont think they had brought her STRONG coffee yet. ;)

I started by spiral curling Morgan's hair, which is pretty straight when left alone.

I teased the hair at her crown and since it was being pined in low curls, i didnt want the weight of all the hair to bring down the "bump" so i started pining the curls low and added on top.

The final layer of hair I used a criss cross pattern above. This is something i do often. I think i just love the way it looks and gives a little bit of a different vibe than being pulled straight into the hair design. Plus and added benefit is that the light cross over pattern allows minimal weight pulling down the height at the top, which is good for the style and also good that the teasing doesnt have to be so extreme that it's difficult for the bride to get out later.

Below is a final shot of the hairstyl after I added the feathers as well as some small flowers and stemens (pearls that were actually created to go in the center of fake flowers)

Next comes makeup! I LOVE when a photographer gets me some action shots of makeup application! Thanks so much Jeff!

We started with the airbrush... i love my airbrush system!!!! The airbrush i use is by Dinair and I actually use the Paramedical makeup. It has a 24 hour wear and is completely water proof so just in case there are tears (at a wedding??? never!) or a rainstorm, this makeup isnt going anywhere!

It's all about the EYES! Morgan is stylish and CLASSY! She wanted a lot of sparkle to her eyemakeup without it looking too overdone. After priming her lids with Urban Decay Primer Potion, I mostly used shadows by Stila Cosmetics. They pack a shimmer factor, without a lot of fall out (you know... all those random sparkles that fly off your makeup brush and land Lord knows where). They also arent glittery, just perfectly shimmery!

Here's another shot of the in process eye makeup. I used a lighter shadow over the whole lid (i THINK moonlight in the inner corner and brow bone with wheat over her whole lid) And then to intensify her look, i used Go Lightly along the lash line and in the outer view blending it into her crease. What you dont see in this shot is the later addition of false lashes and Expresso shadow more intensly along her lash line and just outer v corner.

Her cheeks we kept a lightly peachy pink (um... i THINK peaches by MAC, may have been a light application of Garb. Sorry, it's been too long!) And her lip color we kept night and light as well. Below are 2 final shots that you can see her makeup.

Doesnt she look smashing! Ok, so she's a pretty girl to begin with, but i love the final looks!

Here's alot shot of that hair! :D

This shot is precious... that tree is in Falls Park in downtown Greenville. I know you've seen it in wedding shots on my blog before... but isnt it gnarly cool!

Okie dokie - thats what i have for ya today!!!! Check back soon for that "feather post" and why every gal should have some feathers for her hair!

Wanna win a Mac $50 gift card?!

Hello Lovelies! Sorry my posting has been a little everywhere. I have been SO BUSY! Last weekend i had 3 weddings, today I have a bridal portrait, 2 weddings tomorrow and then a bridal portrait on sunday! To many, "wedding season" is in the summer. While i do stay very busy in the summer for weddings, since i live in the South, the busiest wedding season here is FALL! It's not so densly hot and sticky, but it's not very cold yet either. The leaves here are just starting to turn... it's gorgeous! Maybe i'm partial since I was married in November!

As soon as the photos start rolling in from these weddings, I will post them, i promise! And I just got a new and better video camera! So more video tutorials and such will be coming SOON! Keep posting for casting calls!

Ok, while I wanted to update everyone on whats going on with me... there is something that i'm sure will be far more exciting for you! A chance to win a $50 gift card from MAC!

You all know that i LOOOOOVE my MAC!

This contest is being sponsored by MakeupTalk.com

Makeup Talk is a super fun community online! They have recently revamped and redesigned their website as well so if you've been there before, but not for awhile, you should check it out again. At Makeup Talk, you can chat with other beauty lovers, read reviews about products, and swap out some products that didnt work you you with someone else who may have something you've been lemming after!

So check out their forum, and if you want to enter to win, here is some details on how to do it!

Now i'm off to prep for the bridal portrait today! Chat with you all soooooon!