Suave.

This handsome Gent is my brilliant friend Danny. Seriously amazing in that he has as much (probably lots more actually) going on in his head at any given time than even I do. Danny is an amazing writer and a member of Solar Shock Pictures. The official premier for their feature length film Elysium is going to be in January and I can't wait to see it. One part of this shoot was INCREDIBLY difficult . . . just couldn't stop talking. I have a ton of pictures of Danny mid-sentence which makes me laugh, but we hadn't had a good chat in ages so it was worth it. HAPPY BIRTHDAY on Wednesday Danny, sorry I can't be there, this is my sad sad face. =(

And that's how we get it done!

So I take pictures all the time but usually it's for "work" purposes or to document my life. Sometimes (ALL the time) I find myself seeing something beautiful but just being too tired (lazy) to get my camera out and take a picture of it. This year I wanted to do better, so in January as one of my 2009 resolutions I decided that I would photograph something non-work related every month. Sometimes I had themes, sometimes it was something I saw in a photography magazine and wanted to recreate, sometimes just spur-of-the-moment. Well, as spur-of-the-moment as I get anyway. So here is December's offering. I went to Temple Square with some most beloved friends (thanks guys) and took some pictures of the lights. It's cliche I know, but still fun. Sad story . . . I had a specific picture in my head. I wanted a shot of the candles floating in the reflecting pool and just as I went to snap the shutter (literally) they turned the lights off. I am almost ashamed to admit that I jumped up and down loudly exclaiming something along the lines of ARGH . . . Noooooo!!! Curse my being a good citizen and taking pictures of those three girls. Not really, I'm just being cranky, lol!


It was surprisingly difficult to find creative angles. I really wanted to do something "different". This shot was just fascinating to me because of the textures and layers that the lights created. This project didn't go as well as I hoped but I'm glad I did it. Sometimes just completing a goal you've set for yourself is satisfaction enough. Plus, sometimes a brilliant shot comes out of nowhere so you can't second guess things. You just have to keep shooting.

This red tree was my absolute favorite. Besides the fact that red is my very most favorite color, it was also just really cool and without it I may have never found my friends. Here's how the conversation ensued . . . fifth cell phone call . . .

Josh: "Where did you say you were?"
Mandie: "On the North side just as you come in."
Josh: "Where on the North side."
Mandie: "Just North of the reflecting pool."
Josh: "I just walked all the way around there."
Mandie: "I'm by the curvy thing, I saw a shot I liked and had to take it."
Josh: "What curvy thing?"
Mandie: "The curvy thing that intersects with the pathy thing, right as you come in, and the intersection North of the pool, I'm right in the middle of it."
Josh:" . . . . . Do you see the red pine tree?"
Mandie: "No"
Josh: "It's a huge red pine tree, how do you not see it?"
Mandie: "I see a huge red tree, it's really pretty, but it's not a pine tree."
Josh: "Yes, it is, we're right underneath it."
Mandie: "It doesn't look like a pine tree."
Josh: " . . . just meet us under the big red tree."

Yeah, I'm a dork sometimes and Josh is AMAZINGLY patient with me. Thanks love!!!

Since I didn't get my candle shot I had to go for the luminarias. Side note, if your are with somebody who starts telling you what languages they all are in don't be amazingly impressed with their incredible knowledge, it's written on the bags. =)

This shot I am actually pleased with. I can't remember what language it was, you'll have to ask my friend Josh. He knows all . . . like how to read the small print.

YAY for my beloved friends. Mike, who I actually just met but seems very nice. "My" Ryan and "My" Josh. LOVE you!!! Sorry it was so frigidly cold but thanks so much for coming with me. Now for January's project . . . I really want to try light painting . . .

'Twas a might nippy!

This is my friend "Spot" and I love him dearly. He is one of the absolutely most fantastically amazing people in the universe and if he loves Jackie then I do too! Sadly, I have been waiting to meet her for MONTHS and really wished it could have been under more auspicious circumstances . . . sigh. She's an awesome sport, it was sooooooo cold when we took these pictures and as you can see, snowing very hard. I lost count of the accidents on the freeway driving to meet them. Somewhere around seven I think, one was a truck completely off the road and flipped on it's side. Scary! Jackie love, it was fantastic to meet you, totally awesome that you tackled Spot, I think you are gorgeous, and I love your hair! xoxo

My cousins are really tall.

Believe it or not I am the runt of my family. Just last Sunday at the monthly Jeppson Family Fiesta (yes, that is actually what we all call it) my Mom was teasing me about being short. I am 5'7". Okay technically I am 5' 6 3/4" but who ever says that? "Mom" I say, "Everywhere else I go I am the TALL one." She just looked at me in a rather scoffing manner. Sigh . . . these pictures are my cousin Josh's family. See his cute wife? She's pretty average in height. See him? Yeah, I'm the runt. =) Thanks for being so much fun guys, I really love the lolly!

The Sims Family.

This session was stressful just because I REALLY wanted it to go well. This handsome gentleman was my husband's best friend growing up and I just wanted everything to be perfect. We scouted the location in August and I was expecting lots of yellow leaves so when I arrived and everything was bare I was flummoxed (part of my personality that I definitely need to work on). I ended up loving the texture of the old wood and we got some fun ones of their son playing on the rock wall so I be happy! They were all so great to work with.

Reminding me why I do what I do.

Every once in awhile you get to do a photo session that is just, MAGIC! I absolutely loved this family. Dad is in the military overseas and for Christmas they wanted to send him pictures. We had so much fun! I should have known they would be amazing because they were referred to me by Kate Taylor, whom I absolutely adore. So, so, so nice, and sweet, and wonderful! The boys were so willing to do anything. The picture I have of them goofing around in the background behind their Mom is my current favorite pic of all time. Thanks Garner family, I truly treasure you all.

Not bad for a first try.

I drive over Trapper's Loop frequently and for the last month or so I have been increasingly fascinated by the fall grasses that practically glow as they are backlit by the setting sun. Not the best thing to do while driving, I know. Anyway, I have been wanting to try to photograph someone walking in the grasses for awhile now. Well, for Halloween my beloved (and spectacularly, amazingly talented) Aunt Carol made costumes for my daughters and asked if I could take a picture of them wearing them for her. Perfect! So I dragged my children, who were not particularly enthusiastic about the project (never let it be said that I don't sympathize with mothers trying to get their kids in for pictures), out the door. All I can say is taking backlit pictures is WAY harder than it looks, I so need to practice tons more before I drag clients there. I did get the pictures, they weren't quite what I envisioned, but hey, now I have something else to work on so it's all good! =)

Sugar 'n Spice

I got to photograph five of the most beautiful and fun girls ever last Saturday. This is a session we have been trying to set up for awhile. Getting everyone's schedules together was tricky, but it was well worth the wait. I'll admit to being nervous all day that the weather would ruin everything, especially as it was raining as I was driving to meet them. The skies cleared, and we had a blast!