“With all our activism involvement, the only fitting place seems like the Capitol.” This is what Shannon tells me as we discuss where she and Justin would like to do their wedding photo session with me. In truth, they were actually married a number of years ago but really wanted to get some more pictures taken of them. And since I’m fairly new to the official “wedding photography” world, I offered to take their pics and was thrilled when they accepted my offer.

As scheduled, we met at the capitol building in downtown Austin. As they approached, I could see a big sign in their hands. I laughed to myself as they approached and saw that the their sign said LOVE. They laughed as they tell me “Well, we couldn’t come to the capitol and not have some kind of sign!” Inside my heart melts a little as I’m filled with admiration for their relationship with each other. Love. Yep, that’s a perfect statement for them.

I told them that what I really wanted to capture was the romance and passion they share and explained how I would prefer to be a fly on the wall as they flirted and played together. As always, my goal was for us all to have fun and let their personality shine while me and my camera just follow the energy of the moment. In the two hours we were there, I felt so lucky to have been given the trust of this amazing couple as they openly shared their love with each other as I snapped away.

Thank you so much Shannon and Justin! I love you both! :)

xoxo
Rita

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“Seth is such a gerber baby!” I’m sure I’m not the first person to say this to Megan, his mom. Well, it’s true. His cute little mug could be the one you see on the classic gerber baby products. Adorable smile and cute squeezable rosy cheeks.

I met Seth and Megan at the Austin Wildflower Center while shooting a mommy play date group. As I ran around trying to catch all the cute things the kiddos did while hanging out, I was able to capture the shots below of Seth, which I have to say, I LOVE. They just make me smile. But I’ll admit it, all the kids made me smile and I’ll be putting shots from the rest of the little cuties up soon. But until then, I hope Seth’s little two front teeth give you a warm-hearted giggle like they do for me. Every time.

Thanks Megan and Seth!

xoxo
Rita

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To me, Ron is like superman – the quiet, well-mannered man by day – but when there’s action to be had, he is a serious force to be reckoned with! I met him while helping my husband, Val, with the filming of his web-series project. I remember him coming home from the audition and being excited to show me Ron’s tape. He loved how Ron had captured the exact cocky attitude Val was looking for in the character. Above all, he loved how Ron could just “bring it” no holds barred. He knew right then that Ron was the guy and invited him to be part of our little film family.

Ron knew I was a photographer and needed some new headshots so we met in downtown Austin and wondered the back alleyways to find the right light and the urban feel he wanted. He gave me all his “looks” like the tough bad guy and the cool mystery guy. My favorites, of course, are the ones I was able to snap when he wasn’t posing that captured his kind energy and silliness. You see it? That little hint of his playful spirit that his eyes give away? I do and I love it!

Ron is a genuinely nice guy who is a pleasure to work with on our project and I’m so happy he asked me to be his photographer. I wish him all the best in his career!

xoxo
Rita

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I like to share the love, so sometimes you’ll see posts on my blog that don’t really have much to do with photography but are more about sharing with everyone something that just makes me smile. Tarrin Lupo is one of those things. Or should I say one of those people who make me smile.

He and I have many mutual friends on Facebook which is how we originally connected. After attending a conference in Vegas last year and hearing rave reviews from a bunch of girls who all just adore him and were sporting his very cool jewelry, I decided to respond back to a chat he initiated to say hi. To my very happy surprise, I discovered he was very deserving of all the love he receives. Highly intelligent, actively working to save the world through his LCL Report website, and one heck of an amazing jewelry designer!

But here’s exact the moment I really fell in love with Tarrin: Around the holidays I received a special package from him and when I opened it up, I discovered he had made me this custom necklace with a “Don’t Tread on Me” silver pendant AND a one of a kind “Texans for Accountable Government” pendant bracelet. I was completely blown away by his generosity. And everyone who sees those pieces on me fall in love with them, just like I did. I’m always asked “Where did you get that awesome jewelry. I want one too!” Which brings me to this post. I wanted to tell the whole world where they could get their own custom jewelry from Tarrin Lupo and share some of the pics I’ve taken of other pieces I’ve seen on friends of mine.

