Logan's 1st Dr. Seuss Themed Birthday Party - Cake Smash - Lakeland Photographer

Logan's First Birthday - Dr. Seuss Themed Party - Cake Smash

Once the guests cleared out, the Ernst Family and the Percy Family headed to Lake Mirror to have a mini session with Logan and some balloons.

These 2 are probably my favorite of the whole day.  He was truly excited and these were his natural reactions to being stuffed in a basket with balloons!

{MM}

I had the AMAZING opportunity to photograph Morgan, who's mom Tammy was an old friend from Haines City High School. Morgan and Tammy chose downtown Auburndale for the photo session, and I don't think we could have picked a more windy day than this.  We made it work for our benefit.  We had so much fun!

Morgan is a senior at HCHS who loves softball, music, and has a contagious smile.  I couldn't have asked for a better model! 

Click to view larger as slideshow

This one is a great example of how the wind worked for us that day!

Thanks Morgan and Tammy for making my Saturday afternoon a beautiful one! <3 Tammy, it was so nice to see you after all these years (YIKES)! Thanks for the opportunity to photograph your gorgeous daughter.  Morgan, I see in you a beauty inside and out. Don't ever lose sight of your goals, winning smile or your thirst for life!


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Halloween 2011

Many of my close friends and family are aware that Halloween is my favorite time of the year. Many simply enjoy seeing the trick-or-treaters going from door to door. Others look forward to the candy. But it's something I think about year-round, something I look forward to more than my own birthday.

Much of the attraction for me is in the stage setting - also known as the decorations. This is something I spend days and days executing; creatively placing a strobe light beneath a floating zombie for a greater dramatic effect, or securing a styrofoam gravestone to withstand the wind. This year, I decided to make very minimal purchases, and concentrate on working with all the supplies I had already. Of course this includes any art or craft supplies.

Another very obvious draw with halloween is the COSTUMES, but I'm not referring to the ones you can buy at a big box store... I'm talking about truly original and creative costumes.  I typically umbrella any makeup work under the general term "halloween costume," because a good MUA (make-up artist) can transform a homeless man into a freaky zombie.

This year I discovered Pinterest, so with all of this inspiration at my fingertips, the sky was truly the limit.  I saw so many really CREATIVE ideas this year, it was nearly impossible to decide on one.  So I didn't.  I chose THREE.

Cheshire Cat Makeup

I saw a truly mind blowing photo on Pinterest.  This Cheshire Cat Makeup was inspired by Roseshock.blogspot.com.  She is TRULY an artist, and I respect her work completely.  Mainly, I was curious to see if I could actually DO it.

Cheshire Cat Halloween Costume

DIY Cheshire Cat Makeup and Costume

Painted on Cheshire Cat Fangs

My idea for the green girl started out as a zombie pin-up, but graduated to Mrs. Frankenstein (which I now see is pretty much the same thing!) It took over an hour for my friend Brooke and I to Airbrush my entire top half green. I can honestly say, I will never cover that much of my body with paint unless it's for a photoshoot. Days later, I still have green in my ears, my cuticles and knuckles.

 

My top half was airbrushed green for this!  Mrs. Frankenstein

Me as Mrs. Frankenstein

Some of my students feel the same way I do about Halloween.  This is Dawn Ziegler, my student and work study at the University as Maleficent, from the Sleeping Beauty.  She created this ensemble and makeup for herself. I just did a little photoshop work on the backdrop.

Dawn Z as Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty

Monday Morning, Halloween, I had only about 45 extra minutes to get a costume thrown together, one that I hadn't really prepared for, so I chose Zombie.  I had about a quart of fake blood under my bathroom sink, and the rest was done with eyeshadow.

Zombie Makeup - Quick and Dirty

CJ, the Massage Therapy instructor at the University came as Mr. T, and fashioned his mohawk out of cotton balls and spray paint.  What a bad-ass!

DIY Mr. T Halloween Costume

Mrs. Jones, my former student and now co-worker is one of the sweetest hippie chicks I know.  Which is why I completely lost my mind when I saw her in this Rapper's Delight.

Jo as Buck Fitty -  "A buck mo than fitty cent!"