The Ethni Photography Blog Has Moved!

After weeks of sketching, tweaking, dreaming, and fine-tuning, I am proud to say that Ethni Photography has a brand new blog home! The move is somewhat bittersweet, because this site is full documentation of my journey of building Ethni Photography up from nothing. Yet I'm thrilled beyond belief to finally have a site that is fully and completely my design, personality and flair. And you can finally see the photos full size without having to click on them to enlarge them!

So, after 175 posts and 16 months of pursuing the dream God initially placed in my heart years ago, I fondly bid adieu to blogger. And look eagerly to what lies ahead!

So update your bookmarks, RSS feeds, or post-its taped to your computer,visit the new blog home of Ethni Photography & Design, and let me know what you think!

www.ethniphotography.com/blog

See you on the flip side!

An Afternoon in Verrado

I spent my last session in Phoenix with this super cute family in the just-as-cute neighborhood of Verrado. As soon as Robbie got out of the car he saw a butterfly, and we spent the rest of our time together searching high and low for polka dot, striped, and spider-eating butterflies in between shots. We never did find any, but I'm sure it's not impossible. Maybe next time we'll find one.

Robbie was such a great model, and was so excited to see Madagascar 2 once we were finished. I'm sure it was even better than he imagined. Once I got every smile out of him that I could, we turned him loose on the playground and got some shots of Mom & Dad together. They couldn't look any better together, and I love the color palette Heather chose for everyone!

Here's a tip: Having trouble deciding what to wear for your session? Do what Heather did. Choose a super cute, brightly patterned piece for one of your kids, and the pull colors from that pattern for everyone else. The end result? A perfectly harmonious range of bright color where each individual is unique, and not matching every other member of the family.

And I'll leave you with some good news. Although this is the last of the November Phoenix sessions, I will be back in the area next weekend (Dec. 12-15) and am booking sessions! If you would like to make an appointment, email me soon because sessions are limited!

True North Parenting Cover Contest

The December | January issue of True North Parenting has hit the stands, and (call me biased) but I think it could be our best yet!  I had the pleasure of shooting the cover for this issue, and we also included a 10 page gift giving guide featuring over 30 gifts from local vendors!

When you get your copy, make sure to check out the very last page of the magazine.  True North is running a cover contest, and your child could be our next cover model!  Do you think they have the personality and charm to win us over?  If so, they will be the lucky model will win a free portrait session with Ethni Photography, and their best shot will appear on the June | July 2009 cover!

The Details:

The True North Parenting Cover Contest begins December 15, 2008 and ends February 15, 2009. Entries must be received by 11:59pm on February 15, 2009. Send one nonprofessional photo taken after July 15, 2008 showing your child's photogenic face to info@truenorthparenting.com with "Cover Contest" in the subject line. Photos must be a .jpg image format and cannot exceed 3 MB.  You must be the parent or legal guardian of the child depicted in the photo and photos must be taken by the entrant, unpublished, and may not have won any prize or award.  LIMIT: One entry per household, per eligible child.

Class of 2009: Rachel

I had the pleasure of doing Miss Rachel's senior portraits when I was in Phoenix a couple weeks ago. I thought I couldn't ask for better weather: sunny and nearly 80 degrees. I certainly couldn't complain... that is until my sister and I got in the car to drive to the location of the shoot. Large black clouds loomed in the distance to the east, and as we began to drive, huge, fat raindrops began to fall on the windshield.

I started to get a little nervous as the clouds got darker, and I thought "What the heck?? This is Arizona! It's not supposed to rain here!"

Luckily the rain and thunder part of the storm stayed to the east, and away from where we were shooting. However, a good amount of wind kicked up for the remainder of the afternoon. Which makes it difficult to shoot outdoors. But we pushed through, waiting for the split second of calm between wind gusts (which were few and far between). We ducked between buildings and found a moderate amount of shelter. And though the remnants of the wind still showed in the photographs, it wasn't anything I couldn't photoshop out.

Have I said yet how much I love photoshop?

Congratulations, Rachel, on graduating this year! Thanks for putting up with the wind with me!

Thankfulness

I feel obligated to write a long, impressive post this morning highlighting every little thing I am thankful for. But as I sit here, I am keenly aware of the fact that today really should be no different than any other day. Why, today, do I wake up and immediately start making my list of things I am thankful for? Often the things included there are the very things I tend to complain to God about on an almost daily basis.

How will I do this? Will You provide that? I can't get all this done. When will I find the time?