So, I say this from the bottom of my heart, if you’re thinking of purchasing something special for your valentine this year, or if you deserve something special for yourself, I really recommend you check out his jewelry. Each piece is completely unique and custom fitted and his prices are so incredibly reasonable. And, now I don’t know this for sure, but I think he may be secretly putting some special “happy energy” in his stuff because I know when I wear mine, I just feel better or something. So instead of taking those yucky anti-depressants, buy some Tarrin Lupo jewelry. Yeah. Better than Prozac. {grin}

Love you, Tarrin!

Rita

My friend Katie with an original Ladies of Liberty Alliance (LOLA) necklace.

This is Catherine Bleish with her “Free Speech” pendant

Bonita wearing this beautiful silver ring! 

Catherine loves this bracelet so much she said the first time she’s taken it off was for me to shoot this picture.

And here’s my awesome “Don’t Tread on Me” necklace. Each side has the one word on it.

And last but not least, here’s my cool Texans for Accountable Government (TAG) bracelet. Love it! 

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I’ll admit it, my political ideas could be considered by some to be radical. Certainly not mainstream, anyway. I grew up a hippy kid in Berkeley, CA in the 70s and was surrounded by people who didn’t trust the government. Oddly, as I write this I remember being raised “liberal” which is pretty much the exact opposite of the definition of liberal used today. They were crazy hippies with their government protests, home schools, living at a commune with an organic garden. Well now I’m an adult and I still subscribe to those same “crazy hippie” ideas – protest government and attempt to grow my organic garden. But now those ideas are not classified as “liberal” at all. It’s weird. By today’s standards and codes, I’m now, gosh, I don’t really know what I am. I’m a bit of a square peg.

Here’s what I do know: I believe in personal freedom. And I still don’t believe the government is the answer to all life’s problems. In fact, I believe the opposite. I believe in our humanity. I’m anti-war but pro 2nd amendment. I don’t personally believe in abortion but support every women’s right to have sovereignty over their own body. I’m the “left” and the “right” – which is why I don’t honestly subscribe to either.

So what does all this have to do with Jim Marrs? Well he’s an author who has been writing about all of this for ages. He’s been very influential in shaping my personal education around why I don’t believe in government as the answer to our problems. The level of detail found in his research will literally blow your mind! For example, did you know that in WWII, the Nazi’s put fluoride in the drinking water of their camps to keep the prisoners more docile? Why is this interesting, you ask? Well did you know that most cities in the United States put fluoride in the public water supplies? Even though the Center for Disease Control have deemed it unsafe for pregnant women and infants to drink.

Anyway, I won’t bore you with my personal thoughts on all this and just get down to the event pictures. All I gotta say is that maybe those crazy hippies had it right. And once a hippy, always a hippy. :)

Love and Peace!
Rita

If you’re actually interested in this stuff, you should definitely check out Jim Marrs. He was asked by The Citizens Commission on Human Rights. The Texas CCHR office is located here in Austin and has been responsible for the closures of many of the inhuman psychiatric facilities in the state and actively lobby state legislature in defense of our personal freedom and health. Jim was asked to speak at their event because he has uncovered loads of data on how bad government folks have used the drugging of people for their own eevvill plans for decades. {bwwahaha}. Seriously, it’s worth checking out.

Here’s Jim Marrs with the CCHR Texas Executive Director, Claudia Smith, and Jerry Boswell.

Jerry Boswell from CCHR addressing the crowd.

Jim Marrs talking with attendees afterwards and signing books. I’ve meet him a few times and he’s really just a great, down to earth guy.

And here’s my husband, Val, with Mr. Marrs. Just had to include this one – Val admires Jim’s work as much as I do.

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Photojournalism is probably my first love in photography. Years before taking pictures of bouncing babies and people laughing, I was attending anti-war rallies in my home town, San Diego, and getting in the thick of things to capture all the emotion and candid moments I could find. I LOVE storytelling images and get physically energized trying to hunt them out.

So… I never miss an opportunity to attend an event that I know will be emotionally driven, one where deep seated values and ideology are on display. And, for those who know me on a personal level, I especially love events that bring up topics that share my own beliefs about freedom and independence. You could say I’m somewhat of a “radical” in my viewpoints, and I love it! (I guess I could blame it on being raised by a hippy mom in Berkeley.) I’ve never subscribed to the status quo and don’t believe anything I read in the newspapers. Which now that I think about, is probably another reason I love photojournalism: it allows me to see first hand what is happening so that I can make my own decisions.

