blonde photo :: have more fun!

December 30, 2007 · 1:56 am

the big easy: NOLA day 1.

i am so excited to be back in new orleans – i absolutely love this city for its myriad of eccentricities and undeniably charming character. we are lucky to be staying at the b&w courtyards – a fabulous b&b in the faubourg marigny district, just a few blocks from the heart of the french quarter.

we had the perfect new orleans day: a phenomenal welcome at our b&b by rob, one of the owners, followed by a great lunch of gumbo and shrimp po’boys at mena’s cafe, a stroll through the french quarter and a peek at bourbon street, afternoon coffee + beingnets at the famed cafe du monde, people watching in jackson square, shopping along royal street, a drink at molly’s at the market, and a spectacular dinner at bacco.

creative photos of john and i.

decor at our incredible b&b.

some of that new orleans character i mentioned :)

proceeds from this local brew have generated over $500,000 in relief for hurricane victims.

jackson square.

lucky dogs! iron balconies! killer cafes! i LOVE this place!

the scene at cafe du monde.

i could photograph these streets all day, every day.

3 Comments

Filed under photography, photojournalism, travel

December 29, 2007 · 8:33 am

gatorland!

while i was in florida i did something i haven’t done in almost 20 years…i went to gatorland!

gatorland is one of central florida’s quintessential tourist destinations – it’s just so florida. nothing fancy, just a bunch of lazy gators and tons of birds lounging about in their habitat. there are a few shows where they feature up close encounters with the animals, but mainly you wander around the relatively small park and check out the gators. for a few bucks extra you get a fistful of hotdogs that you can feed to the gators. honestly, the gators didn’t seem that into the hotdogs, but the birds sure loved them…oddly enough!

the first (and last) time i was at gatorland i was probably 8 years old – and my dad and uncle took me and my sister. i still have the polaroid from that day, sitting on a bench with a boa constrictor wrapped around my neck and a baby alligator in my hands. how brave i was! so when the woman asked if we’d like to have our photo taken with a gator during the wrestlin’ show – i said of course! and signed john and i up…aside from getting close with the gators, we also admired the stunning flamingos, macaws, turtles, and even llamas and goats in the petting zoo! a perfectly wonderful way to spend a sunday afternoon…

check out our up close encounters!

no day at gatorland is complete without trying a sampler platter of fried gator + gator ribs!

7 Comments

Filed under animals, nature, photography

December 27, 2007 · 11:34 pm

benazir bhutto.

former prime minister benazir bhutto was assassinated today in pakistan.

benazir bhutto in rawalpindi, pakistan © AP.

this news fills me with great sorrow and despair for many reasons, least of which being that i believe bhutto represented hope for a country that is entrenched in deep despair.

benazir bhutto was a harvard and oxford-educated politician, and the first female prime minister elected in the muslim world. she hoped to regain leadership and fight extremist opposition to free her country from the grip of taliban terror, but was tragically slain just 12 days before the election. a suicide bomber shot her in the neck and chest, then blew himself up – killing at least 20 innocent bystanders.

pakistan is currently in a state of chaos.

to read more about bhutto’s life and politics, as well as the latest news from pakistan please visit npr.org. click here to read bhutto’s blog for the huffington post before her return to pakistan.

also from npr:
profile: benazir bhutto
timeline: the turbulent life of benazir bhutto
bhutto assassination sparks violence in pakistan

merry christmas! feliz navidad!

a very merry christmas and feliz navidad from kissimmee, florida…i snapped these pics last night in my grandmother’s neighborhood – enjoy!

2 Comments

Filed under holiday, just for fun, photography

December 17, 2007 · 7:54 am

dc habitat: home dedication.

last saturday, december 8, dc habitat turned over the keys to 4 brand-new houses to four very deserving families. these homes were actually the very ones that i had the privilege to work on a few months ago. i was very excited to donate my time to capturing this awesome event, and thankful to be able to be a part of it.

the proud new home owners gathered amongst a crowd of well-wishers as the homes were blessed and the ceremonial keys passed on. it was an incredible event – just being in the presence of such joy and excitement as these families each embark on a new journey with one another. every mother said the same thing – all the work, the effort, everything they do is for their children. i was so moved by their hardships and so happy for them and the opportunities they can now provide as a result of their partnership with habitat.

for more information on how you can help deserving families work towards a new future, check out www.habitat.org – a very worthy and honorable organization that truly changes lives – now and for generations to come!

1 Comment

Filed under dc, photography, photojournalism, volunteer

December 15, 2007 · 8:04 pm

i love my job.

it’s so true – just ask anyone that has worked with me, hired me, or been around me when i’m shooting – i have the time of my life when i’m weilding the camera – so for fun i thought i’d share some of the more interesting shots that have been taken of me in action…you can be assured if i’m covering your event i do whatever it takes to get the perfect shot – whether it means getting down or getting dirty – i’ve done it all. and i have a BLAST doing it.