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A few months after that first meeting, I was on my way to Washington, DC to take Nena’s photos. Since all the shots were to express some kind of freedom and liberty theme, she decided to sport the Gadsden flag with the words “Don’t Tread on Me” proudly sprawled over her bikini on the front grass of the Capitol. I LOVED the idea and applauded her boldness. With camera in hand (and a deep breath) we headed out to do her photos. The shoot went off without a hitch, despite our slight fears that we might be asked to leave. Oddly enough, we were never stopped by any security, only gawked by them through their binoculars from the steps, which of course had us rolling with laughter.

Nena is such a sweetheart. During the trip, she just opened up her adorable home to me and, since I’d never been to DC, toured me around like an old pro. We even went to the national archives where we saw the Bill of Rights and US Constitution. Very fitting considering the whole theme of the trip. I really want to thank Nena for her genuine kindness and fun-loving spirit. I had such a good time working with her and am happy to have made such an awesome new friend.

XOXO
Rita Q

PS: This is the first of a bunch of posts I’ll be making from the LOLA calendar shoots, so stay tuned. And if you want to get your own printed copy of the final calendar, visit www.iamlola.org.

Here’s the shot that was selected for the calendar. Isn’t she just beautiful?!

And here’s a small sample of some of the other shots we took. Just look at those baby blues!

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Marcus and D’Ann specifically asked close friend and Deadline Live radio show host, Jack Blood, to help lead their “anti-wedding” celebration. The two, who are very active politically, decided to do things in the way of the old world, where man and wife profess their love in front of family and friends, in the comfort of home, and didn’t require permission from any governments.

The entire event was an expression of their beliefs and vision. From the black wedding dress purchased at Hips and Curves, to the black wedding cake, and even wedding rings that fit perfectly on, yep you guessed it, their middle fingers.

Everyone could feel the excitement in the air and I felt honored to be asked to capture such a unique experience for the two of them. Marcus and D’Ann were friends since high-school who had each gone their own way, and then found each other again on, of all places, facebook. In time, friendship grew to love. And it’s obvious they really are the best of friends, filled with mutual respect and admiration.

I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard while doing a photo gig and I’m forever changed by being around these two incredibly fun-loving, heartfelt, and passionate people. And I can’t even express how grateful I am to you both for trusting me to be your photographer on such an incredible day for you. I’m happy to call you my friends and wish you all the love this life has to offer.

xoxo!
Rita Q

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“Are you Rita?” I hear from a short distance away. It’s Allison, who looked just as relieved as I did, when I nodded “yes” and then greeted me with a warm hug and a smile. My fears were set at ease. Then I noticed she was wearing a UT orange sweatshirt and he had an A&M cap and thought to myself: This really is true love!

For the next 45 mins or so, we chatted about life, the engagement proposal, living in Los Angeles (which is where they call home now), and how the wedding guest list has grown. I love their laid back attitude about the whole thing and I can tell immediately that they aren’t about keeping up with the Hilton’s, and are more about surrounding themselves with the people they love and, as Ben said: “We just want to make sure everyone is fed.”

As we ended our little meeting I thought to myself “I’m sure I’m forgetting something important I’m supposed to say or do.” But as we all walked toward our cars, my mind was already picturing Allison in her dress and Ben smiling at her as she walked down the aisle. My heart pounded a little, feeling so honored they would chose me to be there on their wedding day and what I could do to help make it even more special for them. It was then that I realized I wasn’t forgetting anything. I just needed to see with my heart and remember to pack my camera. I’ll figure out the rest…

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Personally, I believe we get what we put out into the world. And the one thing I grew to love about this group of folks is their positive energy approach and general good vibes. No pretenses, no popularity contests, and above all, no “right vs left” dogmatic ideals – just people doing what they can to make a positive difference in our communities. And I love that!!

I have to give an extra big thanks to Angela who helped out that night with the photobooth, which was the big hit of the evening. And as always, thanks to my amazing husband, Val, who knows just how to make me feel loved in a sea of faces. I was thrilled to be invited to photograph this event and look forward to seeing their future activities. Check them out if you want at www.tagtexas.org.

“We’ve got to give a little love, have a little hope. Maybe we can make it better.”

XOXO
Rita Q

ps: I’ve read about a lot of pro photographers raving about blogstomp, this AMAZING (and dirt cheap) photoshop action that helps you make quick work of getting images prepped for your blog. So, I bought it and used it for the first time on the images below. I love it!

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