Anyway, all this brings me to my thoughts on the Nullification Rally I attended this past weekend. Basically, a bunch of Texans gathered at the Capitol here in Austin to demand that Governor Rick Perry call a special session of our state legislature to officially proclaim that Texas will not comply with federal government acts that are not in the best interest for the citizens of Texas. This is an interesting topic for me, because I personally feel that expanding the size of government is never the answer and have pretty strong opinions on limiting the reach it has into the homes and lives of us all. Put simply: I don’t believe in coercion or force. Call me an idealist…(or an anarchist)… all I can say is that my favorite song IS Imagine. “Some say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.”

So even though I really don’t believe in the “right/left” paradigm of politics (which just makes people focus on fighting each other vs tackling common issues that we can all agree upon), I do attend different events that will bring attention to things I find important. I’ll be the first to admit, sometimes I really get frustrated when people at these political rallies preach about unity and standing together and then discover they are just political mouth-pieces who are really only interested in getting up and yelling about the problem and not genuinely working together.

Sadly, that is pretty much how I felt about the organizers of this Nullification Rally. I personally even chatted with them to try to come to a common ground on ideology vs political party and was basically shunned. Which just solidified in my mind how we need to break out of the right vs. left and left vs. right attitudes and remember that we’re all just people who want to be supported in our goals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And, in my opinion, remember that the only purpose of government was to be a necessary evil put there to defend “we the people” in those individual goals, not enforce what they feel is “right” for us, without our consent, (or worse yet, outright refusal to even listen to the will of the people) in an effort to accomplish their own selfish ends and fulfill back-room promises made with lobbyists.

On this day I really take to heart the message of Martin Luther King, a true hero and someone who understood the real meaning of freedom. And Rosa Parks who said “I’m free! Free to say this law is wrong and sit where I want to sit.” Such inspirations to me. They knew that government does not give us freedom and is often the enemy of freedom. Freedom resides in our hearts and minds, not at the permission of people who do not know you, yet want to control you. Like them, I choose freedom! And I invite you all to do the same.

PEACE!
Rita

I just love this picture of a Debra Medina supporter I saw in the crowd.

As you can see, Texas Gubernatorial candidate, Debra Medina had lots of support in the crowd.

Once the rally was over, some of the Debra Medina supporters showed their frustration with the event organizers for excluding the candidate as a speaker. They believe that she is the only candidate who will fight for the citizens of Texas and restore the ideals of freedom. The organizers actually blasted country music to drown them out, which I personally thought was incredibly juvenile. As it turned out, the organizers were actually die-hard Rick Perry supporters who had already said he would not call the special session they were supposedly there to demand.

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It’s funny how we create our lives just by having personal intentions and merely thinking about what we want. Val had been telling me how he really wanted to work with a cinematographer who was young, excited, and most importantly, not jaded by traditional film school techniques and teachings. A few days later, we meet Kasper. He’s this cool guy who we started chatting with at a dinner party who had recently moved to Austin from Florida. Kasper mentions how he was interested in going to school to learn cinematography but really just wanted to get his hands on a camera and do some guerilla filming. I see Val’s ears perk up and a big smile come across his face as he says “No Way!”

Within a week, Kasper and Val were meeting and planing a schedule to work together. And I, of course, noticed immediately the cool “look” Kasper had with his crazy curly hair, amazing blue eyes, and hip fashion sense. I asked him if he’d want to do a photoshoot with me one day and he says that another photographer wanted to do something with him too. I find out that the other photographer was actually my friend Jackie Jackson. So her and I got together and decided to do the shoot together. (btw: I can’t say enough about Jackie. She’s fantastically fun and has been wonderfully supportive of me trying to get my business off the ground. I LOVE her!)

So, Jackie and I headed over with Kasper to the Cedar Park historical trains, and then to downtown Round Rock, to play. I’ve said before how I really want to incorporate a more fashion-like style to my work and Kasper was the perfect model for that. He was super patient and light-hearted as Jackie and I experimented with poses and backgrounds, which we both genuinely appreciated.

And my heart just leapt when he saw the final shots and was so happy with them. He was like a little kid, literally bouncing in his seat as he reviewed them! And I gotta say, seeing him so happy really helped give me the confidence to believe that maybe I can do this… follow my dream.