We are told to give thanks in all things. At all times. And yet I find myself doing it once a year, and then spending the rest of the year asking God for things. When He has already given me so much.

When I was little, I remember getting carried away one year at Easter. My sisters and I made a list to leave the Easter Bunny that rivaled any letter ever written to Santa. We asked for toys and chocolate and coloring books and everything we could possibly think of. My mom saw our lists, and sat us down, explaining to us what Easter (or Resurrection Sunday) was really about. I am reminded of that today... as I continually bring my petitions and lists of wants to God day in and day out, most of the time I don't stop to thank Him for everything He has already given. I take salvation for granted. I take my unlimited access to His presence for granted. And I am selfish.

So today I won't post my list for all to see. It really goes unsaid. But I will leave this quote I read in my quiet study this morning, written in a hymn in 1926 by B. B. McKinney:

I am satisfied with Jesus
But the question comes to me,
As I think of Calvary,
Is my Master satisfied with me?

God thank You for Your salvation. Thank You for Your unending patience with me, and everlasting mercy. Forgive me for lacking thankfulness in my daily life. Help me to make it a habit to be thankful in all things. At all times. Because You have given so much.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Sugarplums

While I was in Phoenix a few weeks ago, I had an idea for my sister's Christmas photo that we had to incorporate in the few minutes of downtime we had between seeing family and running to portrait sessions.

The Brous Menagerie consists of Stella, their american bulldog mix (who I discovered has a hankering for Starbucks just like I do), and Charlie and Henry--their two cats. If they had their way, the list would also include a mouse named Moose who was living in the garage for a short time but avoided capture, and another dog... or three.

We (literally) threw the clan onto the bed, and I furiously flew through frames before one (or all) of the animals escaped for dear life. This is the one favorite we ended up with. And below it is Stella, who pounced on my cinnamon dolce latte after I turned my back for two seconds.

The little fart.

New Holiday Cards

There are a handful of new holiday cards listed in the Ethni Paper Shoppe. Unlike most of the cards available on there, these latest designs are flat, one-sided, 5x7 cards printed on photo paper and are available for $2 each.

A Family Session With Family

While I was in Phoenix a couple weeks ago, I was able to do a session with some family. My cousin was in town from Tennessee the same weekend, with her husband, for her 10 year high school reunion. So we took advantage of it, and got her family all together for a session.

The hard part about growing up is the separation that often comes in physical miles. My cousin, Rebecca, was born just three weeks before Robyn and I were. My family lived in Phoenix until I was 12, and for those 12 years, every holiday was packed with lots and lots of family. There's something about going back there (especially around the holidays) that causes me to revert to childhood. And as we sat around at brunch and talked about our careers, and marriage, and when we were going to have children, I couldn't help but remember the time Michael was raking leaves in the front yard of my grandparent's house. Robyn, Rebecca and I hid on the side of the house until the pile was nice and big, and he was very nearly finished. At the right moment, when his back was turned, we made a line drive straight for the middle of it. After two or three times of this, Michael threw his rake down, and stormed inside. And we immediately ran to the backyard and hid behind the shed from the expected wrath of our parents.

Today, both grandparents are gone, and that house is now home to another family. But the memories will always be there.

That's what I love about family.

This first series was actually at the very end of the session, and it is very much my aunt and uncle. I told them to stand over there and give a little smooch, and the laughter started because my uncle had apparently just eaten a very strong onion burger before the session. And the remnants were still very strong on his breath. It's my favorite series from the whole day.

What Is It About An Elevator

... that always makes couples want to do this?

Ethni Photography + emote360

If you haven't heard of the crew at emote360 you have to check them out! They are a team of amazingly talented creative media folk who are using their talents to give back to non-profit organizations throughout the world. It's so great to partner with other people who have the same vision for their creative gifts as I do.

From their website:

"emote360 is a non-profit media company who is changing the way non-profits communicate their cause and raise funds. This blog serves to INSPIRE & INFORM. We will highlight recent emote360 activities, and showcase media professionals who are giving back locally and globally. Hopefully this will inspire and enable other artists to give back in the most meaningful way they can. life is too short, it should be meaningful."

Anyway, they recently did a feature on Ethni on their blog. Check it out at http://blog.emote360.com/?p=152!

More of Lisa

No long story from me today. I was able to get through all of Lisa's photos, and couldn't resist posting a few more of my favorites. Beautiful weather, in a beautiful location, with a beautiful model makes for some very fun and easy editing! Speaking of... time to tackle even more of it!