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Tim is a bad guy… well, he plays one on TV. Jokes aside, Tim is actually a super nice guy who is full of positive energy and enthusiasm. And the thing I love most about him is how his eyes seem to twinkle when he laughs. Which he does a lot.

I first met him during an audition my husband, Val, was holding. He had many great actors try out for the part but Tim just nailed the role and Val was thrilled to have him become part of his little filmmaking family. He is great to work with and has some cool talents that fit right into what Val needed, like stage combat training, a great british accent, and true passion for his art.

So when Tim needed some new headshots, I was very happy to be his photographer. Like everyone these days, he had a tight budget, so we just scheduled a quick 30 minute mini-session. We met in downtown Austin and cranked out as many shots as we could in the short time we had together. Being somewhat new to doing “formal” headshot photography, I have to say I’m pretty happy with the way they turned out. And I think he is too. :)

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I spent my birthday waking up late, grabbing a quick bite, and then draggin’ my saint of a husband, Val, to the Austin Bridal Extravaganza. I figured that if I want to get into the wedding photography world here in Austin, I probably should attend one of the largest events the city offers, and see if it’s something I’d want to invest in for the future.

I’ll be honest, I was overwhelmed with the number of photographers who had booths at the show. I think it was something like 40 different companies! And everyone’s work I saw was beautiful, and in many ways, similar. I would hate to be a bride trying to sort through them all. How do you select which one to pick? Quality, packages available, prices? I know if it were me, I’d expect every professional photographer to deliver basically the same stuff, so it would really boil down to if I felt I could trust them. Do I actually like them? I mean, this person will be seeing me in my BRA for goodness sake!

I gotta say, it was interesting attending the show and not being a bride. It allowed me a unique perspective into the level of authenticity different vendors had. One for one, the first thing said to me with a big smile was “Have you found a (fill in the blank) for your wedding yet?” to which my husband would flash his wedding ring, and say “Nope. She’s already said yes.” That’s when the “Huh? Why are you here then?” look would come across their face.

Each time, I would introduce myself, let them know I was a photographer who recently moved here from Los Angeles, there to see what the show was like. This is where it gets interesting: Some people, actually the majority, would at that point literally take a few steps away from me, say “Ok” and turn their sights on the people walking up the aisles. At first, I was sorta like “Hey Val, do I smell or have something in my teeth?” Then I just began to see things for what they were: I wasn’t a prospect and therefore not worth their energy. This made me go back to my original theory: people are looking for honesty, authenticity, and genuine interest in each other’s humanity. At least I was.

Then there where the other vendors I met. The ones with the kind hearts who I could tell genuinely wanted to get to know me. And when I shared that I was a photographer new to the area flashed a big smile and said “Well welcome to Austin. Hey, do you have a card? I would love to hear about your business.” These people… I LOVED!! And to show my love, I’m going to list the ones that really stood out to me below.

I think the real disappointment came from meeting some of the photographers whose work I already admired and discovering that in person, were either cold and unfriendly or, okay I’ll just say it, egotistical. But again, I only saw this side of them the moment they found out I wasn’t a bride and would drop the “friendly” charade. Really made me sorta sad and even more committed to just trying to treat all people with respect and care and not dollar symbols.

So… will I be a vendor at next year’s show? Humm, time will tell, I guess. As for now, I want to focus my energy on being the best photographer, and person, I can be. I think in the end, that will be the true testament to my success. {grin}

Okay, here’s the LOVE list:

1. Simply Elegant Weddings and Events – Event Coordinators

The owner, Pam Emmert, is just a doll. I must have chatted with her for over 10 minutes about the wedding industry, how she was inspired by her daughter’s wedding (who also works with her), and the adventures of starting a new business. She was just a genuinely down to earth and classy lady, as where her staff, who were all just lovely to speak with, full of smiles and encouragement. I hope to one day be able to work with them.

2. An Event to Remember – Event Coordinators

I didn’t get to chat with the owner, Shamika, but did speak with Tramaine for a long time, who was just full of energy and sass. I really liked her vibe a lot. I gathered that they were a somewhat new business themselves and were really open to meeting people in the wedding world could feel comfortable working with themselves. All the ladies in the booth seemed to just have this cool, hip, modern sense of style that I’m sure is reflected in their events.