Class of 2009: Lisa

As soon as my plane landed in Mesa, my sister picked me up at the airport, and we went straight to our aunt & uncle's house (with a necessary stop at Taco Bell along the way.) There we met up with Lisa, my youngest cousin who is a senior in high school this year.

We spent a few hours driving to two different locations, and shooting until we had no more warm, Arizona sun to shoot in. With my aunt following with her digital camera, and my sister acting as my assistant (I could get used to this!) we got a bunch of very fun shots.

Lisa is so photogenic, I couldn't really get a bad shot, but nonethess I'm excited about what we got. So much that I had to edit a few immediately. At one point, I was straddling the side of a bridge, looking down on her to get a shot of her eyes that were just popping off the screen at me. I couldn't help but exclaiming "oh my gosh!!" as I checked the shot. She's gorgeous. And I think the rest of the family agrees that we cannot believe she is graduating from high school this year!

I am typing this post as I sit on my sister's back porch. Her american builldog, Stella, is happily playing with her tennis ball, the orange hibiscus flowers have bloomed all around the pool, the birds are chirping, and Christmas music is sounding through the windows (yes, you heard right!). My bagel is slightly burned, but I am eating it anyway (Josh would be so proud). I have a few hours before heading off to my next session with more family.

Life is good.

Awards and Flying South for the Winter

Some of you may know that one of the many hats I wear includes a part time job doing advertising design at The Bulletin, Bend's local newspaper.

I'm proud to announce that I recently received an award from the Oregon Newspaper Publisher's Association for their 2008 Best Ad Ideas contest.

For the Best Ad Ideas Contest, entries in 16 categories were judged by members of the Colorado Press Association in four circulation divisions. The ad I designed for the East Cascades Women's Group (above, which featured an Ethni photograph) took second place in the Best Institutional / Image Ad category for our circulation division.

I think I was in the third grade when I won my last award. The local fire department thought I drew the best picture illustrating why you shouldn't play with matches. Funny that I ended up marrying a man who bought me a creme brulee torch for Christmas a few years ago, and then played with it so much that it was out of butane by the time I actually went to use it for its originally intended purpose.

By the way, did you know that salt does not melt, clump, crush, or take on any other form when exposed to a constant heat source? I guess there's a reason we're called the salt of the earth in Matthew 5:13!

And speaking of heat source... I'm flying south for the winter. Or at least for the weekend.


Thanks to the wonder that is Allegiant Air, I can fly nonstop to Phoenix for dirt cheap, so I booked a last-minute trip to go there a week ago. Conveniently, my twin sister awaits me, the pool in her backyard readied, and margarita mix already chilling in the refrigerator. What was to be three days of doing nothing but those few things has quickly morphed into doing that, PLUS shooting portrait sessions all weekend. What more could I ask? Enjoying 80 degrees and sunshine, surrounded by family I never get to see, and doing my favorite thing in the world. with a whole new backdrop! Ok it's only less-than perfect because Josh can't come with me. But I will try my best to enjoy it without him.

Enjoy your weekend! I'll wave at you from the pool. Or maybe that will be me flagging down another margarita...

Dawson & Anna: Married!

After waiting and anticipating this moment for his entire life, the moment had finally arrived. Dawson stood on the stage in a large, silent sanctuary, facing away from the aisle. Nobody else was in the room but myself and Mr. Chris Miller, who was cuing the music at the sound board. For a moment, we stood in silence. Then the large barn doors at the back of the church began to slowly slide open. And the first notes of the ever familiar Etta James song began to play through the speakers overhead.

At last. My love has come along. My lonely days are over. And life is like a song.

Tears streamed down Dawson's face as his bride walked down the aisle to greet him for the first time in all her beauty. At that moment, I was so honored to be a part of such an incredible day for the friend Josh and I have known for so many years, and his new bride who we have quickly grown to love just as much.

These photos are just a small sampling of the many I took throughout the day. Wedding photos already have so much emotion in them. Add to it the fact that every face in these photos is a dear friend of ours, and you'll understand how difficult it was for me to choose which photos to pull out for Dawson and Anna's sneak preview.

Don't be surprised if you see a few more pop up in the next week.

Dawson: we love you, and are so proud of you. We have so many great memories and stories with you, and are looking forward to so many more.

Anna: you have never looked more beautiful.

Thank you both so much for your patience! Here's to many more years of laughter and good times!

(P.S. Don't tell anyone.. but I have a small crush on the boy on the left in this first photo.)

And yes, I did double check that I had my directions right before posting this. We wouldn't want Heath to think I had a crush on him, now would we?