3. Serve – Event Coordinators – 512-775-5965

Okay, Jennifer and Amanda from Serve are awesome! I gravitated to their booth because I loved the simple and modern style it had. But then when I started chatting with them, it was like seeing old friends. Lots of giggling. And as it turned out, Amanda was from Los Angeles too. They both were very encouraging and I really appreciated their genuine warmth. I didn’t see a website on their card so I’ve just included their phone number on this post in case anyone wants to contact them.

4. Keep Austin Gorgeous Hair and Makeup

Megan is too dang cute! She’s young, enthusiastic, and full of life. Just being around her made me happy. When she found out I was a photographer she was just a wealth of ideas for ways we could work together! Then the subject of film came up with my husband (who’s a filmmaker) and the next thing you know she was showing us pics on her phone of zombies she just did makeup for on a film. I wish I could bottle her energy and take two capsule a day.

5. The Chanterelle Duo

Phil and Sean play classical guitar and the violin (respectively). Val is a guitar player and absolutely loves classical guitar. And yours truly has always wanted to learn violin (I even have one collecting dust). So of course, we had to stop by and listen to them play. After a few minutes, Val and I each make a B line to the musicians and started singing their praises. Next thing you know, Phil is telling me know he teaches violin and Sean is talking all about his Rush tribute band and getting us info on his next gig. These were not stuffy “classical” musicians at all. They were upbeat and excited about their music, and Val and I both walked away feeling just how much they loved what they did. And who knows, I may ring up Phil for those violin lessons.

6. Debra Gulbas Photography

Debra and Osvaldo where the first photography booth I saw when we arrived, and even after seeing the other 39 photographers, they were the ones that still lingered in my mind when I left. Debra was so friendly and willing to just talk shop. She suggested we meet and continue our chat over a cup of coffee, which I can’t even begin to say how much I appreciated. She was just a sincere and kind-hearted person who welcomed me to the Austin photographer world with arms wide open. And Osvaldo, her second shooter who was also working the booth, was just as cool. He has his own website too: www.ocontrerasphotography.com (which wins first place for cleverness in my book).

7. Illuminate Photography

And last, but certainly not least, is Lisa from Illuminate Photography who is a major sweetheart. She didn’t know me from Eve and just via email, responded to me in a way that made me feel like she really did care. Her business has been booming so a local meetup group has asked her to lead a marketing workshop to share what she’s done. I think it’s awesome when I meet a photographer who isn’t scared to help other photographers. And especially when they don’t have that yucky “Let me mentor you, oh lowly beginner” vibe. When I finally met her in person at the show, she gave me a big hug and reminded me to contact her so we could meet and chat. From what I could tell, her real secret to success is just her decision to lead with her heart and find joy in what she does.

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Yep, today is me birthday, lassies (I say with my really bad Irish accent) and I’m spending it being tremendously grateful to the loved ones in my life, particularly my wonderful husband, Val. He is my clown when I’m feeling down, the one to tell me to just breathe when I’m freakin’ out, and the one person who reminds me what I’m capable of doing when I’m filled with self-doubt. He brings me hot tea when I’m cold and for my birthday bought me a fluffy new robe and slippers to survive this insanely cold Texas winter. I love him. Seriously love him.

I’m also reflecting on how I’ve been so worried about “getting old” – I mean I’m almost 40 (okay in a few years, but still). But in my heart, I’m the awkward girl who doesn’t really know how to dance or dress right. The girl who still believes we can all heal the world with the love in our hearts. And still loves to spin in circles on the marry-go-round. The girl who giggles too much at Adam Sandler movies and cries too easily at the stories where love conquers all.

And I reflect on the impact I’m making in life. Once feeling like the thousand+ people I’m connected with on facebook was just an inflated number of “friends” until today, my birthday, when I’m overwhelmed with the outpour of love sent out by you all. New names, old names, all taking a moment to brighten my day and let me know I’m not forgotten. Each note, each text message, each IM is dear to my heart and I love you all!

This year is the year of Rita. This is the year I’m going to actually use the mini-trampoline that has been sitting downstairs getting dust. This is the year I’m going to make my vision board and go after my dreams. This is the year I’m going to turn fear into goals accomplished. This is the year I’m going to love even more and not forget to tell the special people in my life just how much they mean to me. One day at a time… stay tuned!

XOXO!
Rita Q

Me and my husband, Val

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